Improving the Process of Managing Psychosocial Risks in Organizations

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health and Safety
• Psychology
• Risk Management

Background:

• Psychosocial risks (PSRs) are a significant modern occupational safety issue, primarily linked to occupational stress.
• International standards like ISO 45001:2018 and ISO 45003:2021 mandate the reduction of PSRs to safe levels.
• Effective management systems are crucial for addressing the impact of psychosocial dangers on employee well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the process of managing psychosocial risks within occupational safety and health management systems.
• To integrate the impact of psychosocial dangers into risk management strategies, adhering to ISO 45003:2021.
• To develop a systematic approach for identifying, assessing, and controlling psychosocial hazards.

Main Methods:

• System analysis was employed to define structural relationships between variable elements of dangerous psychosocial factors.
• An improved bow-tie model was utilized to illustrate the link between psychosocial dangers, stress occurrence, and health consequences.
• Questionnaires were used to assess the duration and intensity of employee stress, incorporating individual stress resistance and health status.

Main Results:

• A ten-step process for psychosocial risk management was proposed, detailing the identification of relationships between psychosocial dangers and health outcomes.
• The study introduces a method to quantify psychosocial risk level by summing the impact of individual dangerous psychosocial factors.
• An enhanced bow-tie model provides an additional risk assessment for employee health restoration after experiencing stress.

Conclusions:

• The scientific novelty lies in quantifying psychosocial risk as a sum of impacts from various factors related to work organization, social conditions, environment, equipment, tasks, and employee health.
• Practical value is demonstrated through the development of assessment scales for dangerous psychosocial factors and a documentation form for risk management, including control measures.
• The proposed framework offers a structured approach to managing psychosocial risks, crucial for improving occupational safety and employee health.