Occupational hazards - June 2021

THE ANNUAL Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK, held from 10 May, was valuable in reminding us of the importance of looking after ourselves and others. It provided an opportunity to refocus on this crucial area and ensure we are mentally, as well as physically, well.

However, it is important that we consider mental health and wellbeing as a priority all year round; not just for one week. 

After all, one in four people experience a mental health problem of some kind every year in England while, every week, one in six report experiencing a common mental health problem such as anxiety or depression.

There are many more statistics available – too many to quote here – which showcase the scale of the issue and demonstrate why we must treat it seriously every day.

The Covid-19 pandemic has also caused issues for many more people. Some people are worried about going into work, concerned about whether they are at risk of contracting the virus. Others who are working remotely may well be suffering from feelings such as isolation.

With this in mind, the introduction later this year of a new standard to help employers manage psychosocial hazards is eagerly awaited. ISO 45003, the first global standard of its kind, will give businesses practical guidance on how to manage mental health and wellbeing risks for staff in the workplace. These risks include stress, fatigue and bullying, all of which can have serious negative ramifications on people’s mental health and wellbeing.

This standard is built on ground covered by ISO 45001, which was launched a few years ago to prevent work-related injury and ill health and provide safe and healthy workplaces. The new standard defines a psychologically healthy and safe workplace as one that “promotes workers’ psychological wellbeing and actively works to prevent harm to psychological health, including negligent, reckless or intentional ways”.

The co-convenor of the working group which developed the standard has said: “With mounting data that poor work organisation, design and management is associated with poor mental health, absenteeism, presenteeism and human error, it was felt that a specific guidance standard on psychosocial risks was needed.”

IOSH has very much welcomed the introduction of this standard. It is a proactive attempt to make good mental wellbeing part of a company’s culture. For too long, organisations have focused predominantly on treating the symptoms of mental ill health in the workplace.

This has been shown in the proliferation of mental health first aiders in workplaces, employees trained to recognise the signs and symptoms of mental health problems and initiate responses. This was the subject of IOSH-funded research and a round table in London, which looked at how it should form part of a wider programme which focuses on prevention rather than cure.

We also know that line managers are crucial when it comes to mental health and wellbeing in the workplace. They are ideally placed to spot the signs of mental health problems and, if equipped with the right skillset, take appropriate action.

However, an IOSH survey which was highlighted in our white paper Workplace wellbeing: the role of line managers in promoting positive mental health, revealed some worrying statistics. It found that two-thirds of line managers were not getting enough support and training to protect the mental health and wellbeing of staff at work and they were not recognising the signs of poor mental health in their direct reports.

It also revealed people were not prepared to discuss their mental health with their line manager, with 80 per cent fearing stigmatisation and being seen as incompetent in their roles.

It is clear, then, that we have a long way to go to implement widespread prevention-first approaches to mental health and wellbeing in workplaces. 

This new standard is an important step towards addressing this need. If organisations can use the guidance, they will be able to look at how they can design their work to ensure that the mental health and wellbeing of employees is managed effectively. 

There is a significant amount of other resources available which compliment the standard as well, including IOSH’s guidance, toolkit, research and course and those available from mental health charities

While this will have benefits for the employees, there are also significant benefits for the organisations, with a healthier, more motivated and productive workforce, reduced sickness levels and enhanced reputation. 

These are things I’m sure every business would want.

Jimmy Quinn is president at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health. For more information, visit www.iosh.com