Services
Psychosocial Hazards at Work
Improving Workplace Safety
Workplace Measures
(e.g. defining work roles, consulting workers on change)
Health and Wellbeing
Social Measures
(providing wellbeing information, increasing awareness of psychosocial risk)
Hitting the Right Goals
Workplace Environment
(protecting employees from threats of violence, use of appropriate protective gear)
What are Psychosocial Hazards?
How psychosocial hazards cause harm
Psychosocial hazards can create stress. This can cause psychological or physical harm. Stress itself is not an injury. But if workers are stressed often, over a long time, or the level of stress is high, it can cause harm.
Psychological harm may include anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep disorders,
Physical harm may include musculoskeletal injuries, chronic disease or fatigue related injuries.
Psychosocial hazards may interact and combine
Psychosocial hazards may interact or combine to create new, changed or higher risks. It is important to consider all the psychosocial hazards workers may be exposed to when managing psychosocial risks.
Some hazards may not create psychosocial risks on their own but may do so if combined with other hazards. For example, when workloads are high the risk may increase if workers cannot take breaks or there is no one around to help. Some hazards may only create risks on their own when severe.
Managing psychosocial risks
A person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must eliminate psychosocial risks, or if that is not reasonably practicable, minimise them so far as is reasonably practicable.
The model WHS Regulations require PCBUs to have regard to all relevant matters when determining what control measures to implement.
WHS Duties
Everyone has a role in managing psychosocial risks. These duties are set out in the model WHS Act and model WHS Regulations in each country.
Managing Risks
Psychosocial risks should be managed using the risk management process.
Psychosocial Hazards
Under the model WHS laws, a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must manage the risk of psychosocial hazards in the workplace.
Resources
Lots of resources are availabel throught our 1Diversity Membership.