July 30, 2003—The UKs Health and Safety Executive has published new research on stress prevention and rehabilitation which, it says, represents best practice.
Two publications—’Beacons of excellence in stress prevention’ and ‘Best practice in rehabilitating employees following absence due to work-related stress’—provide comprehensive coverage. The first outlines criteria for best practice in prevention, and the second describes practical steps employers can put in place to encourage employees to return to work and to prevent the recurrence of stress problems.
The case studies captured in these reports will be used, in conjunction with other examples of good practice gathered by the HSEs stress priority program team, to develop management advice due for publication in the autumn.
Professor Colin Mackay, principal psychologist in the HSEs human factors unit comments: “Our feedback from employers dealing with stress is that while they are largely confident that they are able to identify the main sources of stress within their organizations, they find it difficult to know what interventions to put in place to manage them.”
The HSE’s concern with stress stems from employers’ general duty of care provisions under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and risk assessment provisions of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999). More information about these publications is available on the HSE Web site.
—Elliott Chase
Reprinted with permission; copyright 2003 i-FM
