EU health and safety agency releases e-guide on managing stress at work

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) has officially launched the e-guide on managing stress and psychosocial risks.

The e-guide has been developed as part of the Health Workplace Manage Stress campaign, which aims to raise awareness on stress and other psychosocial risks that may be present at the place of work.

The e-guide, which has been also developed in Maltese language, will serve as a practical tool for employers and workers in addressing stress and psychosocial risks.

The e-guide provides users with relevant national resources on stress and psychosocial risks and includes explanations, advice and examples on how stress and psychosocial risks can be addressed. Despite the fact that stress and psychosocial risks are considered one of the main concerns for workers’ health and safety, such risks are not being identified and managed in an appropriate manner. 

Commenting on stress and psychosocial risks at work, Dr. Mark Gauci, Chief Executive Officer, OHSA-MT said, “In terms of Maltese occupational health and safety legislation, employers have the legal duty to ensure the health and safety at all times of all persons who may be affected by the work being carried out for such employer.

"In order to do so, employers must have a systematic and well-structured programme, which addresses risks from both physical and psychological view.

"Stress and psychosocial risks must be identified and assessed through the process of risk assessment in order to ensure the implementation of appropriate preventive and control measures which must be based on the general principles of prevention as laid down in the OHSA Act XXVII of 2000.

"OHSA recognises the importance of this e-guide which will definitely provide employers and also workers with the necessary information in order to achieve safer and healthier workplaces.”

The e-guide is free of charge and can be accessed either online or may be downloaded for offline use.