Work-Related Stress Guidance Issued To Local Authorities

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published a new local authority circular (LAC) outlining the safety watchdog’s current operational policy on work-related stress along with guidance on how enforcement officers should deal with the topic.

Although the publication is aimed at enforcement officers, the information may well be of interest to health and safety professionals.

The LAC provides information on the HSE’s Management Standards for Work-related Stress, which form the core of local authorities’ work on stress. The circular points out that HSE statistics indicate that the health, education, local government, central government and financial services sectors have the highest incidence and prevalence of work-related stress.

Therefore, the focus of the HSE’s Stress Programme is currently on these priority sectors, by means of an engagement strategy known as the Management Standards Sector Implementation Plan (SIP).

In relation to managing sickness absence and return-to-work issues, the circular also highlights that the majority of long-term sickness absence is due to common health problems such as stress, depression, anxiety and musculoskeletal injuries.

The HSE advises that common health problems are best addressed through an approach that considers not only the biological or health issues but also personal, social and work-related barriers that are preventing return to work.

LAC 81/4: Work-related Stress can be downloaded in the E-Library Database

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