Addressing physical and psychosocial risks

The challenge

Organisations in Australia and New Zealand have been familiar with work health and safety (WHS) legislation for managing physical risks, but psychosocial risks have been less regulated. Recent amendments to legislation now require organisations to identify, assess, prevent, and control psychosocial risks. A disability services provider (ABC Ltd) faced increasing incidents, injuries, and workers' compensation claims related to mental stress and work-related violence.

The solution

ABC Ltd sought to understand and manage psychosocial risks and comply with new legislation. Whilst ABC Ltd had a safety management system in place, they needed to formally address psychosocial risks. A previous WHS audit focused on systems but didn't adequately assess risk.

Marsh Advisory developed a bespoke audit tool for ABC Ltd, covering physical and psychosocial risk management. They audited 27 sites across Australia using a cloud-based audit module and conducted thorough psychosocial risk assessments. Mental health specialists were deployed for on-site assessments, desktop reviews, and employee focus groups. Marsh Advisory also provided ABC Ltd with site-based reports and a consolidated report for their executive leadership team.

The results

Through the audit process, ABC Ltd identified and quantified physical safety and psychosocial risks, gaining a clear understanding of the effectiveness of their WHS management system and areas for improvement. They also received valuable feedback from the audits, which generated momentum for implementing the action plan.