Australia

What is a psychosocial hazard? (Australia)

Short answer: A psychosocial hazard is a hazard at work that may cause psychological harm, whether or not it may also cause physical harm. Under Australian work health and safety laws, it arises from, or relates to, the design or management of work, a work environment, plant at a workplace (such as machinery and equipment), or workplace interactions or behaviours. Employers identify these hazards and manage the risks, just as they do for physical hazards.

Common psychosocial hazards

The Commonwealth Work Health and Safety (Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work) Code of Practice 2024 lists these psychosocial hazards that arise at work:

• job demands
• job insecurity
• low job control
• fatigue
• poor support
• lack of role clarity
• poor organisational change management
• inadequate recognition and reward
• poor organisational justice
• traumatic events or material
• remote or isolated work
• intrusive surveillance
• poor physical environment
• violence and aggression
• bullying
• harassment, including sexual harassment
• conflict or poor workplace relationships and interactions

Hazards often combine. A heavy workload with little support and unclear expectations can carry more risk than any one of those on its own.

Hazard, risk and harm

• Hazard: the thing about the work that could cause harm, such as aggressive customers.
• Risk: how likely it is to cause harm, and how serious that harm could be.
• Harm: the injury or illness itself.

What employers do about it

In broad terms the process is the same across Australia:

1. Identify psychosocial hazards, in consultation with workers.
2. Assess the risks.
3. Control the risks: eliminate them so far as is reasonably practicable, or reduce them if they can't be eliminated.
4. Review your controls, especially after changes, incidents or reports from workers.

Victoria uses its own OHS laws. Its Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025 commenced for all Victorian employers on 1 December 2025. Each state and territory regulator publishes its own guidance: Psychosocial hazards in Australia: state guide.

How to spot hazards early

Hazards show up in everyday signals: overtime, sick leave, staff turnover, complaints, incident reports, and what people tell you when you ask. Asking regularly matters, because conditions can change within weeks. For free survey tools, see Psychosocial risk assessment tools for Australian workplaces.

How WellbeingSolutions can help

• Personalised SMS check-ins let you ask every shift how they're going, with no app to download.
• Triage to your chosen professional support, such as your EAP, when someone says they need help. If your organisation doesn't have an EAP, anyone who needs help is guided to government support services.
• Anonymised trend reporting for leaders, so you can see where hazards may be building.
• A confidential psychosocial risk assessment informed by ISO 45003 guidance, taking 8 to 12 minutes, sent by text, email or QR code.

Free 2-week SMS check-in pilot for up to 10 staff. Start your free pilot

Questions we hear

This page summarises public information and is not legal advice. Last checked 26 October 2026.