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Risk management of work-related stress involves a systematic and planned approach that covers the associated risks to employee safety. A risk assessment involves identifying the sources of risk, risk factors and the consequences if a worker is exposed to a hazard.
Hazard identification for psychological injuries follows a similar process to hazard identification for physical injuries or harm to health. Different methods can be used complimentary to each other to determine the presence of each work-related risk factor. Such methods include: The Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 requires employers, main contractor, self-employed person or person with control over the workplace or access to it, to conduct risk assessments which consider how to reduce or eliminate the risk of injury or harm to health to employees, once a hazard has been identified in the workplace. Risk management of work-related stress involves a systematic and planned approach that covers the associated risks to employee safety. A risk assessment involves identifying the sources of risk, risk factors and the consequences if a worker is exposed to a hazard. A risk assessment for work-related stress should include: The Psychologically Healthy and Safe Workplaces Risk Management Toolkit, may assist your organisation to conduct its own risk assessment for work-related stress. Psychological risk factors for work-related stress can be divided into three categories: Although there are many psychological risk factors that can lead to a psychological and physical injury, there are eight psychological risk factors that have been widely researched and are known to adversely impact on employee well-being, psychological health and physical health. These eight psychological risk factors are: Physical and chemical risk factors (as well as biological agents) can influence employees’ comfort and performance within the work environment and contribute to work-related stress. Environmental sources of work-related stress include: More detailed information on each of these topics can be accessed by clicking on the source above. People respond to work-related stress differently and this can, in part, be related (or contributed) to a person’s previous experiences, coping styles, personality style, available support and physiological factors which are external to the work environment. Differences in people’s responses to stress do not reduce employers’ legal duty and responsibility to minimise exposure to work-related stress. Employees may also experience psychological injuries from aggressive or violent incidents that occur in the workplace. Psychological injuries from aggression can occur from either cumulative events or as a result of a traumatic event. The WorkSafe Western Australia Commission has produced a Code of Practice on Violence, Aggression and Bullying at Work which provides practical guidance for workplaces where people may be exposed to deliberate and intended physical assault, verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment and bullying. This code explains the responsibilities of employers and employees and suggests strategies for reducing the risk, responding to incidents and recovery. For more information on aggression in the workplace refer to the safety topic 'Aggression in the Workplace' on WorkSafe’s web site. Bullying in the workplace is one risk factor of work-related stress but is not covered in great detail in this section. For more information on bullying in the workplace refer to the safety topic 'Bullying' on WorkSafe’s web site. The WorkSafe Western Australia Commission has produced a Code of Practice on Violence, Aggression and Bullying at Work which provides practical guidance for workplaces where people may be exposed to deliberate and intended physical assault, verbal abuse, threats, intimidation, harassment and bullying. This code explains the responsibilities of employers and employees and suggests strategies for reducing the risk, responding to incidents and recovery. There are equal opportunity laws which are designed to protect persons in the workplace from harassment by supervisors or colleagues. Harassment may be intentional or result from a lack of awareness of various cultural, religious or other factors affecting an individual or group. Action against harassers can be taken where bullying activity is based on sex or ethnicity, and when harassment continues or intensifies after a complaint is lodged. For more information on this contact the Equal Opportunity Commission Western Australia. Preventing and controlling work-related stress requires a systematic, planned and structured approach. The design and appropriate solutions identified will vary according to the size and complexity of the organisation, available resources and especially the unique types of risk factors faced by the workplace. Minimising work-related stress does not have to be costly. The application of good management practices that include appropriate organisation of work, a healthy corporate attitude, successfully managed change and an appropriate management style will all contribute towards reducing unwanted stress levels in the workplace. Early intervention is very important if psychological risk factors are identified in the workplace. The risk assessment should determine the likelihood of work-related stress resulting in a psychological and /or physical injury, which will prompt actions to deal with those risk factors. For example, a supervisor needs to consider whether an employee has too many competing deadlines before asking that person to do an additional task. The employee needs to clearly understand the pressure they may already be under when deciding whether to refuse the extra work or not. There are three types of interventions for controlling psychological risk factors which relate to the timing and level of the intervention: primary, secondary and tertiary. Primary interventions are aimed at the organisational and employee level. Secondary and tertiary interventions are focused at the employee level. A summary of each of the interventions and examples of risk controls are provided in the table below.
You may need to engage specialists or external consultants to assist you in the design and implementation of some of the risk controls. Professionals with particular expertise in this area include, but not limited to, Organisational Psychologists, organisational development consultants and human resources consultants. Ideally, risk controls should be aimed at the organisational level. Interventions aimed at the organisational level are generally preventative controls and designed to either eliminate or reduce the risk factors. Examples include job redesign or the reallocation of work to distribute work more evenly across employees. While addressing psychological risk factors through employee level strategies is a risk control measure (eg counselling), it should be used in conjunction with an organisational level approach, as it does not address the reduction of the risk factors in the workplace. Hazard Identification
Risk assessment
Psychological risk factors for work-related stress
Organisational risk factors
Environmental risk factors
Individual risk factors
Other information on risk factors of work - related stress
Controls and review
Intervention
Timing
Target level
Examples of risk controls
Primary
Before hazards or injuries/ incidents are present.
Organisational employee
Secondary
After the hazard or incident, but before an injury occurs.
Employee
Tertiary
After it has been medically established that an injury has occurred.
Employee
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