Managing Psychological Health and Safety with ISO 45003
ISO 45003:
What is ISO?
ISO (International Organisation for Standardization) is an independent, non-governmental organisation representing the National Standard Institutes of over 150 countries. They develop and publish international standards in response to the needs of the international market and global expert opinions.
Workplace Injury Trends: Mental Health Related Injury Increasing
Last year we looked at some interesting data from WorkSafe in relation to different types of workplace injuries including:
- Muscular stress while lifting, carrying, or putting down objects;
- Muscular stress while handling objects (other than lifting, carrying, or putting down);
- Falls from a height;
- Falls on the same level;
- Being hit by moving objects; and,
- Mental Stress.
Statistics across all categories of injury, with the exception of mental health, were trending downward.
- Falls on the same level – 2,849 LTI/Ds ⬇️
- Muscular stress (lifting, carrying or putting down objects) – 2,309 LTI/Ds ⬇️
- Being hit by moving objects – 1,654 LTI/Ds ⬇️
- Falls from a height – 1,148 LTI/Ds ⬇️
- Mental stress – 431 LTI/Ds ⬆️
ISO 45003 for Managing Mental Health
ISO 45003 is the first internationally accepted standard for the management of psychological health and safety in the workplace. It provides a framework for managing psychological risk within an occupational health and safety management system based on ISO 45001.
ISO 45003 exists to define psychological hazards and develop a management system framework that acknowledges and addresses them as major challenges to health, safety, and well-being at work.
As well explained by Senior Psychologist Prof. Peter Kelly, “ISO 45003 provides guidelines on how to more accurately monitor the mental health of workers, whilst also including them in planning for a safer workplace and helping them feel comfortable participating in the process of reporting on it.”
As mental health continues to receive more attention, employees have increased their expectations and some regulatory bodies have expanded their requirements to better protect and cater for people’s psychological wellbeing.
To help organisations navigate through the legal, regulatory, staff, and public relations complexities that they now face in relation to managing psychological health and safety, ISO has publicised ISO45003 and made it available to you – free of charge.
Click below to access the free read-only version of ISO 45003.
Mentally Healthy Workplaces
A mentally healthy workplace is where an organisation collaborates to protect and promote the health, safety, and wellbeing of all.
Maintaining a mentally healthy workplace involves continually addressing workplace health and safety and wellbeing concerns in relation to, and due to, the work environment. This includes things like the organisation and design of work, the workplace culture, the physical workplace environment, and the facilities provided.
By creating mentally healthy workplaces, organisations can proactively improve the mental health and wellbeing of their workers. We spend a lot of time at work, and it has a significant impact on our lives. Using this to make a positive impact on mental health is a good idea for everyone.
Mentally Healthy Workplace Resources from WorkSafe
The WorkSafe website has a dedicated area to creating mentally healthy workplaces. Check it out here and make use of the tools and resources that are available for management and workers.
Workplace Health and Safety Compliance Management
QSM Group specialise in streamlining and optimising the workplace health and safety of organisations across all industries. Have you considered compliance management software for your organisation? To hear some of our client’s success stories with Mango Live, leading compliance management software, click here.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us to arrange an obligation-free consultation and explore how you can optimise QHSE and compliance management for your business.
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