Managing NOM Risk Requirements: Turning Regulatory Obligations Into Mapped & Trackable Controls

For organizations operating in Mexico, NOM (Norma Official Mexicana) compliance is not optional. Whether enforced by the STPS (Ministry of Labour) or other bodies, these standards govern everything from workplace safety to environmental controls.

But beyond basic product specs, many NOM requirements are fundamentally risk-based. They require you to identify, mitigate, and continuously manage operational risks.

Yet, most companies still treat NOM as a static checklist or an annual "scramble" before an audit. This approach creates blind spots, fragmented documentation, and dangerous operational gaps.

Modern compliance requires a shift: turning regulatory text into mapped, trackable controls that operate continuously.

Understanding Risk Within NOM Compliance

Auditors today don't just want written policies; they want evidence that risks are actively managed.

Key risk-focused standards include:

• NOM-035-STPS-2018: Psychosocial risk factors (stress, trauma, workload).
• NOM-002-STPS-2010: Fire prevention (inspections, drills, equipment).
• NOM-019-STPS-2011: Hazardous chemical management.

Auditors look for proof that controls are defined, ownership is clear, and monitoring is consistent. If you can only show a policy document but no evidence of execution, you will face findings.

Why Traditional Management Fails

In practice, NOM risk is often managed via spreadsheets and email threads. Risk assessments are done once and then buried in a shared drive.

This leads to predictable failures:

• The "Dusty" Assessment: A psychosocial risk survey from 18 months ago is useless today.
• The "Paper" Control: You documented fire safety protocols, but have no logs proving inspections happened.
• The "Silo" Problem: HR holds training records, Maintenance holds equipment logs, and Safety holds incident reports. No one can connect the dots.

When auditors ask, "How do you know this control is working?", the manual scramble begins.

From Regulatory Text to Mapped Controls

A proactive model starts by translating NOM requirements into operational controls. Instead of treating the regulation as a document, map each requirement to a specific Risk, Control, Owner, and Evidence Source.

Example 1: NOM-035 (Psychosocial Risk)

• Risk: Employee burnout and stress.
• Control: Quarterly surveys & manager conflict training.
• Owner: HR Director.
• Evidence: Survey completion rates & training attendance logs.

Example 2: NOM-002 (Fire Safety)

• Risk: Emergency response failure.
• Control: Monthly extinguisher inspections & evacuation drills.
• Owner: Facilities Manager.
• Evidence: Digital inspection checklists & drill logs.

This mapping creates immediate clarity. Everyone knows exactly what they own and what evidence is due.

Making Controls Trackable in Real-Time

Mapped controls only work if they are tracked. Digital compliance platforms replace static spreadsheets with live monitoring.

• Continuous Evidence: Evidence is collected automatically from systems, not chased manually.
• Deviation Alerts: If a fire inspection is missed, the system flags it immediately—not during the audit.
• Live Dashboards: Status meetings are replaced by real-time views of readiness across all locations.

When controls are tracked, audits become verification exercises, not discovery missions. Auditors see exactly how risks are identified, controlled, and monitored, drastically reducing fieldwork time.

How Quantarra Transforms NOM Risk

Managing NOM risk requirements doesn't have to be a manual burden.

Quantarra helps organizations transform NOM obligations into structured, automated controls.

Using a unified platform, you can:

• Map NOM obligations to specific controls with clear ownership.
• Automate evidence collection from existing HR and IT systems.
• Monitor readiness through live dashboards.
• Maintain audit trails that prove continuous compliance to STPS regulators.

Risk management becomes part of daily operations—not a last-minute scramble.

Turn NOM Risk Into Operational Confidence

Modern compliance systems turn regulation into structure—and structure into confidence.

Discover how automation simplifies NOM risk management.

Learn more at quantarra.io