Despite increased focus on psychological health and safety in companies and organisations, it continues – and is in fact increasingly – causing challenges for health, safety and wellbeing in the workplace. It is therefore extremely important that employers focus on psychological health and safety and ensure the wellbeing of workers. ISO 45003 can help with this.
The purpose of ISO 45003 is to prevent and manage psychosocial risks, thereby promoting wellbeing in the workplace. ISO 45003 provides examples of psychosocial risks and guidance on managing them. The guidance is primarily intended for use in conjunction with the occupational health and safety management standard ISO 45001, but is relevant for anyone wishing to work proactively with psychological health and safety. A wide range of Danish and international stakeholders have contributed to developing the standard.
Effectively managing psychosocial risks can bring benefits such as:
The Danish National Research Centre for the Working Environment estimates that poor psychological health and safety costs up to DKK 80 billion a year in Denmark. For the individual organisation, this translates into increased sick leave, staff turnover, poor collaboration and lower quality in task performance. And, naturally, a poor psychological work environment also comes at a great cost to the affected worker, potentially leading to an increased risk of physical and psychological health problems such as cardiovascular disease, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress reaction.
Effectively managing psychosocial risks can therefore make an enormous difference – and this is precisely the focus of the international standard for psychological health and safety, ISO 45003.
ISO 45003 describes examples of psychosocial hazards arising from how work is organised, social factors at work, and aspects related to the work environment, work equipment and hazardous tasks. Psychosocial hazards can be present in any organisation and sector, and in any type of task, work equipment or employment arrangement. They may occur in combination with one another and can both influence and be influenced by other hazards.
Psychosocial risks relate to the potential for these types of hazards to have various consequences for an individual's health, safety and wellbeing, and for the organisation's performance and sustainability. It is important that psychosocial risks are managed in a manner consistent with other occupational health and safety risks through an occupational health and safety management system, and that they are integrated into the organisation's overall business processes. Psychosocial risks affect both psychological health and safety and health, safety and wellbeing at work more broadly. Psychosocial risks are also associated with economic costs for organisations and society.
The impact of psychosocial risks can increase costs as a result of:
Although many factors can determine the nature and extent of the consequences of psychosocial risks, organisations play a key role in eliminating hazards or minimising risks. Both the organisation and its workers share a responsibility for maintaining and improving health, safety and wellbeing at work.
ISO 45003 provides guidance on what is important for organisations to consider in relation to increasing awareness of psychosocial risks, developing competencies in managing psychosocial risks, supporting affected workers' recovery and return to work, and planning for and responding to emergencies.
Watch or rewatch the webinar on the ISO 45003 standard, which provides guidance on how your organisation can work proactively and systematically with psychological health and safety.
