Psychosocial Risk Assessment and Hazard Management

Psychosocial Risk Assessment and Hazard Management is a process for managing stress hazards within the workplace and mitigating risk factors through implementation of controls. The focus of Risk Assessment and Hazard Management is to ensure that a workplace has adequate processes for assessing hazards and identifying warning signs of psychosocial distress, along with appropriate controls for mitigating risk within the workplace.

PsyCare’s Psychosocial Risk Assessment and Hazard Management Programmes provide tailored approaches to managing Stress Hazards and mitigating risk within the workplace. The process focuses on a consultative approach to problem solving and risk management with a long term focus on Morale and Performance issues utilizing guided facilitation through Consultant Psychologists. Development of a Hazard Management Plan ensures a workplace meets the requirement for mitigating risks and ensuring a health culture, while minimizing stress and ensuring timely resolution processes for dealing with psychosocial risks.

Research Psychosocial Hazard Profiles Public and Private Sector.pdf

Organisational Health - Assessment and Review

PsyCare Corporate is routinely asked to address a range of organisational health issues in public and private sector organisations including: interpersonal tension, team-based and individual conflict, low morale and distress, organisational change issues, and staff wellness. An Organisational Health Review typically comprises both qualitative and quantitative assessments using confidential staff interviews, and questionnaires to assess morale and climate and psychosocial hazards. PsyCare utilises an evidence based Occupational Health and Safety framework to deliver system, sustainability and cultural change.

The Organisational Health Review is a three stage process.

Stage One:

• Assessment of the overall health, wellness and risk hazards within the Unit / Organisation through consultation with all key stakeholders
• Development of an action plan and risk mitigation strategy around these findings, presented in a Stage One comprehensive report
• Feedback to all staff and key stakeholders regarding the findings of the review and the action plan moving forward

Stage Two:

• Delivery of organisational specific strategies and recommendations to address organisational health and hazards within the workplace
• This may include leadership strategies, team and individual development and support or operational system and process review

Stage Three:

• Evaluation and review of process and progress of organisational health
• Final comprehensive report

Organisational Health Fact Sheet pdf

Team Intervention & Support

Teams or groups of people exist in formal and informal structures throughout organisations. Teams can be transient, formed to complete projects or longer term to perform core functions. At PsyCare three of the most common pressures adversely impacting upon teams are wellness problems (ie., individual and group distress), conflict issues (interpersonal tension within group or between group and management) and organisational change dynamics (restructuring, relocation, downsizing or mergers) with one issue often leading to others.

PsyCare’s Team Intervention and Support Programmes not only recognize the forming, storming, norming and performing cycle but also the complex matrix structures which influence teams within many contemporary organisational structures. Team development is about developing a shared understanding of purpose and performance, awareness of individual and group dynamics, and establishing and maintaining open lines of communication and appropriate group boundaries. Developing these positive team characteristics is vital to fostering group ownership, wellness and a culture of continuous improvement.

Psychological Injury & Rehabilitation

Work stress presents us with many unexpected challenges and difficult circumstances, making it hard at times for workers to stay focused, calm and controlled in the workplace. Best practice for managing workplace stress is about recognising and identifying warning signs of workers suffering from psychological problems such as stress, anxiety and depression in the workplace and engaging psychological support to prevent further problems and maintain worker wellbeing and performance. Early warning signs include absenteeism, low morale, withdrawal and disengagement, performance problems and interpersonal conflict. In managing stress and workplace rehabilitation issues, PsyCare has developed a talented team of Consultant Psychologists that provide Clinical and Vocational Assessments, Counselling, Return to Work Planning, Case Management, Adjustment to Injury Counselling, Stress Claims, Mediation, Conflict Resolution and Debriefing.

Occupational Violence & Aggression Programs

An Occupational Violence Safety Review involves the identification of known risks and safety controls related to workplace violence at an individual, team and organisational level. This assessment process complies with workplace health and safety and industrial relations legislation, and involves 3 stages:

Stage 1 - Assessment and analysis;
Stage 2 - Intervention and management plans;
Stage 3 - Evaluation and sustainability

The type of problems this service addresses includes:

1. Understanding patterns and causes of workplace violence;
2. Linking identified risks to safety controls through risk assessment and management;
3. Establishing crisis and prevention focused systems related to workplace violence;
4. Demonstrating compliance with health and safety;
5. Achieving sustainable systems and strategies in risk assessment and management;
6. Determining individual impairment and ability to safely and competently perform duties (See
   Specialist Services portfolio)

Additional services that typically relate to occupational violence include:

• Threat assessment
• Critical incident management
• Psychological first aid
• Skills/Capability Registers
• Process Mapping
• Tailored Leadership programs
• Tailored Team programs

Human Factors & Safety Analyses

Human Factors Consulting

• Analysis and reporting of safety risks and hazards
• High level guidance and strategy on mitigating safety risks and hazards both psychological and physical
• Partnering in the implementation of risk mitigation strategies
• Training and workshops regarding occupational violence

Human factors is a niche area of psychology in which the aim is to help people work more safely and efficiently within their work environments. This area of consultancy considers both human capabilities and limitations as well as the environment in which they must perform. In a broad sense, the human factors discipline applies a systems approach to analysing safely issues and mitigating risk. Areas of consulting include: employee and customer safety advice and strategies, risk management strategies and implementation for occupational violence, behavioural safety, and fatigue management. PsyCare Corporate has a team of psychologists with backgrounds in forensic, organisational, and clinical psychology which allows for a more complex and thorough understanding of the issues associated with both physical and psychological safety.

Safety Analysis is a process where safety risks are assessed and quantified either after a risk event or where there is a need to process map possible prevention foci or controls. It is a ‘flow’ based process that involves collection of data using investigation methods consistent with relevant evidential requirements, and formulates precipitating, perpetuating and possible pre-disposing factors. Recommendations are then made consistent with relevant legislative requirements and using risk management methods to develop a safety action plan.

Organisational Health & Risk Brochure.pdf