Psychological health & safety at WorkSafeBC
What is psychological health and safety?
While physical health and safety is a familiar subject for most employers and workers, for some, psychological health and safety in the workplace is new. Although it may be new, managing psychological health and safety in the workplace is as important as managing physical health and safety.
Psychological health and safety is embedded in the way people interact with one another on a daily basis, and is part of the way working conditions and management practices are structured and how decisions are made and communicated. (Source: Canadian Standards Association)
What is a psychological injury?
A psychological injury is a mental health condition, including mental disorders, especially when the mental health condition or disorder is thought to be caused by exposure to potentially psychologically traumatic events and other stressors. (Source: Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment)
Psychological injuries can be prevented and treated effectively. Early awareness, access to resources and support, and appropriate and timely response can greatly reduce the impact of symptoms, promote mental well-being, and help people remain at work.
Our Mental Health Strategy
Our Mental Health Strategy outlines our overall approach to workplace psychological health and safety, both as the workplace regulator and administrator of the workers’ compensation system and as an employer. It also defines the terms we use when talking about psychological health and safety and provides the framework we will follow over the next few years.
Many of the plans outlined in the strategy will be shaped through active engagement with our stakeholders. We will take every opportunity to hear the concerns and needs of workers and employers — and to answer your questions. We will aim to raise awareness, educate, and provide resources and tools to help assess and address psychological risks in your workplace, just as we do for physical risks.
Employer responsibilities for managing psychological health and safety
As outlined in our strategy, while many factors outside the workplace can affect psychological health and safety, it is an employer’s responsibility to address factors within the control, responsibility, or influence of the workplace. We’ve identified three key principles for employers to help create, support, promote, and maintain a psychologically healthy and safe workplace:
- Show leadership commitment.
- Develop supportive managers and supervisors.
- Ensure worker participation.
To identify the specific risks and hazards that need to be addressed in their workplace, employers should use the same risk management framework that’s used for physical health and safety.
For more information and resources on how to manage psychological health and safety and implement the risk management model, visit Managing psychological health & safety.
Resources
Psychological health and safety: A framework for success
Managing psychological health and safety in the workplace is as important as managing physical health and safety. This guide outlines three principles employers can follow to help promote mental health...
Mental Health Strategy
Our Mental Health Strategy outlines our overall approach to workplace psychological health and safety, both as the workplace regulator and administrator of the workers’ compensation system...
Our Mental Health Strategy — Overview
See a high-level overview of our Mental Health Strategy at WorkSafeBC, including our vision, focus areas, and intended outcomes.