Psychosocial hazards at work are aspects of work and situations that may cause a stress response which in turn can lead to psychological or physical harm. This may be because of the way the tasks or job are designed, organised, managed or supervised, or the hazard may be inherent to the actual task or job.
Psychosocial hazards can also arise from the equipment used, or from the physical working environment if it evokes a “physiological or stress response”. Last, but not least, psychosocial hazards may stem from social factors at work, including workplace relationships and social interactions or lack thereof. There are a broad range of psychosocial hazards such as:
Job demands
Low job control
Poor support
Lack of role clarity
Workplace Bullying
Violence
Isolation
Harassment including sexual harassment
Poor change management
Aggression
Conflict or poor workplace relationships and interactions
Poor physical environment
Poor organisational justice
Traumatic events or material
Psychological harm or injuries from psychosocial hazards include conditions such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and sleep disorders. Physical harm or injuries from psychosocial hazards include musculoskeletal injury, chronic disease and physical injury following fatigue-related workplace incidents. A multitude of factors and issues can generally cause psychosocial hazards including:
Excessive workloads
Lack of role clarity
Lack of support from management
Toxic work environment
Irregular working hours
Other existing mental health illnesses
Poor physical wellbeing
Remote or lone working
Psychosocial hazards can cause stress. Work related stress is when a worker perceives the demands of the role exceed their abilities or resources. Stress can create a physiological and psychological response in the body by releasing adrenaline and cortisol. This raises the heart rate and blood pressure, boosts the glucose levels in the bloodstream and diverts the energy from the immune system to other areas of the body. Stress in itself does not lead to or cause injury but frequent or prolonged stress can cause mental or physical exhaustion and harm. When workers are exposed a hazard, they can have a delayed response as well. Other risks to work health and safety of employees may include:
Psychosocial risk
Reduced job satisfaction
Reduced productivity
Increased conflict
Increased absenteeism/sick leave
Loss of appetite/increase in appetite
Anxiety
Increased medical expenses
Risk of alcoholism/drug use
Importance of psychosocial safety
Anxiety and depression costs Australian employers approximately $8 billion annually as a result of absenteeism and presenteeism. Work related stress represents a significant cost for worker health and productivity. Stress related illnesses such as depression also form a big part of the global disease burden. Mental health and the risk to psychosocial safety is equally important as risks to physical health at the workplace.
Managing psychosocial risks at work is a four step process:
Identify psychosocial risk and hazards that can impact workers.
Assess what could happen if workers are exposed to the identified hazards.
Control- where possible, you should eliminate the risk. Minimise the risk if elimination isn’t possible. Review your control measures when necessary. Health and safety duties include:
Under state and territory workplace health and safety legislation employers have a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers and visitors to the business by identifying hazards and eliminating or minimising any risks. ‘Health’ includes both physical and psychological health. Hazards are anything that can cause harm, and risk means the possibility of harm (death, injury or illness) which might occur if a worker is exposed to a hazard. For more information see Safe Work Australia which provides resources to identify psychosocial hazards and manage risks at the workplace.
