Psychosocial risk assessment tool

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• Conducted on

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Step 1. Identify the Hazards

• To use this tool, read the statements below and tick ‘yes’ to any of the statements you agree with,
  making any relevant comments that should be considered as part of the risk assessment process.
  This risk assessment tool can be used as a stand-alone assessment or in conjunction with an
  employee survey.
  This tool forms part of the risk management process. Risk management is a four-step process for
  controlling exposure to health and safety risks associated with hazards in the workplace, with
  consultation with workers occurring at each step. As outlined in the Work Health and Safety Act 2012,
  consultation is an essential part of the risk management process.

Workplace Data

• Are there any indications when looking at employee sick leave, with<br>or without certificates, which show relevant trends (e.g. headaches,<br>recurrent colds or flu and musculoskeletal disorders)?

  Yes

  No

• Are there any departments, units, roles or positions that are showing<br>higher levels of sick leave compared with others?

  Yes

  No

• Are there any cases of annual or long service leave (or non-usage) as<br>a result of psychological risk factors or work-related stress (e.g. using<br>annual leave when sick leave is depleted or not using annual leave<br>due to work pressure)?

  Yes

  No

• Are there cases of workers’ compensation for psychological injuries<br>(e.g. post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and/or depression)?

  Yes

  No

• Are there trends or common themes in complaints or workplace<br>grievances?

  Yes

  No

• Are there trends in the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) usage and<br>types of issues managed?

  Yes

  No

• Are there industrial relations records or disputes that link to job<br>stress or dissatisfaction in the workplace?

  Yes

  No

• Are there any related and unresolved issues in minutes of meetings<br>(e.g. workload or change in work roles)?

  Yes

  No

• Are there work schedule records that reflect on work, overtime usage<br>or other relevant information?

  Yes

  No

• Is there a lack of knowledge and compliance with the organisation’s<br>policies and procedures related to psychological health (e.g.<br>harassment, bullying or discrimination)?

  Yes

  No

• Additional comments?

Direct observation

• Are there any understaffed work areas?

  Yes

  No

• Are there any people showing signs of stress (e.g. verbal abuse,<br>openly criticising others or the organisation, general frustration with<br>work environment, incivility)?

  Yes

  No

• Are there work areas where employees handle conflict destructively<br>(e.g. using blame language or personal criticism)?

  Yes

  No

• Do workers seem to be ‘on edge’ or hypervigilant when discussing<br>work or working through problems?

  Yes

  No

• Do workers attend work showing signs of illness (i.e. colds and flus)?

  Yes

  No

• Additional comments?

Step 2. Assess and prioritise risk Psychosocial hazards and factors 1.

• Low job control:
  This factor is related to control over and involvement
  in decisions that could be reasonably expected in a
  job or role.

• Work methods that are predetermined (e.g. how<br>the work is undertaken and the approach taken is<br>already decided for the worker)

  Yes

  No

• Limited control over priorities or workload

  Yes

  No

• Workers are not consulted about decisions<br>impacting them

  Yes

  No

• Inability to access necessary tools, resources or<br>information

  Yes

  No

• The pace of work

  Yes

  No

• Shift work

  Yes

  No

• Other (please specify)

Psychosocial hazards and factors 2.

• High or low job demands:
  This factor relates to the various demands placed on
  employees in their roles.

• Lack of variety in tasks

  Yes

  No

• Monotonous, under stimulating or meaningless<br>work

  Yes

  No

• High uncertainty

  Yes

  No

• Low social value of work

  Yes

  No

• Continuous exposure to people through work

  Yes

  No

• Tasks that require emotions to be hidden

  Yes

  No

• Roles that involve dealing with difficult people/<br>clients

  Yes

  No

• Work overload or underload

  Yes

  No

• Machine pacing

  Yes

  No

• Having too much or too little to do

  Yes

  No

• Working under time pressure

  Yes

  No

• Continually subjected to deadlines

  Yes

  No

• Tasks that required extreme concentration

  Yes

  No

• Roles that require difficult environments (e.g.<br>loud noise, vibrations, poor lighting)

  Yes

  No

• Roles that require regular overtime

  Yes

  No

• Roles that are exposed to emotionally disturbing<br>events

  Yes

  No

• Other (please specify)

Psychosocial hazards and factors 3.

• Poor support
  This factor relates to the practical assistance and
  emotional support that team members or managers
  provide.

• Inadequate or absent supervision

  Yes

  No

• Low levels of support for problem solving and<br>personal development

  Yes

  No

• Inconsiderate or unsupportive supervision

  Yes

  No

• Social or physical isolation

  Yes

  No

• Poor relationship with co-workers

  Yes

  No

• Poor relationships with supervisors/managers

  Yes

  No

• Interpersonal conflict

  Yes

  No

• Lack of social support

  Yes

  No

• Isolated or solitary work

  Yes

  No

• Other (please specify)

Psychosocial hazards and factors 4.

• Low role clarity
  This factor relates to the degree of certainty with
  regard to role requirements and responsibilities.

• Unclear work role

  Yes

  No

• Conflicting roles within the same job

  Yes

  No

• Lack of definition of or agreement on<br>organisational objectives and structure

  Yes

  No

• Other (please specify)

Psychosocial hazards and factors 5.

• Poor workplace relationships:
  This factor relates to the quality of relationships and/
  or degree of conflict among workers or teams.

• Social or physical isolation

  Yes

  No

• Poor relationships with co-workers

  Yes

  No

• Poor relationships with superiors

  Yes

  No

• Lack of social support

  Yes

  No

• Bullying, harassment and violence

  Yes

  No

• Isolated or solitary work

  Yes

  No

• Lack of agreed procedures or knowledge of<br>procedure for dealing with workplace problems<br>or complaints

  Yes

  No

• Poor trust among employees and towards<br>management

  Yes

  No

• Other (please specify)

Psychosocial hazards and factors 6.

• Poor organisational change management:
  This factor relates to how organisational change is
  managed.

• Management of organisational change is not<br>done or not done well

  Yes

  No

• Lack of communication within the workplace

  Yes

  No

• Rigidity of work practices

  Yes

  No

• Job insecurity

  Yes

  No

• Career uncertainty

  Yes

  No

• Stagnation

  Yes

  No

• Other (please specify)

Psychosocial hazards and factors 7.

• Low rewards and recognition:
  This factor relates to the acknowledgement provided
  to workers.

• Absence of mechanisms for feedback and/or goal<br>setting

  Yes

  No

• Feedback or acknowledgement that is not<br>meaningful

  Yes

  No

• Inequitable reward and recognition practices

  Yes

  No

• Other (please specify)

Psychosocial hazards and factors 8.

• Poor organisational justice:
  This factor relates to the perceptions of fairness at
  work.

• Bias of work procedures

  Yes

  No

• Inconsistency of applied procedures

  Yes

  No

• Lack of respect given to employees during the<br>process

  Yes

  No

• Unclear or unfair processes for performance<br>appraisal and management

  Yes

  No

• Other (please specify)

Psychosocial hazards and factors 9.

• Remote and isolated work:
  This factor relates to work that is isolated from the
  assistance of others because of the location, time
  or nature of the work being done. Assistance from
  others includes rescue, medical assistance and
  emergency services.

• Sleep during shifts (Fatigue Management)

  Yes

  No

• Long distance travel

  Yes

  No

• Field work alone

  Yes

  No

• Remote and isolated work roles should consider:

• Access to communication devices

• Frequency of contact with other Workers, Supervisors or Managers

• Length of time away from others

• Difficulty of immediate rescue or attendance of emergency services

  Yes

  No

• Whether high risk activities are involved

  Yes

  No

• Likelihood of animal attack (ie Snake bite/Farm animals)

  Yes

  No

• Likelihood of violence or aggression from customers or clients

  Yes

  No

Psychosocial hazards and factors 10.

• Violent events:
  This factor relates to workplace incidents that involve
  exposure to abuse, the threat of, or actual harm that
  causes fear and distress and can lead to stress and/
  or physical injury.

• Potential exposure to Robbery

  Yes

  No

• Assault

  Yes

  No

• Being bitten, spat at, scratched or kicked

  Yes

  No

• Being threatened with a weapon

  Yes

  No

• Other (please specify)

Psychosocial hazards and factors 11.

• Traumatic events:
  This factor refers to any workplace events that may
  be perceived as traumatic or distressing. Examples
  include:

• Exposure to a fatality or serious injury

  Yes

  No

• Exposure to a medical situation that is distressing

  Yes

  No

• Exposure to a violent incident

  Yes

  No

Sign off on completion

• Psychosocial risk assessment tool

  Completed

  In progress

  Incomplete

• Step 4: Review effectiveness of controls

  Completed

  In progress

  Incomplete

• Review of control implementation plan

  Yes

  No

• Are control measures in place?

  Yes

  No

• Are controls eliminating or minimising the risk to an acceptable residual risk level?

  Yes

  No

• (Attach copies of documentation to support this.)

  Media

• Are there any new or remaining risks which need further attention?

  Yes

  No

• Who was involved/consulted in the review?

• Name:

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• Position:

• Signature:

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• Date:

  Date

• Name:

• Position:

• Signature:

  Sign

• Date:

  Date

• Name:

• Position:

  Yes

  No

  N/A

• Signature:

  Sign

• Date:

  Date