ISO 45003 Psychological Health Safety in the Workplace

ISO 45003 Psychological Health & Safety in the Workplace – Guidance TC 283 Meeting, Dallas Texas USA 8 March 2019

What is it? ISO 45003 Psychological health and safety in the workplace – Guidelines • “Guidelines” in the title confirms it is not a “requirements” standard. • Provides guidance on managing psychosocial risk within an occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system. Therefore, organizations are not able to certify against this guidance standard. • Identifies ISO 45001: 2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems – Requirements with Guidance for Use as a foundation document, which this guidance standard cross-references throughout.

How will it benefit users? • While national standards and toolkits have been developed in recent years, ISO 45003 will be the first international standard dealing with psychological health and safety in the workplace. • The credibility of a global standard will encourage more organizations to address this important issue. • Guidance will be provided on how large and small organizations can manage workplace psychosocial risk by identifying the primary risk factors and determining what would improve the working environment. • ISO 45003 is expected to be published by mid-2021.

What information will it provide? ISO 45003 will provide guidance to organizations on: • how to identify the conditions, circumstances and workplace demands that have the potential to impair the psychological health and wellbeing of employees; • how to identify primary risk factors and assess them to determine what changes are required to improve the working environment; and • how to identify and control work-related hazards and manage psychosocial risk within an occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system.

Preparing for implementation? • Review current arrangements and competence against this guidance standard. • Consult the workforce and identify areas for improving the management of psychosocial risk. • Develop and communicate an implementation and review plan.

Further information: ISO TC 283 website: ISO TC 283 on ISO Online ISO/TC 283 Technical Committee's website for more information.

Technical Committee Working Group 2 ISO TC 283 Convenors: Norma Mc. Cormick (SCC) Stavroula Leka (BSI)