Psychosocial risk assessment in Spain: step-by-step guide and pending reform
In a few years psychosocial risks have moved from the chapter many companies left for later to the centre of the prevention agenda. Their assessment already forms part of current prevention duties, Spain’s Labour Inspectorate reviews it in its actions, and the draft reform of Law 31/1995 approved on 28 April 2026 proposes making it express and provides for future implementing rules on protection from psychosocial risks.
This guide explains what psychosocial risks at work are, how to carry out the assessment step by step, which reference methods exist and what the preliminary draft, still pending, proposes.
What psychosocial risks at work are
They are the conditions of work organisation and workplace relationships that can affect people’s physical and mental health: mental workload and pace of work, lack of autonomy, role conflict and ambiguity, low social support, inadequate leadership, job insecurity, work-life balance difficulties, violence, harassment and cyber-harassment. Their best-known effects are work-related stress, burnout, anxiety and associated musculoskeletal disorders, as well as absenteeism, turnover and errors.
Some concrete examples: customer-facing teams with impossible targets and no decision-making latitude; rotating shifts without enough rest; remote teams without digital disconnection; middle managers without training to handle conflict.
Current legal framework and what is coming
Today the obligation to assess psychosocial risks derives from the general duty of protection in Article 14 of Law 31/1995 and from the Prevention Services Regulation, and the Labour Inspectorate reviews it in its actions. The draft reform proposes referring to it expressly and provides for a regulation on protection from psychosocial risks within one year of the future law entering into force; the official Council summary confirms it will address, among other matters, healthy workplaces and prevention of suicidal behaviour. ISO 45003 already offers an international framework for managing psychological health within the management system. We explain the reform in our guide to the reform of Spain’s Occupational Risk Prevention Law.
How to carry out a psychosocial risk assessment step by step
- Plan and communicate. Define the scope (sites, jobs, units), timetable and confidentiality guarantees, and inform the workforce and prevention delegates.
- Choose the method. Two widely used reference methods are FPSICO, from the INSST (Spain’s national OHS institute), and CoPsoQ-ISTAS21; sector-specific methods also exist. The method must suit the context and provide confidence in its results, as required by Article 5 of the Prevention Services Regulation, and the choice should be justified and, where possible, agreed.
- Collect data. Anonymous questionnaires with a sufficient response rate, complemented by interviews, focus groups and objective indicators (absenteeism, turnover, overtime, complaints).
- Analyse by unit of analysis. Results by job, department or site, never individual, identifying factors with high exposure.
- Prioritise and design preventive measures. Act on the organisation (workload, schedules, autonomy, leadership, anti-harassment protocols) before acting on the individual.
- Draw up the action plan. Measures, owners, deadlines, resources and indicators, integrated into preventive planning.
- Monitor and reassess. Review indicators, verify effectiveness and repeat the assessment when working conditions change, harm is detected or controls indicate that preventive measures may be inadequate, and at the intervals agreed between the employer and worker representatives.
What the preliminary draft provides on the future regulation
- A regulation on protection from psychosocial risks within one year of the future law entering into force.
- According to the official summary, it will address, among other matters, healthy workplaces and prevention of suicidal behaviour.
- No regulation has yet been approved: its methods, documentation and participation criteria must not be presented as final.
Common mistakes
- Running the survey without planning measures: where the assessment identifies risks requiring intervention, failure to prepare the corresponding preventive plan breaches Article 16 of Law 31/1995 and Articles 8 and 9 of the Prevention Services Regulation.
- Individual-only measures (stress management workshops) without touching work organisation.
- Results stored in a PDF with no follow-up or indicators.
- Ignoring non-response bias: a low response rate does not automatically invalidate the assessment, but the reliability of the results must be considered.
How Sabentis helps
Sabentis’s safety, health and well-being modules make it possible to plan the assessment, manage questionnaires and results by unit of analysis, turn risk factors into planned measures with owners and deadlines, and track indicators alongside the rest of preventive planning. The system supports documentary traceability; its sufficiency must be validated by competent personnel in light of the method, context and applicable law. Read more in our article on mental health at work.
Frequently asked questions
Is psychosocial risk assessment mandatory today?
Yes, as part of the general risk assessment. The draft reform of Spain’s OHS law proposes making it express and provides for a specific regulation, not yet approved.
Which method is better, FPSICO or CoPsoQ-ISTAS21?
Both are widely used reference methods. FPSICO is the INSST’s method; CoPsoQ-ISTAS21 places more emphasis on participation. The method must suit the context and provide confidence in its results, as required by Article 5 of the Prevention Services Regulation.
How often should it be repeated?
When working conditions change, harm is detected or controls indicate that preventive measures may be inadequate, and at the intervals agreed between the employer and worker representatives (Article 6 of the Prevention Services Regulation).
