What are psychosocial hazards? Psychosocial hazard means any factor or factors that cause an employee to experience one or more negative psychological responses, thereby creating a risk to their health or safety. This may include work design, systems of work, management of work, carrying out their duties, and personal or work-related interactions that may arise in the working environment.
Who does this apply to? The new regulations will apply to all employees, including labour-hire workers and independent contractors (and their employees) engaged by the employer.
Employers: Employers have a responsibility to eliminate risks to health and safety so far as is reasonably practicable, and if it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate risks to health and safety, reduce those risks so far as is reasonably practicable. With psychological hazards, the employer must, in consultation with their employees or via the health and safety representatives, identify any psychological hazards, assess the associated risks to health or safety, identify and implement suitable controls and develop a process for monitoring and reviewing controls.
Employers need to have policies and procedures in place for undertaking risk assessments and for providing a mechanism for reporting and investigating psychological incidents in the workplace. One of the most important things that employers can do is to understand what steps they can take to reduce the likelihood of psychosocial hazards. More information can be found in the new Compliance Code:Psychological Health
Employees, while at work, must take reasonable care for their own health and safety, and for the health and safety of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions at the workplace. Employees must also co-operate with their employer’s actions to comply with OHS requirements (for example, by following any information, instruction or training provided).
For more information on
Mental Health - check our Mental Health Page
Compliance Code - Psychological Health Click here
WorkSafe Victoria - Video on the New Regulations Coming soon