Psychosocial Risk Resource
Psychosocial risk management
Board-level briefing on psychosocial hazards, duties, and controls — aligned with Safe Work Australia's model Code of Practice and WorkSafe WA's approved Code. Last updated 30 September 2025.
Why we published this
Boards told us they need a single view of hazards, legal duties, and evidence expectations before reviewing budgets and assurance plans.
How we validate
Every recommendation maps back to Safe Work Australia's model Code of Practice and WorkSafe WA's approved Code.
Download the assessment template or see the four-step assessment guide.
Direct answer: what is psychosocial risk management?
Psychosocial risk management is the systematic process of identifying work conditions that can cause psychological harm, assessing exposure likelihood and severity, applying reasonably practicable controls, and reviewing whether those controls work. In Australia, the model Code frames this as an ongoing identify, assess, control, and review cycle supported by worker consultation and evidence.
Psychosocial hazards vs. psychosocial risk
Safe Work Australia describes a psychosocial hazard as anything at work that could cause psychological harm — including high job demands, low job control, poor support, remote or isolated work, and harmful behaviours such as bullying or violence.
Psychosocial risk is the likelihood of harm occurring when workers are exposed to those hazards, alone or in combination. The model Code of Practice and WorkSafe WA's approved Code (PDF) require PCBUs to consider how long, how often, and how severely workers are exposed, and how hazards may interact and combine, when choosing controls.
A PCBU (person conducting a business or undertaking) can be a company, government agency, partnership, or sole trader. PCBUs carry the primary duty of care to ensure workers and others are not exposed to psychosocial risks. They must eliminate or minimise psychosocial risks so far as is reasonably practicable, considering the likelihood and severity of harm, what is known (or ought reasonably be known) about the risk, the availability and suitability of controls, and whether the cost is grossly disproportionate to the risk.
Why boards care
- Approved Codes: Western Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland have approved psychosocial hazard Codes that set the benchmark for compliance assessments. See WorkSafe WA, SafeWork NSW, and WorkSafe QLD.
- Interaction of hazards: High workloads, poor support, and remote work can combine to create higher risks and more severe harm if left unmanaged.
- Due diligence evidence: Officers must show the organisation consulted workers, resourced controls, and verified effectiveness in line with the model Code's four-step process.
Common psychosocial hazards
Drawn from Safe Work Australia guidance and Echo field programs.
- High or low job demands that outpace staffing or scheduling capacity.
- Low job control and role ambiguity, particularly for contractors and temporary teams.
- Poor organisational support and change management during restructures or rapid growth.
- Remote or isolated work without reliable communication or timely assistance.
- Violence, aggression, bullying, or harassment from clients, patients, or co-workers.
Remote or isolated work is both a psychosocial and physical hazard because delayed assistance can worsen harm, so communication and support controls are critical.
The hierarchy of controls applied to psychosocial risk
Echo sits in the engineering-control layer. Eliminating or substituting a psychosocial hazard is rarely possible; engineered systems for early detection are the highest-level practical control.
| Control level | What it looks like | Where Echo sits |
|---|---|---|
| Eliminate | Remove the hazard at source (rarely possible for psychosocial). | — |
| Substitute | Replace the hazard with something less harmful (rarely applicable). | — |
| Engineering Control | Engineered systems that detect and surface risk continuously. | Echo is here. |
| Administrative | Policies, surveys, training, toolbox talks. | — |
| PPE / Support | EAPs, crisis counselling, post-incident support. | — |
Map your program to the model Code
The model Code sets out a four-part risk-management process and requires consultation with workers and their representatives at each stage. Echo aligns product workflows, reporting, and consultative loops with each stage so WHS teams can show compliance and effectiveness in one place.
- Identify: Combine consultation, Echo check-in data, incidents, and industry guidance to spot psychosocial hazards.
- Assess: Evaluate severity and likelihood using a consistent matrix and consider how hazards may interact.
- Control: Implement controls beyond PPE — roster design, staffing, training, supervision, and support systems.
- Review: Verify controls after incidents, organisational changes, or feedback, and on a scheduled basis.
Evidence boards should see each quarter
- Summary of top five psychosocial hazards and how they trend over time.
- Closed-loop action register showing controls, owners, and dates.
- Consultation log with health and safety representatives, unions, and health providers.
- Verification notes: audits, field leadership visits, and Echo analytics.
- Escalations and regulator interactions, with lessons learned.
Build your psychosocial risk library
Start with this pillar page, then move through regulator-aligned resources tailored to your jurisdiction and sector.
- Psychosocial risk assessment — step-by-step method plus the downloadable template and risk matrix used by Echo customers.
- WA Code of Practice summary — clarifies PCBUs, duties, and what WorkSafe WA inspectors look for when they visit sites.
- Compliance by jurisdiction — plain-English duties with links to the WA, NSW, and QLD approved Codes.
- ISO 45003 guidance — how the guidance standard complements ISO 45001 and WHS obligations without creating a new certification burden.
- Mining risk deep dive — top hazards for FIFO and underground teams, plus evidence packs that satisfy mining inspectors.
- Construction risk deep dive — high-risk build environments with roster tips, toolbox talk scripts, and documentation checklists.
- Healthcare risk deep dive — clinical aggression, compassion fatigue, and shift handover controls tailored to hospitals and aged care.
Frequently asked questions
What is the legal duty for boards regarding psychosocial risk?
Officers must exercise due diligence to ensure the PCBU complies with its primary duty of care, allocating resources for consultation, risk controls, and verification activities outlined in the model Code and WorkSafe WA's approved Code.
How often should psychosocial risk assessments be reviewed?
Review assessments whenever incidents, workforce feedback, or workplace changes point to new or higher risks, and maintain a regular review schedule consistent with the model Code.
How does Echo help gather defensible evidence?
Echo captures qualitative worker voice, converts it into structured insights aligned to psychosocial hazard categories, and links those insights to action plans, toolbox talks, and verification logs.