Free psychosocial risks course aims to protect SA workers

Jointly produced by SafeWork SA and ReturnToWorkSA and delivered by specialist training provider GPEx, the Managing Psychosocial Hazards and Risks in the Workplace training course is free and designed to help businesses understand how to protect workers from psychosocial risks in the workplace.

Designed to help equip businesses with the knowledge and practical skills needed to prevent harm associated with psychosocial risks in the workplace, it takes 1–2 hours to complete the course.

In the course, participants identify psychosocial hazards like high job demands, lack of support, poor communication and workplace bullying; assess and control risks with a mix of preventative and reactive measures where possible; and monitor and review the effectiveness of the control measures to ensure psychosocial risks remain well-managed over time.

Practical psychosocial case studies are also included — allowing participants to unpack realistic scenarios from the construction, healthcare and retail industries — with participants given access to a suite of resources and a certificate of completion at the end of the course.

It has always been an implicit requirement under the Work Health and Safety Act and the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2012 (SA) for businesses to do what is reasonably practicable to either eliminate, or if not practicable, to minimise, exposure to psychosocial hazards or minimise the impact of exposure.

Now — following amendments to the regulations that became effective in South Australia in December 2023 — the positive duty imposed on businesses is very clear; these new regulations that define psychosocial hazard and risk and set out requirements for how to protect workers from them through a consultative risk management approach.

The need to increase awareness and understanding of the significant impact of work-related psychosocial hazards on workers’ health and safety largely drove the introduction of these regulations. More information on the new course is available at gpex.com.au/course/managing-psychosocial-hazards-and-risks-in-the-workplace. SA information on psychosocial hazards is also available at www.safework.sa.gov.au/workplaces/psychosocial-hazards.