Do you know that The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 gives employers a duty of care as far as is reasonably practical to protect the health (including mental health), safety and welfare of their employees at work?

OF COURSE YOU DO

Do you know that health is defined in Health and Safety issues as the protection of the bodies and minds of people from illness resulting from the materials, processes and procedures used in the workplace?

This includes steps to ensure that people do not suffer stress related illnesses as a result of their work.

Do you know that employers have a legal duty to conduct risk assessments on their work activities to identify hazards in the workplace?

OF COURSE YOU DO

Do you know this means both physical and psychological hazards?

The Health and Safety Executive is taking the subject of work-related stress very seriously.  In November 2004 it launched it’s Management Standards for work-related stress and wants organisations to adopt a comprehensive proactive approach to manage work related stress.

It is better equipping inspectors to handle stress issues and the inspectors have the authority to issue improvement notices and take appropriate action against organisations they perceive are not doing enough to tackle work-related stress.

Stress is not a disease, nor is it an indication of individual weakness and can affect anyone and affects people in different ways.  In certain individuals it can lead to or enhance already existing physical and psychological conditions.  Stress in the workplace can adversely affect the performance of an organisation, as it prevents individuals who suffer from it, from doing their jobs to the best of their ability.  It is perceived by organisations as a complex subject, but it is very important for management to identify particular causes of stress in the workplace and develop achievable solutions.

Every organisation is different and will have different ways and solutions to deal with work-related stress.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

There are positive steps all organisations can take to both avoid and deal with work-related stress issues.