Psychosocial risk assessment
Document hazards, controls and verification aligned to ISO 45003 clauses 6–10.
ISO 45003 guidance for psychosocial risk
Understand how ISO 45003 extends ISO 45001 and complements WHS legal duties when managing psychosocial hazards.
How ISO 45003 fits beside WHS law
ISO 45003:2021 is guidance that supports organisations implementing ISO 45001. It offers direction on identifying, assessing and controlling psychosocial risks but does not include requirements or create a certification pathway.BSIStandards Australia
- Legal duties remain: PCBUs must comply with WHS Acts, Regulations and approved Codes such as those in WA, NSW and QLD, regardless of ISO adoption.Standards Australia
- ISO 45001 linkage: ISO 45003 aligns with clauses on hazard identification (6.1), support (7), operation (8) and performance evaluation (9), helping integrate psychosocial elements into existing systems.
- Evidence boost: Mapping ISO activities to WHS duties strengthens due diligence reporting to boards and regulators.
Where ISO 45003 helps most
- Building a psychosocial risk framework when your ISO 45001 system is mature but light on mental health content.
- Embedding worker participation and consultation requirements into procedures and leadership behaviours.
- Documenting support resources (EAP, clinical support, peer programs) within your management system.
- Setting measurable objectives and KPIs beyond lag indicators.
Map ISO 45003 to the Echo assessment workflow
Clause 6 — Planning
Use the psychosocial risk assessment template to document context, interested parties and risk criteria. ISO 45003 emphasises considering the work environment, organisational culture and specific worker characteristics.
Assessment Step 1 and 2 cover hazard identification and evaluation using the matrix above.
Clause 8 — Operation
Controls should sit within operational procedures: roster design, workload management, training, emergency response and recovery protocols.
Echo’s action tracking keeps Clause 8 documented with owners, timelines and evidence.
Clause 9 — Performance evaluation
ISO 45003 expects monitoring of psychological health indicators and worker feedback. Echo analytics, toolbox talk feedback and health metrics feed the verification log in our template.
Clause 10 — Improvement
Capture incidents, nonconformities and improvement opportunities. Use Echo’s evidence pack to brief executives and close the loop with workers.
When ISO 45003 is not enough on its own
Because it is guidance only, ISO 45003 cannot replace jurisdictional requirements. Regulators expect compliance with WHS laws and approved Codes such as those in WA, NSW and QLD.Standards Australia
Use ISO 45003 to strengthen governance, but always map back to legal requirements captured in our compliance summary and the WA Code.
Implementation checklist
- Gap assess your ISO 45001 documentation against ISO 45003 clauses.
- Update leadership, consultation and support procedures with psychosocial specifics.
- Integrate psychosocial KPIs into performance reviews and board reporting.
- Ensure workers understand support services and escalation pathways.
- Link incident investigations to psychosocial root causes.
Resources to operationalise ISO 45003
Jurisdiction compliance summary
Cross-check ISO-driven processes against WA, NSW and QLD legal duties.
Sector playbooks
Apply ISO guidance to real controls for mining, construction and healthcare teams.
Frequently asked questions
Can we get certified to ISO 45003?
No. ISO 45003 is guidance only. Certification remains against ISO 45001, with psychosocial elements embedded into that system.
Do regulators expect ISO 45003 compliance?
Regulators expect compliance with WHS Acts, Regulations and approved Codes. ISO 45003 provides recognised good practice to demonstrate due diligence but is not mandatory.
How does Echo support ISO 45003 implementation?
Echo maps worker voice data, actions and verification logs to the four-step risk process and can tag evidence to ISO 45001/45003 clauses for audits.