PCBUs must understand and manage the psychosocial risks in your organisation.

Psychosocial risks are most effectively and sustainably managed through better design of work and systems of work. To do this, PCBUs should make sure all staff making work design decisions:

• understand the work system and the implications of their decisions on workers’ health and safety
• appropriately consult workers and their representatives
• coordinate and cooperate with others across the organisation to make sure risks are designed out.

Applying systems thinking to help identify psychosocial hazards and risks, and using work design to manage these, will mean you can control the risk closer to the source. As a result, you can provide the highest level of protection for the largest number of workers. You will also be protecting workers who may, for a range of reasons, be more vulnerable to harm from psychosocial risks.

As well as helping PCBUs understand and manage psychosocial risks, the approach and tools outlined in this guide can support you to comply with duties related to psychosocial hazards and risks under the WHS legislation.