21 Dec Work Related Stress

One of the interesting subjects we have read about in recent times is Work Related Stress. We have all seen people under stress and, we know some folk are more susceptible to it than others but to learn it is the second most common cause of worker’s compensation claims in Australia, (second only to manual handling) was, for us, quite surprising.

We have completed done some research on Work Related Stress in the workplace and we thought we would share some of my findings with you. Stress is caused by three main elements:

1. Organisational Factors.
   There are a number of elements in this category but the main ones we believe are:
   • The demands of a position being too great for the individual
   • Poor support by supervisors and colleagues
   • Lack of role clarity
   • Poor relationships that lead to conflict
2. Environmental Factors.
   These are fairly common in many work places and webelieve the more that are present simultaneously, the more the individual is likely to suffer from stress:
   • Noise
   • Temperature and humidity
   • Lighting
   • Air quality
   • Cramped workspace
   • Unguarded plant and equipment
   • Manual handling
3. Individual Factors.
   Individual factors refer to the differences in an individual’s resilience level, personality and experiences (which are not directly within the employer’s control).

WorkSafe in Victoria has produced an excellent document on this subject and we recommend it as a must read for everyone. To read CLICK HERE

BSB41419 Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety contains several Units of Competency that touch on this subject.

Keep you and all around you safe.