Changing regulations for safer workplaces.

Across Australia and the world, we’re seeing a growing focus on managing workplace psychosocial risks.

Creating a safe workplace means considering every aspect of the work environment, including those that affect psychological health. Employers are increasingly expected to proactively identify and manage psychosocial risks, such as excessive workload, bullying, and ineffective leadership, which can adversely affect mental and emotional wellbeing.

Psychosocial risks have the potential to adversely impact employees mental and emotional wellbeing, and they can come from a variety of sources related to work, such as excessive workload, bullying and harassment, and ineffective leadership.

The growing evidence on the role of psychosocial hazards and the mental health of workers began in 2015 in Canada and has gained momentum around the world. In 2021, the release of ISO45003 set a global standard for creating psychologically safe workplaces to protect people at work.

Australian
‍regulations.

Australia has taken great strides in developing a regulatory framework for managing psychosocial hazards. SafeWork Australia’s Model Code of Practice in Managing Psychosocial Hazards in the Workplace sets a comprehensive risk management framework, emphasizing safe work design. This guidance informs state and territory regulators, who implement tailored requirements for local employers.

Additionally, the Work Health and Safety Amendment Regulation 2022, operating under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth), reinforces the commitment to psychosocial risk management by explicitly defining employer responsibilities in this area.

Learn more about Australian laws and regulations:

Australia’s Evolving Framework for Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work

International
‍regulations.

Since the groundbreaking release of The National Standard for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace in Canada (2015), nations around the world have developed their own approaches to protecting workers’ mental health.

Europe:
Countries like Sweden, Germany, and France have established highly developed legal frameworks with dedicated regulatory bodies ensuring compliance.

United Kingdom:
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) promotes a risk management approach through its Management Standards framework.

Asia & Latin America:
Japan, South Korea, and Brazil have also introduced targeted frameworks to manage psychosocial risks.

In 2021, the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) published ISO45003, setting global guidelines for managing psychosocial risks and empowering organizations to prevent work-related injury and ill health.

Find out more about the global landscape on workplace psychosocial risk management: