Psychosocial Hazards

All employers are required to identify and manage hazards in the workplace that arise from or relate to:

• the way work is managed
• the work environment
• the equipment that is used for the job and
• workplace interactions or behaviours.

These hazards can cause stress and, if ignored, may lead to psychological or even physical injury.
 
Let’s be clear: stress is not the hazard or the injury. Stress is your warning signal to ask is everything OK?
 
The technical term for these hazards is “psychosocial hazards”.  However, because this word might cause some confusion or uncertainty, we will keep it simple and call them “mental health hazards”.

We have created a set of templates and resources to help you identify and manage these hazards.  We encourage you to complete them in this order:

1. Mental Health Hazard Identifier

• A resource to help you identify and record mental health hazards in your workplace.

2. Mental Health Risk Register and associated resources (including discussion planner)

• This register is a document you can use to record details of the hazards you have identified, as well as how you have assessed and managed the risks arising from those hazards. An example is provided to give you confidence in completing it. Use the discussion planner included to brainstorm ideas and make a ‘plan to lower risk’ in your workplace.

3. Review Record

• A tool to help you review control measures (once they’ve been implemented). An example is provided to give you confidence in completing it.

Why do you need to do this?

Every business needs to be ready to demonstrate to the safety regulator that they have taken steps to ensure the health and safety of workers and others by identifying, assessing, managing and reviewing mental health hazards and risks. These templates and resources can be used to show the regulator you are taking steps to eliminate or minimise risks arising from mental health hazards in your workplace. Using these templates may also assist in reducing the occurrence of psychological injuries and associated workers compensation claims.

If you'd like to get these tools to use in your business, complete the contact us form on this page for full details and pricing.