This article applies to all organisations.
Work Health and Safety (Psychosocial Risks) Amendment Regulation 2022 (Qld)
On 1 April 2023, the Work Health and Safety (Psychosocial Risks) Amendment Regulation 2022 (Qld) (Amending Regulation) commenced and amended the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Qld) (the Regulation) in response to the 2018 Review to the model work health and safety laws. The Amending Regulation introduces a new duty to manage psychosocial risks in the workplace.
Psychosocial risks
Psychosocial risks are defined as a risk to the health or safety of a worker or other person from a psychosocial hazard.
A psychosocial hazard is a hazard that:
- arises from, or relates to:
- the design or management of work;
- a work environment;
- plant at a workplace; or
- workplace interactions or behaviours; and
- may cause psychological harm, whether or not the hazard may also cause physical harm.
When organisations are managing psychosocial risks, they are required to have regard to a number of matters listed in the new regulation 55D of the Regulation, including the duration, frequency or severity of the exposure of workers and other persons to psychosocial hazards and how the psychosocial hazards may interact or combine.
Conclusion
Organisations should create new processes in order to manage the psychosocial risks to their workers. For assistance and more information on this matter, organisations should refer to the Managing the risk of psychosocial hazards at work Code of Practice 2022.
