What Are Psychosocial Hazards?
Understanding work-related factors that can harm workers' psychological health and what the law requires you to do about them.
Written by Christian Ratten, Workplace Psychologist
A Simple Way to Think About Psychosocial Hazards
The practical definition
Psychosocial hazards are any aspect of work design, organisation, management, or social interaction that has the potential to cause psychological harm.
Psychosocial hazards are not primarily about individual resilience or personal mental health. While they can negatively affect a person's mental health, the root cause lies in work-related factors, not a lack of personal resilience.
Under Australian Work Health and Safety laws, psychosocial hazards are treated the same way as physical hazards—meaning, they must be identified, assessed, and controlled so far as is reasonably practicable.
What Psychosocial Hazards Are NOT
It's important to understand what we're NOT talking about:
- Individual workers' mental health conditions
- Personal problems or stress from outside work
- Personality conflicts or "resilience" issues
The 14 Psychosocial Hazards
Safe Work Australia identifies 14 specific psychosocial hazards that organisations must identify, assess, and control.
Understand Each Hazard in Detail
Learn what each hazard looks like in practice, how it causes harm, and the most effective controls to manage it. This is essential reading for anyone responsible for workplace safety.
Explore All 14 HazardsIncludes practical examples and control measures for each hazard
How Psychosocial Hazards Cause Harm
The link between work and injury
Psychosocial hazards create chronic or acute stress. When stress is frequent, prolonged, or severe, it can lead to:
Psychological injuries (such as anxiety, depression, burnout, PTSD)
Fatigue-related safety incidents
Increased errors, incidents, and turnover
Importantly, harm can occur even if no single "incident" happens. Ongoing exposure is enough.
Why Psychosocial Hazards Are a Business Issue
Not just a wellbeing issue
Unmanaged psychosocial hazards are linked to:
From a regulator's perspective, ignoring known psychosocial risks may be viewed as failing to meet WHS duties, particularly where guidance and codes of practice exist.
Who Has Duties Under WHS Laws?
Responsibilities at every level
Businesses (PCBUs)
A PCBU (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking) must identify psychosocial hazards, eliminate them where reasonably practicable, or minimise the risks if elimination is not possible.
This duty applies regardless of business size or industry.
Officers and Directors
Directors and officers must exercise due diligence, which includes:
- Understanding psychosocial risks in their operations
- Ensuring appropriate systems, resources, and controls are in place
- Verifying that risks are being actively managed
Workers
Workers also have duties to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and not adversely affect others—including through behaviour.
Want more detail on legal duties?
Understand your legal obligationsAre You Meeting Your Legal Duties?
Most businesses have significant gaps in their approach to psychosocial hazards—and don't realise it until a complaint triggers an investigation. Find out where you stand before a regulator does.
- Identify compliance gaps before a regulator does
- Understand your current risk level
- Get tailored priority actions
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Where to Go From Here
Now that you understand what psychosocial hazards are, you can: