Reporting psychosocial injuries in the resources sector

Exposure to psychosocial hazards poses risk of significant harm to the psychological and physical health of workers. The psychological injuries that can result from exposure to these hazards include:

• anxiety

• depression

• trauma and stress-related disorders

• alcohol abuse and substance use

• other psychological conditions.

As the Department continues to focus on supporting the development and maintenance of mentally healthy workplaces in Western Australian workplaces, the mentally healthy workplaces audit has been a principal source of information on trends in managing psychosocial hazards and risk factors in the resources sector.

The Department has conducted 27 mentally healthy workplace audits since the tool was published in August 2020. In particular, the audits emphasised the importance of raising awareness of the statutory requirements to report injuries and potentially serious occurrences at mines, including those related to psychological injuries and hazard exposures. Psychosocial hazard exposures that can lead to psychological injury and may be reportable to the Department can include:

• workplace violence and aggression

• harassment, including sexual harassment

• bullying

• stress

• burnout

• exposure to traumatic events.

Providing and maintaining workplaces where workers are, so far as practicable, not exposed to psychosocial hazards and ensuring statutory notification requirements are met supports compliance with legislative obligations under the Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994.

Taking actions to identify potential psychosocial hazards and implementing controls to manage the risk of exposures supports mining operations to secure workers’ psychological health through the development and maintenance of mentally healthy workplaces.

Developing a mentally healthy workplace means preventing or mitigating harm by:

• promoting positive practices at work that support mental health and wellbeing

• identifying then eliminating or minimising work-related psychosocial hazards by managing their associated risks

• intervening early to support effective coping strategies when individuals or groups of workers are showing signs of distress

• facilitating access to appropriate services and health management options such as recovery at work or return-to-work support.

Public consultation

The Commission for Occupational Safety and Health has released a new code of practice, Psychosocial hazards in the workplace, for public consultation until 11 October 2021.

The code of practice is intended to provide practical occupational safety and health guidance for workplaces where workers may be exposed to psychological and social hazards such as inappropriate behaviours, violence and aggression, fatigue, burnout, stress and trauma, which can be harmful to their health.

The code is complementary to the Violence and aggression at work and Workplace behaviour codes of practice on which the Commission recently sought feedback. It is intended that the three codes will be published as a suite.