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Psychosocial hazards

Psychosocial hazards are factors in the design or management of work that increase the risk of work-related stress and can lead to psychological or physical harm. Examples of psychosocial hazards might include poor supervisor support or high job demands.

 

Employees are likely to be exposed to a combination of psychosocial hazards. Some hazards might always be present at work, while others only occasionally. There is a greater risk of work-related stress when psychosocial hazards combine and act together, so employers should not consider hazards in isolation.

Psychosocial hazards do not necessarily reveal the causes of work-related stress. Causes are likely to be specific to the employee, work or workplace. Senior management should identify which psychosocial hazards negatively affect employees' health and well-being and take appropriate action to control the impact of those hazards.

 

There can also be physical consequences from exposure to psychosocial hazards, such as increased risk of:

 

cardiovascular disease
musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
immune deficiency
gastrointestinal disorders
 
 

 

Work-related stress and your legal duties

Employer obligations

The Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (OHS Act) requires employers to comply with various duties, so far as reasonably practicable, to ensure health and safety in their workplace.

 

Employers' duties include obligations to:

provide and maintain a working environment for employees that is safe and without risks to their health, including psychological health. This duty includes –
providing and maintaining safe systems of work

providing information, instruction, training and supervision so employees can perform their work safely and without risks to health

monitor the conditions of workplaces under the employer's management and control

monitor employee health

consult with employees and any health and safety representatives (HSRs) when doing certain things, for example, identifying or assessing hazards or risks and making decisions about measures to control those risks

attempt to resolve health and safety issues in line with any relevant agreed procedure or the relevant procedure prescribed by the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2017 (OHS Regulations)

In order to comply with their duties, employers:

must consult with employees and HSRs to identify or assess hazards or risks to health and safety at a workplace under the employer's management and control, including work-related factors that can cause or contribute to stress

where a risk has been identified, either eliminate the risk or implement measures to control it so far as is reasonably practicable

following a report/injury/incident involving stress, need to investigate whether work-related factors contributed

need to review and revise risk control measures

The definition of 'health' under the OHS Act includes 'psychological health', therefore any reference to OHS obligations in relation to the health of employees extends to their psychological health.

 

Employee obligations

Employees have a duty, while at work, to take reasonable care for their own health and safety, and to take reasonable care for the health and safety of people who might be affected by their acts or omissions in the workplace. Employees also have a duty to cooperate with their employer's actions to comply with requirements under the OHS Act and OHS Regulations.

Source: 

https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/effects-work-related-stress