Healthcare psychosocial risk assessment
Top hazards, controls, shift nuances and evidence you can show an inspector for healthcare teams.
Top psychosocial hazards in healthcare
- High job demands during surges, complex caseloads and shift work.Safe Work Australia
- Violence or aggression from patients, families or visitors.Safe Work Australia
- High emotional demands and exposure to traumatic events.Safe Work Australia
- Role conflict between clinical duties and administrative requirements.Safe Work Australia
- Shift work and overnight staffing that can leave workers isolated.Safe Work Australia
Typical controls regulators expect
- Staffing and rostering strategies that keep job demands within safe limits.Safe Work Australia
- Policies, procedures and training to prevent and respond to violence or aggression.Safe Work Australia
- Designing wards and clinics for visibility, safe egress and duress alarms.Safe Work Australia
- Providing access to psychological support and structured debriefs after critical incidents.Safe Work Australia
- Ensuring role clarity and workload distribution across multidisciplinary teams.Safe Work Australia
Roster and shift nuances
Most hospital teams work rotating shifts across mornings, evenings and nights. Monitor overtime, double shifts and redeployment of agency staff to high-acuity wards to manage fatigue and isolation risks.Safe Work Australia
Sample toolbox talk
Toolbox prompt: practise de-escalation phrases, agree on duress alarm etiquette, and share support contacts for after-hours incidents.
Close by reminding teams about Echo check-ins and how to escalate concerns confidentially.
Evidence to keep inspection-ready
- Ward-level psychosocial risk assessment with violence and workload hotspots plus consultation notes.Model Code
- Incident and occupational violence logs linked to follow-up actions and support offered.Safe Work Australia
- Training records for aggression management, de-escalation and support pathways.Safe Work Australia
- Wellbeing and support utilisation data showing how workers access psychological support.Safe Work Australia
Link back to the pillar resources
- Psychosocial risk pillar page for definitions and board context.
- Four-step assessment guide to document your process.
- Jurisdiction compliance summary for WA, NSW and QLD duties.
Frequently asked questions
How do we involve clinicians in control design?
Consult clinicians and health and safety representatives during each step of the risk process, using workshops, drills and Echo feedback to ensure controls are practical.Model Code
What if staffing shortages are statewide?
Document escalation to health departments, recruitment initiatives and alternative models of care to show reasonably practicable action.Model Code
How do we support staff after violent incidents?
Activate the occupational violence response plan, provide debriefs and psychological support, and review controls before staff return to the same environment.Safe Work Australia