Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01380:reg:3:p1
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2024L01380
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 3 (pt 1/8)
Character Range: 31987–35738

3                    Identify psychosocial hazards

The first step in the risk management process is to identify psychosocial hazards. This involves identifying the aspects of work and situations that could potentially harm your workers or others at your workplace and why these may be occurring. This step should also assist PCBUs to identify where and when workers are exposed to psychosocial hazards, and if controls are not adequately eliminating or minimising risks from known hazards.

3.1                         Common psychosocial hazards

Below is a list of some common examples of psychosocial hazards you should consider when identifying psychosocial hazards in your organisation. The list and the examples in the descriptions are not exhaustive. Workers are likely to be exposed to a combination of psychosocial hazards; some risks may be constantly present, while others arise sporadically.

Some hazards by themselves may cause serious harm, such as experiencing workplace violence. In most circumstances, it will be a combination of psychosocial hazards which together may cause harm. Harm can be caused by a single instance or over time with repeated or prolonged exposure.

Hazards can be grouped or described in different ways. How they are categorised is less important than ensuring you and your workers have the same understanding of what is happening and how it may be causing harm.

Hazard                                                     Descriptions

Job demands                                                Intense or sustained high mental, physical or emotional effort required to do the job.

                                                           Unreasonable or excessive time pressures or role overload.

                                                           High individual reputational, legal, career, safety or financial risk if mistakes occur.

                                                           High vigilance required, limited margin of error and inadequate systems to prevent individual error.

                                                           Shifts/work hours that do not allow adequate time for sleep and recovery, causing fatigue.

                                                           Performing emotional labour or providing emotional support causing fatigue.

                                                           Sustained low levels of physical, mental or emotional effort is required to do the job.

                                                           Long idle periods while high workloads are present, for example where workers need to wait for equipment or other workers.

                                                           Examples: time pressure, role overload, unachievable deadlines, high vigilance, challenging work hours or shift work, unrealistic expectations to be responsive outside work hours.

Fatigue                                                    A state of physical or mental exhaustion, or both, which reduces a person's ability to perform work safely and effectively.

                                                           Examples: jobs where there are high cognitive demands (such as sustained concentration or extended work hours); lack of recovery periods between shifts; roster cycle or shift length (e.g. long shifts and not enough time to recover between shifts); environmental stressors at work (e.g. light, noise, climate, vibration); and design, quality, and management practices for accommodation facilities that compromise the amount and quality of sleep and rest.

Low job control                                            Workers have little control over aspects of the work including how or when the