Psychosocial issues

Introduction

Traditionally, the focus of occupational safety and health has been on physical and chemical hazards in the workplace. Many of these are the subject of individual EU OSH Directives (as provided for under the Framework Directive 89/391/EEC[1]), creating a common approach to hazards such as noise, vibration and dangerous substances. However, there has been a growing awareness that not all hazards have a physical presence. Psychosocial factors, shorthand for the psychological, economic and social influences on workers, can also have an impact on both physical and mental health and well-being. 

What are ‘psychosocial risk factors’…