Psychosocial Hazards – Safety at Work
We can further emphasise the importance of the Right to Disconnect legislation as the New Head of Safe Work Australia has called for better management of psychosocial hazards in the workplace due to the rise of mental health compensation claims.
Safe Work Australia (SWA) Chief Executive Marie Boland's comments coincided with the release of the SWA report on the 28 February which showed mental health conditions accounted for nine per cent of all serious workers' compensation claims in 2021-22, an increase of almost 37 per cent from 2017-18.
All serious claims rose by just over 18 per cent in the same period. It also found that women accounted for almost 58 per cent of serious claims for mental health conditions between 2017-18 and 2021-22 and are more likely to be exposed to harmful behaviours such as sexual harassment, bullying and work-related aggression and violence.
The report found time lost to work-related psychological injury is more than four times that of all physical injuries and illnesses and that compensation paid for mental health conditions is more than three times that of all physical injuries and illnesses.
Boland said the “research highlights the importance of SWA's recent work to help workplaces understand and meet their OHS duties on psychosocial hazards, which include producing a model code of practice.”
You can find all this information and more in the latest SWA report by referring to the link below.
The Workplace Relations Team raised the issue of managing psychosocial hazards at work last year when the new Model Code of Practice: Managing Psychosocial Hazards came into effect on 1 April 2023. Under these new Work Health and Safety laws, a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must manage the risk of psychosocial hazards in the workplace. Psychosocial hazards are anything at work that may cause psychological or physical harm. These can stem from:
- the way tasks or jobs are designed, organised, managed and supervised
- tasks or jobs where there are inherent psychosocial hazards and risks
- the equipment, working environment or requirements to undertake duties in psychically hazardous environments, and
- social factors at work, workplace relationships and social interactions.
This new code and regulation covers employers, workers, contractors, subcontractors, outworkers, the self-employed, apprentices and trainees, work experience students and volunteers.
It is important that the PCBU adopts a risk management process, including eliminating psychosocial risks, as far as reasonably practicable to remain compliant with the new legislation. If it is not reasonably practicable to eliminate psychosocial risks then there should be an attempt to minimise them.
This can be achieved by following the four-step risk management process:
- Identify psychosocial hazards
- Assess the risk
- Control the risk
- Review the controls
Failure to comply with and fulfil your duties and obligations of this new model code of practice could result in breaching the Work Health and Safety Act 2011. Our Work Health and Safety Policy was updated to reflect the above.
If you would like further clarification on the above please reach out to the Workplace Relations Team on 07 3872 2264 or you can email us on workplacerelations@amaq.com.au