Participate in WHS consultative processes
3. Eliminate workplace hazards
3.2. Controlling psychological hazards
As we saw earlier, hazards that may cause psychological injuries, may not be as obvious as physical hazards, but they still need to be eliminated or controlled.
Watch this video – What are work related factors? by Worksafe Victoria.
What are work related factors? - (03:42)
Text transcript
We know work is
a big part of our daily lives,
and can help promote our mental health
by giving us a feeling of purpose
and a sense of contribution.
There's a clear link between
our experience in the workplace
and our mental health.
Thriving at work can have
a profoundly positive impact
on how a person feels.
Under the Victorian Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004,
"Employers must provide and maintain
"a working environment that is safe
"and without risks to health."
This includes psychological health.
But what is a mentally healthy workplace?
Firstly, it's one which has measures in place
to prevent harm by identifying
risks to mental health.
It manages harm from an early stage
and supports team members' recovery along the way.
So, if a person's mental health
is connected to their work,
how are your workplace system and practises
affecting your team?
There are a number of work related factors
which can be controlled and managed by employers
to create a mentally healthy workplace,
and to prevent mental injuries.
Work related factors that are not controlled and managed
can increase stress.
can increase stress.
This can lead to physical injury, mental injury,
or even both at the same time.
Of course, workers can be exposed
to more than one work related factor at a time.
Some may always be present
while others occur occasionally.
Common work related factors
that can become hazards if not managed are
low job control,
high and low job demands,
poor support,
poor organisational change management,
poor organisational justice,
low recognition and reward,
low role clarity,
poor workplace relationships,
poor environmental conditions,
remote and isolated work,
and violent or traumatic events.
Here's a few a examples.
Employees need challenging tasks
to maintain their motivation
and to develop new skills,
but they also need to be able to cope.
Let's call these job demands.
They can have a significant impact for your team.
If job demands are high,
think about the support employees need
from supervisors and their work colleagues.
And think about the level of control
the employee has in their job
to meet demands.
Poor workplace relationships
can negatively affect the way
an employee feels at work.
When groups of people work together,
it is likely some conflict
will arise from time to time.
So it's important that
a workplace takes proactive steps
towards preventing and managing conflict
by developing a culture
that promotes appropriate workplace behaviour
and respectful relationships.
It's important to consider
the environmental conditions in your workplace
and the impact on how someone can feel.
Air quality, noise, and temperature
can increase the risk of stress
to an employee.
An employee may not identify
and report these factors immediately,
but over time that can impact on their mental health
and contribute to a mental injury.
Good work design
enables employees to be engaged in work
that is healthy, safe, and productive.
Consulting with employees
on matters that affect their mental health at work
is the first and most important step.
Bring your team along for the journey.
As an employer,
you have the power to create
a positive, supportive, and inclusive workplace
and to develop good systems of work
for supporting mental health.
Discover more about the work related factors