Mental health is this week’s theme of Safe Work Month, which runs every October.
Safe Work Australia says:
Mental (psychological) health, just like physical health, is an important part of work health and safety. Work-related psychological injuries (mental illness) have a significant impact on workers, their families and business. These injuries may result in longer time away from work and cost more than other injuries.
The risks that can lead to mental health issues are referred to as psychosocial risks, which means relating to the combination of psychological and social behaviour. In a workplace, these psychosocial risks might be part of the work being done (for example, not being able to keep up with the pace of work or being exposed to traumatic events) or they could relate to interpersonal reactions in the workplace (for example, conflict, bullying or harassment).
Over recent years, there has been an increasing focus on managing psychosocial risks. All states and territories have guidance on how to address psychosocial risks; some have published Codes of Practice and some have implemented or are planning to implement regulations. Ai Group has produced a Member Advice on Psychological Health and Safety, which is updated whenever there is a change to laws. It can be accessed here.
Further Ai Group resources on mental health include:
Ai Group runs a Mental Health Forum for Members. If you are interested in joining, contact Mark Goodsell.
For more information about Safe Work Month, including a list of events, visit Safe Work Australia.
Tracey is Ai Group's National Manager of Safety and Workers Compensation Policy. She has a strong understanding of harmonised WHS laws, jurisdictional based variations, and non-harmonised OHS laws in Australia, as well as workers' compensation expertise in multiple Australian jurisdictions. Tracey has a strong understanding and skills in workers' compensation premium management in multiple Australian jurisdictions and is an excellent trainer, with a passion for sharing knowledge on workers' compensation schemes and building practical skills in effective management of claims and return to work.
