The law says that employers must assess risks caused by work including stress and then take measures to control the risk.
This will also help ensure that those at working in your organisation are efficient and effective.
HSE defines stress as ‘an adverse reaction to excessive pressure’.
Pressure is often part of work and helps to keep people motivated. Excess, badly-managed exposure to pressure can lead to stress.
Workers who experience stress, anxiety or depression are unlikely to perform effectively. This can be costly and – in safety-critical industries, such as construction – can have serious consequences.
Work-related stress is not inevitable and can be tackled by sensible management.
HSE has identified six major aspects of work that can be causes of stress across all jobs. These are: work demands, control over work, support from others, relationships at work, your role and the effect of change.
The top five most stressful aspects of construction work are:
Factors such as personal relationships, financial concerns, domestic issues and bereavement can also affect our ability to cope with pressure at work.
Anyone can be affected by stress, regardless of job or seniority.
Managers, along with road workers, designers and administration staff, report more stress than other construction trades and professions.
HSE has published the Management Standards for Stress to help organisations identify ‘at-risk’ parts of the business and manage the risk effectively. The standards are not law but following them can help you to meet your legal duties.
A suitable risk assessment for stress should include:
HSE has identified five steps to dealing with work-related stress in a systematic way.
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