WorkSafe Victoria is putting employers on notice to address psychological hazards in their workplaces as the number of mental injuries in Victorian workplaces surges.
Executive Director, Health and Safety at WorkSafe, Narelle Beer urged employers to make sure they had policies, processes and training in place to address risks such as bullying, aggression, trauma, fatigue, stress and high job demands.
“Of the 28,682 claims received by WorkSafe in the 2021-22 financial year, 4,340 were for mental injury,” Dr Beer said.
“While claims for work-related mental injuries now make up 15.1 per cent of all new claims, up from 13.1 per cent the previous year, they are on track to grow to a third of all WorkSafe claims by the end of the decade.”
She said mental injuries often needed more recovery time than physical injuries, which meant more time off and higher costs.
“Sadly, while three quarters of workers with a physical injury are back on the job in six months, just 40 per cent of workers with mental injury return to work within that time,” Dr Beer said.
“Just because a mental injury is harder to see, doesn’t mean it can’t be prevented,” she said.
“We’re putting employers on notice that they have a legal obligation to make sure their workplaces are psychologically safe.”
The Executive Director said employers who failed to take reasonable steps to prevent mental injury could face prosecution under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, including potential fines of up to $332,000 for an individual or $1.66 million for a body corporate.
“Our message to employers is clear, if you turn a blind eye to bullying, harassment, or other psychological health hazards then you’re risking your workers’ safety, lost productivity and potential hefty fines,” Dr Beer said.
