Managing psychosocial hazards and risks at work

Employers were already required to identify psychosocial hazards in the workplace under their primary OHS duty of care. However, the provisions in the new Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025 clarify the requirements. These new provisions clearly address the identification of psychosocial hazards and how to manage the risks to health and safety.

What is a ‘psychosocial hazard?’ 

A psychosocial hazard is any factor or factors that relate to the following:

• the work design  
• the systems of work  
• the management of work  
• the carrying out of the work  
• personal or work-related interactions

that may arise in the working environment and cause an employee to experience one or more negative psychological responses that create a risk to their health or safety.

Some examples of psychosocial hazards include:

• aggression or violence 
• bullying 
• exposure to traumatic events or content 
• high job demands or low job demands 
• low job control 
• low recognition and reward  
• low role clarity 
• poor environmental conditions 
• poor organisational change management 
• poor organisational justice 
• poor support 
• poor workplace relationships 
• remote or isolated work 
• sexual harassment 

What is the difference between ‘psychosocial’ and ‘psychological’? 

For practical purposes there is no difference between the two terms. However, the psychological regulations use the term ‘psychosocial’ when referring to hazards of a psychological nature.

How do the changes impact me? 

From 1 December 2025, employers must identify psychosocial hazards in the workplace and manage risks associated with those hazards. Management of risks associated with a psychosocial hazard requires employers to: 

• implement control measures to eliminate risks so far as is reasonably practicable; and 
• if elimination is not reasonably practicable, implement control measures to minimise the risks so far as is reasonably practicable. 

It is not enough for employers to have a workplace policy on mental health, provide wellbeing programs, or to simply respond to psychological injuries after they occur. The changes require a more proactive approach to the identification, assessment and management of risks associated with a psychosocial hazard in the workplace. 

What steps can I take to control risks?

After identifying psychosocial hazards an employer must seek to eliminate those hazards to the extent reasonably practicable. Where elimination is not reasonably practicable, the employer must then implement control measures to minimise the risks so far as is reasonably practicable. 

Employers must minimise the risks by altering: 

• the management of work; or 
• the plant; or 
• the systems of work; or 
• the work design; or 
• the workplace environment; or 
• using information, instruction or training; or 
• a combination of any of the measures referred to above. 

Where a combination of control measures is used, the regulations state that information, instruction or training must not be the main control measure adopted. Furthermore, only where the other control measures are not reasonably practicable can information, instruction, or training be the sole control measure.

When deciding which control measures to implement, the employer will need to consider all relevant matters, including but not limited to:

• the duration, frequency and severity of the exposure of employees to the psychosocial hazards 
• how the psychosocial hazards may interact or combine 
• the design of work, including how work is managed, organised and supported 
• the systems of work, including how work is managed, organised and supported 
• the design, layout, and environmental conditions of the workplace, including the provision of safe means of entering and exiting the workplace and facilities for the
• welfare of employees  
• the plant, substances and structures at the workplace  
• workplace interactions or behaviours 
• the information, training, instruction and supervision provided to employees. 

The Compliance Code: Psychological Health provides guidance for workplaces about when people may be exposed to psychosocial hazards and the control measures that employers can implement to address them.

WorkSafe materials on managing bullying, sexual harassment, violence, stress and fatigue at work also provide guidance to assist with the management of psychosocial hazards. 

How can I comply with the psychosocial requirements?

Employers that already have detailed OHS policies and procedures are on the right track. However, all employers should update their policies to specifically address psychosocial hazards and risks. Employers should conduct a risk assessment of the workplace and review their current risk control measures to determine if they adequately control psychosocial hazards.

Safety courses can assist employers to better understand and identify psychosocial hazards, know their obligations and how best to address issues in their workplaces. Courses may also assist employers to meet their obligation to provide information, training and instruction to their employees.

It is important that employers actively take steps to address the requirements, as failure to comply with an OHS obligation can result in significant penalties for employers.

Independent contractors

The employer’s duties under the OHS laws are not limited to its employees. Under the psychological regulations, the employer has the same responsibilities to manage psychosocial hazards and risks to their independent contractors (and any employees of independent contractors) as they do for their own employees.