Appendix B – Identifying psychosocial hazards

Appendix B of the Psychological health compliance code is a practical tool to help you identify sources of psychosocial hazards in your workplace.

This is page 10 in a series of 11 that comprise the Psychological health compliance code. You must read the whole Code so that you understand how to meet your deemed compliance obligations.

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This is page 10 in a series of 11 that comprise the Psychological health compliance code. You must read the whole Code so that you understand how to meet your deemed compliance obligations.

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How to use this appendix

Appendix B is a tool to help you work through Step 1: Identify hazards. You can use this tool to help identify possible indicators or sources of psychosocial hazards in the workplace. It lists:

  • information you can review
  • questions you can ask.

Review internal information

Reviewing information and records that you already have in your organisation can help identify patterns. These patterns could indicate possible psychosocial hazards.

For example, leave reports may show that unplanned leave has been increasing. This could indicate a psychosocial hazard like high job demands or poor support that needs to be controlled.

Organisational/operational records – Examples of records to review

Human resources information – Examples of records to review

OHS information – Examples of records to review

Review external information

Reviewing information from outside your organisation can help you understand the current state of knowledge. This includes what psychosocial hazards are common in organisations like yours and what risk controls are being used. Look for information from:

  • WorkSafe Victoria, including compliance codes and other guidance and information
  • similar organisations to yours; for example, news updates or articles in trade publications
  • employer organisations and unions
  • OHS professionals.

Observe the workplace and assess job-specific requirements

Psychosocial hazards can also be identified by:

  • observing how employees work and interact with each other
  • assessing job-specific requirements.

Where possible, more than one person should do these observations. Any HSRs should also be invited to participate.

Workplace observation – Questions to ask

Assessment of job-specific requirements – Questions to ask

Use validated psychosocial hazard identification tools

Employers can use validated tools, such as surveys, to help gather information from employees, HSRs, supervisors and managers about psychosocial hazards and risks. These tools are particularly useful when:

  • the employer is a medium to large organisation (50+ employees)
  • anonymity is important – validated tools are anonymous and protect employees from stigma or other adverse outcomes when reporting hazards or concerns
  • employees are physically dispersed; for example, they work across multiples sites or shifts
  • employees are given time to consider the survey questions and their response
  • employees may struggle to understand or otherwise participate in other forms of consultation.

There is a range of validated tools online. It is important to choose a tool that is appropriate for your workplace. Some tools may not cover all hazards that might exist in the workplace.

When choosing a tool, think about:

  • What was it designed for?
  • What does it measure?
  • What timeframe does it consider (for example, 6 months, 12 months)?
  • What knowledge, skills and capacity are needed to apply the tool?
  • How long will it take people to complete?
  • Are the results anonymous?
  • Where is the data stored?
  • What level of support does the tool provider offer?
  • What is your budget? Some tools are free, but others have licence fees
  • What is the size of your workplace? Can the tool be applied based on the number of employees?

Surveys and tools must not replace agreed consultation procedures, but they can be used as an additional tool for consultation.

This is page 10 in a series of 11 that comprise the Psychological health compliance code. You must read the whole Code so that you understand how to meet your deemed compliance obligations.

Next page

This is page 10 in a series of 11 that comprise the Psychological health compliance code. You must read the whole Code so that you understand how to meet your deemed compliance obligations.

Previous page