Overview
This course establishes a shared, practical understanding of psychosocial hazards, psychosocial risk, harm prevention and role-based responsibilities. It is designed for leaders and executives, HR professionals, and HSEQ teams who need a common language and consistent approach for recognising and preventing work-related psychological and physical harm.
The course is grounded in current WHS expectations and guidance. Safe Work Australia states that PCBUs must manage psychosocial hazards and eliminate or minimise psychosocial risks so far as is reasonably practicable. WorkSafe WA guidance supports a systematic process to identify hazards, assess risk, control risk, and monitor and review controls. ISO 45003 frames psychosocial risk management as part of an occupational health and safety management system.
Safe Work Australia data also shows mental health conditions accounted for 9% of serious workers’ compensation claims in 2021-22 and that these claims grew at a faster rate than serious workers’ compensation claims overall over the preceding five years, reinforcing the need for early identification, prevention-focused controls and shared leadership responsibility.
Course Content
- Core concepts: psychosocial hazards, risk, exposure, harm, controls and prevention responsibilities
- Common hazard categories including job demands, low control, poor support, role clarity, change, lack of fairness (poor organisational justice) and harmful behaviours
- How psychosocial hazards interact, escalate and contribute to psychological or physical harm
- Hazard identification methods, consultation inputs and early warning indicators
- Risk assessment, control selection, implementation, monitoring and review
- Role clarity for leaders, executives, HR, HSEQ, people managers and workers
Course Outcomes
By the end of this course attendees should be able to:
- Use consistent language to describe psychosocial hazards, risks, controls and harm prevention
- Recognise common psychosocial hazards and how they may combine or escalate
- Identify practical sources of information for hazard identification and consultation
- Apply a prevention-focused risk management process from identification through review
- Clarify the responsibilities of leaders, HR, HSEQ and people managers in day-to-day prevention
- Contribute to more confident conversations about psychosocial safety expectations and controls
Benefits to the Individual
- Confidence to discuss psychosocial safety using clear, practical language
- Improved ability to recognise hazards and early warning signs
- A clearer view of your responsibilities and where to seek support
- Practical steps for moving from awareness to prevention action
Benefits to the Organisation
- A shared baseline understanding of psychosocial safety across leadership, HR and HSEQ
- More consistent identification and escalation of psychosocial hazards
- Improved alignment between WHS, HR and operational risk practices
- Stronger prevention focus before issues become entrenched or high-consequence
- Clearer role expectations for consultation, control implementation and review
