GB/T 45003-2024 Occupational health and safety management - Psychological health and safety at work - managing psychosocial risks - Guidelines
1 Scope
This document gives guidelines for managing psychosocial risk within an occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system based on GB/T 45001. It enables organizations to prevent work-related injury and ill health of their workers and other interested parties, and to promote well-being at work.
It is applicable to organizations of all sizes and in all sectors, for the development, implementation, maintenance and continual improvement of healthy and safe workplaces.
Note: When the term “worker” is used in this document, worker representatives, where they exist, are always implied.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
GB/T 45001:2020, Occupational health and safety management systems - Requirements with guidance for use (ISO 45001:2018, IDT)
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in GB/T 45001:2020 and the following apply.
3.1
psychosocial risk
combination of the likelihood of occurrence of exposure to work-related hazard(s) of a psychosocial nature and the severity of injury and ill-health that can be caused by these hazards
Note: Hazards of a psychosocial nature include aspects of work organization, social factors at work, work environment, equipment and hazardous tasks. Detailed examples of such sources are given in Tables 1, 2 and 3.
3.2
well-being at work
fulfilment of the physical, mental, social and cognitive needs and expectations of a worker related to their work
Note 1: Well-being at work can also contribute to the quality of life outside of work.
Note 2: Well-being at work relates to all aspects of working life, including work organization, social factors at work, work environment, equipment and hazardous tasks.
4 Context of the organization
4.1 Understanding the organization and its context
4.1.1 General
In relation to managing psychosocial risk, the organization should:
a) consider the external and internal issues that can affect the achievement of the intended outcomes of the OH&S management system;
b) understand the needs and expectations of workers and other relevant interested parties;
c) consider which of these needs and expectations are, or could become, legal requirements and other requirements;
d) adjust the design of activities to manage psychosocial risk to suit the specific context of
the workplace;
e) tailor activities to improve the focus, reliability, validity and effectiveness of the process to manage psychosocial risk;
f) determine how the assessment of psychosocial risks will be used to make effective action plans.
4.1.2 External issues
The organization should determine external issues relevant to achieving the intended outcomes of the OH&S management system in relation to psychosocial risk. External issues can include:
a) the supply chain in which the organization operates, as this can affect psychosocial hazards and their associated risks (e.g. through time pressure, schedules or production pressure);
b) relationships with contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, providers and other interested parties;
c) the sharing of workplaces, resources and equipment with other parties (e.g. if the organization collaborates with other organizations on worksites);
d) customer and/or client requirements for service provision (e.g. customer/client requirements can affect psychosocial hazards through violence, harassment, time pressure);
e) economic conditions that can affect availability, duration and location of work;
f) the nature of work contracts, remuneration, employment conditions and industrial relations;
g) the demographics of workers who are available for work (e.g. young or ageing workers, increasing retirement ages, gender);
h) rapid technological changes (e.g. increased connectivity to electronic devices, impact of artificial intelligence and automation technology);
i) labour force mobility, creating greater diversity among workers with different backgrounds and cultures, and speaking different languages;
j) the wider context of the organization’s geographical region, including social, economic and public health issues (e.g. pandemics, natural disasters, financial crises).
4.1.3 Internal issues
Internal issues that can affect the intended outcomes of the OH&S management system in relation to psychosocial risk can include:
a) how the organization is governed and managed (e.g. its organizational structure, assignment of roles and responsibilities, effectiveness and efficiency of its formal and informal decision-making processes, organizational culture, management style, communication style, respect for privacy);
b) the organization’s level of commitment and direction with respect to psychological health, safety and well-being at work, as set out in policy statements, guidelines, objectives and strategies;
c) other management systems adopted by the organization that can interact with the management of psychosocial risks (e.g. based on GB/T 19001 and GB/T 24001);
d) size and nature of the organization’s workforce (e.g. large, small, complex or highly decentralized);
e) characteristics of workers and the workforce (e.g. gender, age, ethnicity, religion, disability, language, literacy and numeracy);
f) competence of workers to recognize psychosocial hazards and manage risks;
g) locations of work (e.g. itinerant workforce without a fixed workplace, working remotely, working at home, working in isolation or working in remote locations such as rurally);
h) workers’ terms and conditions (e.g. flexible work arrangements, compensation and benefits, part-time, casual or temporary workforce);
i) adequacy and availability of resources (see 7.1).
4.2 Understanding the needs and expectations of workers and other interested parties
In relation to managing psychosocial risk, the organization should understand and determine the needs and expectations of workers and other interested parties.
Workers and other interested parties have a range of needs and expectations that can be influenced by psychosocial risks at work. These needs and expectations can include:
——financial security;
——social interaction and support;
——inclusion, recognition, reward and accomplishment;
——personal development and growth;
——equal opportunity and fair treatment at work.
Needs and expectations can be included in legal requirements (e.g. OH&S and human rights legislation), collective agreements, and voluntary agreements and other requirements to which the organization subscribes or adheres.
4.3 Determining the scope of the OH&S management system
The organization should confirm that the scope of its OH&S management system and its operations and activities with respect to the management of psychosocial risk are specifically addressed by the organization’s OH&S management system.
4.4 OH&S management system
The organization should ensure that its OH&S management system remains appropriate, effective and relevant to its operations and activities with respect to its management of psychosocial risk.
5 Leadership and worker participation
5.1 Leadership and commitment
The successful management of psychosocial risk calls for a commitment throughout the organization. Top management should lead this, and managers and workers at all levels should assist in its implementation. Top management should:
a) demonstrate leadership and commitment to managing psychosocial risk and to promoting well-being at work;
b) identify, monitor and be aware of its roles and responsibilities with respect to managing psychosocial risks;
c) determine the resources needed and make them available in a timely and efficient manner;
d) reinforce the sustainability of managing psychosocial risk by including it in strategic plans and existing systems, processes and reporting structures;
e) protect workers from reprisals and/or threats of reprisals for reporting incidents, hazards, risks and opportunities;
f) communicate how whistle-blowers, victims, witnesses and those who report or raise workplace psychosocial risk concerns will be protected;
g) obtain and provide feedback to determine the effectiveness of managing and preventing psychosocial risk within the OH&S management system, both in implementation and operation;
h) empower workers and ensure they are competent to fulfil their roles and responsibilities to identify and manage psychosocial risk;
i) remove barriers that can limit worker participation, and aim to enhance participation;
j) actively engage workers in a continual dialogue on the management of psychosocial risk;
k) support and encourage workers to actively participate in the management of psychosocial risk in the workplace
5.2 OH&S policy
5.2.1 In establishing an OH&S policy for the organization, top management should:
a) ensure that commitments to preventing ill health and injuries related to psychosocial risk and promoting well-being at work are included in the OH&S policy;
