Psychosocial Hazards

Safe Work Australia has published amendments to the Model WHS Laws, introducing new incident notification duties, crane licensing changes and updates to PPE and compliance requirements. These amendments set the national benchmark, but adoption will vary by state and territory, so businesses must check their local regulator.

In the same way a business prepares for physical emergencies with fire evacuation drills or first aid kits, it must also prepare for psychological emergencies. A Trauma Response Plan (TRP) is the psychosocial equivalent of an incident response plan – and increasingly, it’s becoming a legislative and moral necessity.

When we think about workplace health and safety, our minds often go straight to employees, contractors, or maybe even volunteers. But what about visitors? People who pop in briefly, attend a meeting, drop off a parcel, or tour your facility? Under Australian WHS laws, visitors have a right to be safe – and businesses have a legal duty to protect them.

The Victorian Department of Education has taken a meaningful step in acknowledging the rise in work-related violence from student behaviour—with a staggering 46.7% increase reported over the last decade. Following an audit, the Department has adopted four key recommendations aimed at better managing this risk in the workplace.The Victorian Department of Education has taken a meaningful step in acknowledging the rise in work-related violence from student behaviour,with a stagg

We’re living in a time where every dollar matters. Rising interest rates, rent spikes, electricity increases, groceries that have doubled in price — it’s a cost-of-living crisis, and it’s hitting households hard.

Psychosocial hazards are complex, varied and deeply personal. They don’t operate like physical hazards. You can’t engineer your way out of a toxic workplace culture with a checklist and a wellness webinar.

Mental health and safety are deeply connected. Poor mental health can lead to poor decision-making, lack of concentration, and increased likelihood of errors or incidents. On the other side, high-risk workplaces, unclear expectations, poor job design, or lack of support can create or worsen mental health issues.

The New South Wales (NSW) Government has launched a groundbreaking mental health initiative aimed at expanding support services to a wider r

If it’s been more than a year, you could be missing critical threats to your organisation. Risk management is not a set-and-forget process

When we think about psychosocial hazards in the workplace, we often focus on those directly impacted - not our first responders

Effective psychosocial risk management is now a key legal and organisational priority, as failing to address these risks can lead to serious

As we approach 2025, the safety and risk landscape continue to evolve rapidly, presenting businesses with both significant challenges

This guide outlines the steps required to implement a psychosocial risk management program, drawing from the Code of Practice for Psychosoci

The Respect@Work strategy is an initiative that sets out a framework for workplaces to prevent and respond to workplace sexual harassment

The new psychosocial legislation mandates that businesses actively identify and manage psychosocial hazards—such as workplace bullying