Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01380:reg:3:p6
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01380
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 3 (pt 6/8)
Character Range: 49574–52893

workload
    -          anxious or scared about talking to or dealing with an aggressive person
    -          humiliated, degraded or undermined by sexual harassment or discrimination
    -          angry about policies being applied unfairly
    -          confused about what their role involves, torn between competing priorities or 'feeling like a failure' for not being able to meet unrealistic expectations, or
    -          distressed, unable to sleep, or traumatised by exposure to traumatic situations or content.

Good consultation should allow for differences in how workers may describe hazards and seek to identify the underlying cause. You should provide your workers with information to help them understand and recognise psychosocial hazards.

Use surveys and tools

You can use surveys to gather information from workers, HSRs, supervisors and managers. Surveys are particularly useful when:

    -          anonymity is important, this is because anonymous surveys or tools protect workers from stigma or other adverse outcomes when reporting hazards or concerns
    -          workers are physically dispersed. For example, they work across multiples sites or shifts
    -          you need to consult with a large number of workers
    -          workers need time to consider your questions and their response, or
    -          workers may struggle to understand or otherwise participate in other forms of consultation.
Surveys must not replace agreed consultation procedures unless agreed with your workers, however they can be used as an additional tool for consultation.

You can seek advice on the tools available, including evidence-based psychosocial risk assessment processes, from the WHS regulator, industry associations, unions, technical specialists and safety consultants.

Observe work and behaviours

Psychosocial hazards may be identified by observing:

    -          the workplace (e.g. are workers isolated or exposed to poor conditions)
    -          the work and how work is performed in practice (e.g. are workers rushed, is work delayed, do certain tasks result in confusion or frequent mistakes), and
    -          how people interact with each other (e.g. are workers, customers and clients respectful, or are harmful behaviours present).

In some circumstances, poor workplace behaviours may be caused or contributed to by an inappropriate response to other psychosocial hazards, such as high job demands, lack of role clarity and inadequate support. Also consider whether the workplace culture supports or tolerates harmful behaviours, including lower level (but still harmful) behaviours like name-calling, teasing, sexual or gendered jokes, dark humour and crude language.

Review available information

Review relevant information and records which may include:

    -          records of injuries, incidents or workers' compensation
    -          worker complaints and investigations
    -          reports from workplace inspections (e.g. HSR or safety officer walk arounds)
    -          staffing, resourcing, procurement and refurbishment decisions (e.g. will outsourcing some work increase work demands for another area, like contract managers)
    -          work systems, policies, governance arrangements and procedures
    -          duty statements and