ISO 45001 TO DETERMINE PSYCHOSOCIAL RISK FACTORS IN THE WORKPLACE
ISO 45001 to determine Psychosocial Risk Factors in the Workplace
Work stress is a very common element when developing in a company, one of these factors that cause this problem are excessive workloads.
In October 2019, the NOM-035-STPS standard that talks about psychosocial risk factors of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS) came into force and obliges Mexican companies to detect, prevent and avoid details that involve risk and ultimately harm the mental health of workers.
NOM-035-STPS improves the conditions and environment where workers develop, and also helps to identify dangerous elements that may affect their performance, such as: job instability, excessive pressure, discrimination, excessive working hours or harassment.
NOM-035-STPS QUESTIONNAIRE FOR RISK ASSESSMENT
The first requirement of NOM-035-STPS is a questionnaire to know the risks, focused on the following points:
1) Organized work: to find out if the workload is excessive, if deadlines are unrealistic, if there is little clarity in the tasks or contradictory orders.
2) Working conditions: these are the physical conditions that demand an effort to adapt. For example: too much noise, sun or cold.
3) Working conditions: the relationship established between the employer and the worker. Referring to informal work, little security, little access to social security benefits, and even the impossibility of climbing the organizational ladder.
4) Interpersonal conditions: violence, discrimination, harassment and bullying.
The causes of psychosocial risks at work can be avoided, and the function of NOM-035.STPS together with ISO 45001 is to improve work environments so that workers’ tasks can be developed in a favorable way.
RELATION TO NOM-035-STPS AND ISO 45001
In relation to NOM-035-STPS, ISO 45001, this focuses on occupational safety and health management systems (OSHMS), since it is an aid for workers and their labor improvement within a company or organization.
When applying this system, the head of the organization is supported by all the employees of the organization. The boss must check that the safety measures, environmental measures and hazard control are complied with, so that the work environment is the best and so that there are no sick leave or any psychosocial risk.
BENEFITS OF ISO 45001 IN YOUR WORK ENVIRONMENT
Implementing ISO 45001 and becoming certified will help you prevent incidents and ensure that your company or organization is promoted as a safe place to work, and can have direct benefits, such as:
- Improve the ability to respond to compliance issues.
- Avoid incidents and thereby reduce costs.
- Reduce downtime and business interruption costs.
- Lowering the cost of insurance premiums.
- Minimize employee absenteeism and turnover rates.
- Recognition for achieving international certification.
PSYCHOSOCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT
The management of psychosocial risks is not very different from the generic process of prevention, for example: the proposal of standards such as ISO 45001. The first steps for this management are:
1) Identification of the risk: it is recognized, named and given a specific entity according to its implications for your company.
2) Evaluation: the origin, causes and impact on your organization as a whole and the psychosocial effects it could have are analyzed.
3) Definition of strategies: the set of actions necessary to counteract the risk is defined. In the event that it has not materialized, these efforts will take a preventive approach.
4) Implementation: address the existing risk in order to lessen its impact on your organization.
5) Conclusions: evaluate the results of your management process, ensuring that the experience is useful in future situations. The best decision you can make in this regard is to incorporate a corporate philosophy of psychosocial risk management.
Psychosocial risk assessment is considered to be the best way to combat psychosocial risks.
You can look for alternatives to eliminate psychosocial risks, such as mechanisms to be able to present complaints, acts of violence and possible alterations to health due to exposure to psychosocial factors.
If you want to know more about this topic, contact QAlliance! We have the qualified personnel to help you solve your doubts and start your ISO 45001 certification process.