All workplaces need to manage psychosocial risks under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011. The Managing the risk of psychosocial hazards at work Code of Practice 2022 came into effect in April 2023 and provides practical guidance to prevent harm from psychosocial hazards at work.
There were 7,964 psychological and psychiatric statutory claims reported to the Office of Industrial Relations in 2023–24, a 26 per cent increase from the previous year. Statutory claim payments totalled $230 million in 2023–24.
Frontline services play an important role in delivering public safety, healthcare, crisis response, community support, and public transport. In these roles, frontline workers may be exposed to a range of psychosocial hazards. It is important to minimise safety risks for frontline workers to enable continued delivery of essential public services.
Who we plan to audit
- selected public sector entities.
In this audit, we will assess how effectively entities manage the psychosocial safety of their workforce. We will likely focus on entities and staff with higher psychosocial risk, such as frontline services.