Stress in the workplace and your safety

The following is designed to raise awareness to the health and safety professionals, managers and safety representatives to think carefully about stress as a safety as well as a health issue.

Workplace safety is a critical issue that employers cannot afford to ignore. It is well-established that stress can have a detrimental impact on workplace safety when it is not managed properly.

Stress in the workplace can be damaging and debilitating to employees and employers alike, leading to decreased morale, reduced productivity, increased costs, and, ultimately, diminished profits. Its effects are not limited to those exposed directly but may greatly influences an entire organisation’s culture.

When operating under high-stress levels, individuals may be more prone to making mistakes or overlooking essential safety protocols that can lead to accidents and injuries. For example, someone who is stressed may not be as attentive to safety equipment instructions or may be more likely to take unnecessary risks, leading to potentially serious injuries.

This type of situation puts the employee and their peers at risk and can adversely affect the employer’s profits and reputation.

Effects of stress

High levels of stress (whether caused by work or arising from other life stressing events such as bereavement, divorce or money worries) can lead not only to ill health but can adversely affect concentration, information processing and the consistency of decision making.

Workers experiencing high levels of stress may be more liable to commit errors in their work (whether slips, mistakes or violations) which in turn can lead to accidents.

Signs of stress

When monitoring for signs of stress, all health and safety professionals, managers and safety representatives should review accident and “near miss” trends in their organisations to see whether these are associated with such signs.

They should also consider the possible contribution of stress (both occupational and non-occupational) when investigating the causes of individual incidents.

They should seek to identify jobs, particularly those associated with high consequence risks, where high levels of human reliability are fundamental to safety.

Risk assessments

In consultation with safety representatives, they should review risk assessments in such cases to determine whether additional measures are necessary to cope with any potential safety performance impairments due to stress (whether occupational or non-occupational) in origin.

Workers undertaking safety critical work should be a special focus for stress prevention and support.

Consideration of stress as a performance impairment factor should always be taken into account when designing safety critical technology and systems as well as specific jobs and key work procedures.

Training

Training programmes for managers and safety representatives on how to deal with stress should not only address the identification, assessment and management of occupational stress and stressors, but how to tackle the safety impact of non-occupational stress in key staff.

Skills

Line managers and safety representatives need to develop attitudes and skills which will enable them to recognise the signs of stress and deal sympathetically with those affected.

Support

Staff experiencing stress need re-assurance that any adjustments to their work for safety reasons will not lead to unfair discrimination.

Similarly, organisations need to have arrangements in place to counsel support, and rehabilitate staff who have suffered mental trauma as a result of accident involvement, whether as a casualty or a witness

Appropriate job adaptations to support stressed workers undertaking safety critical work should always be considered as an option before simply replacing them (even temporarily), recognising that their recovery may be assisted by remaining at work carrying out their normal duties.

What can employers do to address stress in their workplace?

Workplaces can have many stressors. Issues in the workplace can exacerbate the risk of experiencing mental health challenges. Combined, these stressors can make it more difficult for workers to get their tasks done; threaten their productivity, happiness, and well-being; and lead to burnout. Because of the many potential stressors employees may be experiencing, a comprehensive approach is needed to address stressors throughout the community, and employers can be part of the solution.

The goal is to find ways to alleviate or remove stressors in the workplace to the greatest extent possible, build coping and resiliency supports, and ensure that people who need help know where to turn. Reducing workplace stress benefits everyone across an organisation. It can improve morale and lead to increased productivity and better focus, fewer workplace injuries, fewer sick days, and improved physical health (e.g., lower blood pressure, stronger immune system). All these factors can also lead to reduced turnover among an employer’s workforce.

Be aware and acknowledge that people can carry an emotional load that is unique to their own circumstances. They may be experiencing heightened levels of loneliness, isolation, uncertainty, grief, and stress; and some may face additional demands, such as parents caring for children or elderly household members; and those with existing mental health or substance use challenges.

Identify factors are making it harder for workers to get their jobs done and determine if adjustments can be made.

Show empathy. Ensure workers that 1) they are not alone, 2) their employer understands the stress they are under, 3) there is no shame in feeling anxious, and 4) asking for help is important. Employers can reassure employees they are open and receptive to discussions about employees’ work stress, by creating a safe and trustworthy space.

Provide access to coping and resiliency resources, workplace and leave flexibilities without penalty, or other supportive networks and services.

Implementing best practices for reducing worker stress is essential to ensure a safe, productive, and efficient working environment. With proactive programs, guidelines, and strategies, employers can help keep stress levels low and, thus, prevent any potential workplace accidents.

Beyond that, employees will feel more comfortable in their jobs and be more engaged overall, contributing to a healthier company culture.

Risk management systems are vital for protecting both employers and employees. By taking measures to anticipate and mitigate potential risks, these solutions can help prevent catastrophic losses in the event of a workplace accident or emergency. Common risk management systems include:

• Employee training programs
• Safety policies and procedures
• Emergency response protocols

Additionally, employers should strive to create a culture of safety by encouraging open communication between workers and actively addressing any safety concerns. Taking steps to identify and respond to potential hazards can go a long way toward minimizing the impact of an incident on both employees and the business as a whole.