Common menu bar links

How do I conduct a hazard analysis for mental health?

A process to identify, assess and control psychosocial hazards proactively and on an ongoing basis must be established in the workplace. Employees must also be trained to report unhealthy psychosocial situations to their supervisor/manager, who will investigate and take corrective action, if required. The results of the assessments will help to set objectives and targets when developing programs or policies.

Sources of information for hazard and risk evaluation for the psychosocial work environment include:

• health and safety committee reports, minutes and/or recommendations
• workplace health committee reports, minutes and/or recommendations
• worker concerns and complaints during workplace inspections or other times
• worker exit interviews
• previous workplace risk assessments
• incident investigations (if investigation probes deeply enough into root causes)
• absenteeism, short- and long-term disability claim data
• employee surveys such as perception surveys, employee engagement surveys
• data regarding the nature of health benefit claims and EAP usage if available

Note: Because psychosocial hazards are non-physical, they generally cannot be seen during inspections or audits. It is necessary to ask employees about the stressors they experience at work. The process must be confidential and anonymous whenever possible.