On April 1, 2023, the first legally enforceable code of practice addressing psychosocial health risks at work took effect in Queensland.
The code is approved under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) and provides valuable information for employers on how psychosocial hazards and risks can be controlled or managed and can be used to help decide what’s reasonably practicable to implement.
The first step to ensure compliance with the code is to identify workplace hazards in your environment that could pose a risk or have the potential to cause harm.
Common psychosocial hazards may include but are not limited to, high or low job demands, poor support, poor organisational change management, poor workplace relationships, including interpersonal conflict, remote or isolated work, poor environmental conditions, bullying, and traumatic events.
What does this mean for you? A mentally healthy workplace does not happen by chance or guesswork, it is therefore recommended that you familiarise yourself with the code of practice and conduct risk assessments on your environment so that you can put reasonable control measures in place to minimise any risk of harm to your team.
Michalle Faulkner, Managing Director, EastCoast HR Group, Suite 9, 68 Jessica Boulevard, Minyama, 5443 6022, eastcoasthr.com.au
This column is part of our Business 2 Business (B2B) series featuring industry leaders sharing their expertise. For more great articles, SUBSCRIBE to our FREE news feed, direct to your inbox daily. All you need to do is enter your name and email below.
