The 17 Psychosocial Hazards at Work, A Complete Guide for Australian Businesses (2026)
- Rachel Mackay
- 6 days ago
- 12 min read
What are the 17 psychosocial hazards recognised in Australia?
Australia recognises 17 psychosocial hazards under the Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work Code of Practice 2024. These are workplace conditions that can cause psychological harm, including stress, anxiety, burnout, trauma and psychological injury. Every Australian business that employs workers has a legal duty under the WHS Act 2011 to identify, assess and control them.
What Are Psychosocial Hazards?
A psychosocial hazard is any aspect of work, including the design, management or social environment of work, that has the potential to cause psychological or physical harm.
Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 and the Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work Code of Practice 2024, Australian businesses must manage psychosocial hazards with the same rigour they apply to physical hazards like slips, falls and manual handling.
The key word is potential. You do not wait for a worker to experience a psychological injury before you act. You identify the conditions that could cause harm, and you control them.
Official guidance: Safe Work Australia, Psychosocial Hazards
What Are 5 Examples of Psychosocial Hazards?
The five most commonly identified psychosocial hazards in Australian workplaces are:
1. High Job Demands, when the volume, pace, complexity or emotional intensity of work regularly exceeds what a worker can reasonably manage. A hospitality worker covering three sections solo during a lunch rush. A nurse completing four complex patient handovers at the end of a double shift.
2. Bullying, repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed at a worker or group that creates a risk to psychological health and safety. A manager who consistently humiliates a team member in front of colleagues. A group of workers who systematically exclude and undermine a co-worker.
3. Fatigue, a state of mental or physical exhaustion that reduces a worker's ability to perform safely. A transport driver rostered for consecutive night shifts without adequate rest. A construction worker on a six-day roster in extreme heat.
4. Poor Support, insufficient support from managers, supervisors or colleagues, leaving workers without the guidance, resources or connection they need to do their job safely. A new employee placed in a complex client-facing role with no induction and no accessible supervisor.
5. Violence and Aggression, physical or verbal abuse, threats or intimidating behaviour from clients, customers or others in the workplace. A retail worker managing aggressive customers without training, backup or incident procedures.
These five represent some of the highest-risk and most commonly reported psychosocial hazards in Australian workplaces, but they are five of seventeen. A complete psychosocial risk assessment covers all of them.
What Are the 17 Psychosocial Hazards Recognised in Australia?
The Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work Code of Practice 2024 recognises 17 psychosocial hazards. Here is the complete list with a plain-English explanation of each.
PH-01, High Job Demands
Work that is excessive in volume, pace, complexity, emotional intensity or difficulty, beyond what a worker can reasonably manage on a sustained basis.
What it looks like: A call centre operator taking back-to-back difficult calls with no buffer time. A teacher managing a 35-student class with multiple students with high needs and no support.
PH-02, Low Job Control
Limited ability for workers to influence how, when and where they do their work, including pace, methods and priorities.
What it looks like: A warehouse picker whose every movement is tracked by a productivity system, with no discretion over how tasks are completed. A customer service worker who cannot use judgement to resolve a complaint without escalating to a supervisor.
PH-03, Poor Support
Inadequate support from managers, supervisors, colleagues or the organisation, leaving workers without the guidance, resources, information or interpersonal connection they need.
What it looks like: A sole trader's only employee, working alone with no check-ins, no mentor and no one to ask when problems arise. A manager who is available only by email and rarely responds.
PH-04, Lack of Role Clarity
Unclear or conflicting expectations about a worker's responsibilities, priorities, authority and how performance will be assessed.
What it looks like: A worker who has been in the role for six months and has never received a clear job description. A team where two managers give contradictory instructions about the same task.
PH-05, Poor Change Management
Organisational changes that are poorly planned, communicated or implemented, leaving workers uncertain, anxious and without the support to adapt.
What it looks like: A company-wide restructure announced by email on a Friday afternoon, with no detail about who is affected, when, or what comes next. New software rolled out with one hour of training and no ongoing support.
PH-06, Inadequate Reward and Recognition
Work that is not acknowledged, valued or fairly compensated, creating feelings of being undervalued and disconnected from outcomes.
What it looks like: A long-serving employee who watches newer colleagues promoted while their contributions go unacknowledged. A worker paid the same as junior colleagues despite significantly greater skill, responsibility and output.
PH-07, Poor Organisational Justice
Perceived unfairness in how decisions are made, how information is shared, and how workers are treated, including inconsistent application of policies.
What it looks like: A disciplinary process applied strictly to one worker but overlooked for another in the same team. A performance review system where outcomes feel predetermined and feedback is superficial.
PH-08, Poor Workplace Relationships
Conflict, hostility, exclusion or dysfunction in team relationships, creating a social environment that damages psychological health.
What it looks like: A workplace where two senior staff members are in ongoing conflict and the entire team walks on eggshells around them. A team that routinely excludes a newer member from social events and informal communication.
PH-09, Bullying
Repeated, unreasonable behaviour directed at a worker or group of workers that creates a risk to health and safety.
What it looks like: A supervisor who regularly belittles a worker in front of colleagues, assigns humiliating tasks, or deliberately withholds information needed to do the job. Note: a single incident of unreasonable behaviour may not constitute bullying, but it may constitute harassment, discrimination or misconduct under other frameworks.
PH-10, Harassment (Including Sexual Harassment)
Unwelcome conduct based on a protected attribute, including sex, gender, race, disability, age or religion, that offends, humiliates or intimidates. Sexual harassment is a distinct category with specific obligations under the Sex Discrimination Act 1984, including a positive duty to prevent it.
What it looks like: A worker subjected to repeated comments about their gender, ethnicity or religion by a colleague. A customer who makes sexual comments to a hospitality worker and is not managed by the employer.
PH-11, Violence and Aggression
Physical or verbal abuse, threats, or intimidating behaviour in the workplace, from clients, customers, patients, members of the public or other workers.
What it looks like: A retail worker physically threatened by a customer during a return dispute. A healthcare worker verbally abused by a patient's family member in a corridor. A security officer assaulted while managing an incident.
PH-12, Traumatic Events or Material
Exposure to distressing events or material, including death, serious injury, abuse, violence or highly distressing content, that causes acute or cumulative psychological harm.
What it looks like: A paramedic attending multiple fatal incidents in a single shift. A social worker processing evidence of child abuse as part of their caseload. A news editor reviewing footage of natural disasters as part of their daily role.
PH-13, Remote or Isolated Work
Working alone, at a distance from others, or in locations where immediate help is not accessible, creating risks of both physical and psychological harm.
What it looks like: A lone worker conducting home visits in unfamiliar areas without a check-in system or duress device. A rural property manager who works weeks at a time without meaningful social contact or support.
PH-14, Poor Physical Work Environment
Physical conditions in the workplace that contribute to psychological strain, including noise, temperature, lighting, ergonomics and overcrowding.
What it looks like: An open-plan office where noise levels make concentration impossible and workers cannot find private space for confidential calls. A factory floor where heat, noise and physical crowding create ongoing stress and irritability.
PH-15, Job Insecurity
Uncertainty about the continuity of employment, including concerns about redundancy, contract non-renewal, role changes or organisational instability.
What it looks like: A casual worker who has been in the same role for two years but does not know from week to week whether shifts will be available. A team living under an ongoing threat of restructure with no timeline or communication.
PH-16, Fatigue
Mental and physical exhaustion that impairs a worker's ability to perform safely, caused by excessive hours, inadequate rest, shift work, or high cognitive or physical demands.
What it looks like: A hospitality worker rostered for a double shift after a close, then required back for an opening shift six hours later. A professional services worker working 70-hour weeks during a peak period with no reduction in other responsibilities.
PH-17, Intrusive Surveillance
Monitoring of workers that is excessive, disproportionate or conducted without appropriate transparency, creating feelings of distrust, loss of autonomy and psychological discomfort.
What it looks like: A delivery driver whose every movement, speed and stop is tracked and reported to a manager who uses the data punitively. A remote worker required to keep a webcam on at all times during work hours. An employee whose personal emails are monitored without disclosure.
What Are the Common Psychosocial Hazards in Australian Workplaces?
Based on Safe Work Australia data and workers compensation claim patterns, the most commonly reported psychosocial hazards in Australian workplaces are:
High Job Demands, particularly in healthcare, education, hospitality and retail
Bullying and Harassment, present across all industries, highest in construction, healthcare and retail
Violence and Aggression, particularly in healthcare, disability support, retail and hospitality
Fatigue, particularly in transport, logistics, manufacturing and healthcare
Poor Support, particularly in small businesses, remote workplaces and industries with high staff turnover
Job Insecurity, particularly in casual-heavy industries including hospitality, retail and construction
Based on Safe Work Australia data and workers compensation claim patterns, the most commonly reported psychosocial hazards in Australian workplaces are: High Job Demands, Bullying and Harassment, Violence and Aggression, Fatigue, Poor Support, and Job Insecurity. Queensland businesses can find additional sector-specific data through the WorkSafe QLD Mentally Healthy Workplaces Toolkit, and Beyond Blue provides supporting resources on the workplace mental health impact of these hazards.
What Are the 13 Psychosocial Factors?
You may have seen references to "13 psychosocial factors", this refers to the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) framework, which organises psychosocial work factors into 13 dimensions used in research and worker survey tools. These are a research framework, not the legal compliance framework that applies to Australian businesses.
The Australian legal standard is the 17 hazards under the Code of Practice 2024. If you are completing a psychosocial risk assessment for compliance purposes in Australia, you need to assess all 17 hazards, not the 13 COPSOQ factors.
How to Manage Psychosocial Hazards in the Workplace
Managing psychosocial hazards is a five-step process under Australian WHS law:
1. Identify, which of the 17 hazards are present in your specific workplace? Use a psychosocial hazard identification register, consult your workers, and review incident data, absenteeism patterns and any complaints received.
2. Assess, for each hazard present, assess the risk. How likely is harm? How serious would it be? This produces a risk rating that determines how urgently and comprehensively you need to act.
3. Control, apply the hierarchy of controls, starting at Level 1 (Eliminate). Work down through Substitute, Isolate, Engineering Controls, Administrative Controls and Personal Support. Document your controls at each level.
4. Implement and document, put controls into practice. Assign responsibility. Communicate changes to workers. Keep records of everything with timestamps, your documentation is your compliance evidence.
5. Monitor and review, annually, and whenever something changes or an incident occurs. Update your risk register, re-consult workers, adjust controls where needed.
For a complete guide to the hierarchy of controls: The 6 Levels of the Hierarchy of Controls for Psychosocial Hazards →
Government guidance: Business.gov.au, Create a Mentally Healthy Workplace
Can I Sue My Employer for Stress and Anxiety in Australia?
This is one of the most searched questions related to psychosocial hazards in Australia, and the answer is: it depends on the circumstances, the jurisdiction, and the nature of the harm.
Workers who have suffered psychological injury as a result of workplace conditions may have entitlements under:
Workers compensation, all Australian states and territories have workers compensation schemes that cover psychological injuries. A successful claim requires establishing that work was a significant contributing factor to the psychological injury. Time limits apply for lodging claims, typically between 6 months and 3 years depending on jurisdiction.
Common law damages, in some jurisdictions, workers who can establish employer negligence may be able to pursue damages beyond workers compensation, subject to thresholds and limitations that vary by state.
The Fair Work Act, if the psychological harm relates to adverse action, discrimination, or a breach of the general protections provisions, Fair Work may be the appropriate avenue.
Anti-discrimination law, harassment or discrimination that causes psychological harm may give rise to claims under the Sex Discrimination Act, the Disability Discrimination Act, or applicable state anti-discrimination legislation.
Important: Compensation amounts and claim processes vary significantly by state and territory and by the nature of the injury and claim. This post does not constitute legal advice. If you or a worker has experienced psychological harm at work, seek independent legal advice.
How Much Compensation for Stress and Anxiety in Australia?
Compensation amounts for psychological injury claims in Australia vary widely depending on:
The severity and permanence of the injury
The jurisdiction and applicable workers compensation scheme
Whether common law damages are available and pursued
The degree to which work was the cause of the injury
Workers compensation payments typically cover weekly income replacement during incapacity, medical and treatment expenses, and lump sum payments for permanent impairment where applicable. Common law damages can include pain and suffering, loss of future earnings and medical expenses, but thresholds and caps apply in most jurisdictions.
If a worker is experiencing stress or anxiety related to work conditions, the most important first steps are accessing support through a GP or mental health professional, and contacting the applicable workers compensation authority for their state. Beyond Blue provides workplace mental health resources at beyondblue.org.au/mental-health/work.
This information is general only. Seek independent legal advice for your specific circumstances.
What Is the 3-Month Rule in Mental Health?
The "3-month rule" is sometimes referenced in the context of psychological injury workers compensation claims. In some jurisdictions, there are requirements around the duration or permanence of psychological injury before certain entitlements apply, or time limits that begin from the date of the first symptom or the first medical consultation. The specific rules vary significantly by state and territory.
This is not a concept that appears in WHS legislation, it is a workers compensation and employment law concept. If this is relevant to a specific situation, seek independent legal advice and contact the workers compensation authority in your state.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are 5 examples of psychosocial hazards?
Five common psychosocial hazards in Australian workplaces are: (1) High Job Demands, excessive workload or emotional intensity; (2) Bullying, repeated unreasonable behaviour that creates psychological risk; (3) Fatigue, exhaustion from excessive hours, shift work or insufficient rest; (4) Poor Support, inadequate guidance or assistance from managers or colleagues; and (5) Violence and Aggression, threats or abuse from clients, customers or others. Australia recognises 17 psychosocial hazards in total under the Code of Practice 2024.
What are the 17 psychosocial hazards at work in Australia?
The 17 psychosocial hazards recognised under the Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work Code of Practice 2024 are: High Job Demands, Low Job Control, Poor Support, Lack of Role Clarity, Poor Change Management, Inadequate Reward and Recognition, Poor Organisational Justice, Poor Workplace Relationships, Bullying, Harassment (including Sexual Harassment), Violence and Aggression, Traumatic Events or Material, Remote or Isolated Work, Poor Physical Work Environment, Job Insecurity, Fatigue, and Intrusive Surveillance.
How do I manage psychosocial hazards in my workplace?
Managing psychosocial hazards requires five steps under Australian WHS law: (1) Identify which of the 17 hazards are present; (2) Assess the risk each creates; (3) Apply the hierarchy of controls starting at Elimination; (4) Implement controls, assign responsibility and document with timestamps; (5) Monitor and review annually or when circumstances change. All steps must be completed in consultation with workers.
Can I sue my employer for stress and anxiety in Australia?
Workers who suffer psychological injury due to workplace conditions may have entitlements under workers compensation schemes, common law damages (subject to state thresholds), Fair Work provisions, or anti-discrimination law. Entitlements vary significantly by jurisdiction and circumstance. Seek independent legal advice and contact your state workers compensation authority. This post does not constitute legal advice.
Start Here, Know Your Hazards Before You Build Your System
Every Australian business is different. The hazards that are most significant for a suburban childcare centre are not the same as those facing a construction site, a law firm or a disability support service.
Before you build your compliance documentation, identify which of the 17 hazards are most present in your specific workplace.
Once you know your priority hazards, the SafeWize industry-specific risk assessment kits give you a professionally completed starting point, pre-filled for your industry, ready to review and customise.
Explore the full series, one post per hazard:
SafeWize provides practical psychosocial hazard compliance tools for Australian small and medium businesses. This guide is for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Always confirm requirements with your applicable state or territory WHS regulator and seek independent legal advice where required.
Comments