Call for action to tackle workplace mental health risks

With the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reporting 875,000 people in Great Britain suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2022-23 – and more than 17 million working days lost in that year alone – the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Stakeholder Alliance* is setting out several recommendations to address this concerning issue.

In a new white paper, Prioritising mental health in the workplace, the OSH Alliance calls on the UK Government to develop a national workplace mental health strategy that targets and supports all businesses in building the capacity needed to manage mental health-related risks.

It also calls on businesses to critically assess and review their safety and health leadership and commitment, strategy and culture to ensure their workplaces are conducive to positive mental health.

With the Federation of Small Businesses reporting more than 99 per cent of businesses in the UK are small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), meaning they employ fewer than 250 people, many employers lack the capacity or resources which larger businesses have access to. So, the OSH Alliance’s white paper has made smaller organisations a priority in its calls to action.

It calls on occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals and others who have OSH responsibilities such as those in HR, to make use of OSH approaches and tools to support organisations, particularly SMEs, to prevent and manage psychosocial risks and to protect and promote mental health. It also wants the Government to ensure the HSE and local authorities are adequately funded and able to deliver the required levels of inspection and enforcement needed to drive the organisational approach to prevent and manage psychosocial risks.

By 2030, the OSH Alliance hopes that the combined actions in its white paper can significantly reduce the burden of work-related mental ill health, which is currently estimated by Deloitte to cost the economy £51 billion a year.

The OSH Stakeholder Alliance comprises nine leading safety and health organisations:

• the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)
• the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS)
• British Safety Council (BSC)
• the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF)
• the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH)
• the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (CIEHF)
• the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM)
• the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH)
• the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

It is currently chaired by the BSIF.

Supporting OSH Alliance comments

Vanessa Harwood-Whitcher, Chief Executive of IOSH, said: “To really turn the tables and improve mental health at work, there needs to be a significant focus on prevention. Issues such as unreasonably high workload or poor work-life balance can impact on people’s mental health so it’s crucial that businesses assess the risks and ensure they are being proactive.

“This needs to be supported at government level, while OSH professionals can drive change on the ground, ensuring good health and safety risk management is embedded in the overall organisational structure.”

Dee Arp, NEBOSH Chief Quality Officer and CMIOSH MIIRSM MCIEA, added: “The statistics show an ever more worrying picture of the mental ill health that people are suffering from because of their work. Work has the power to be positive and fulfilling, yet it is making more and more people ill. We – employers – have the power to make a change for the better and the time to make a start is now.

“NEBOSH, many of our fellow Alliance members and the Health and Safety Executive have a range of resources – some free and some paid-for – to help employers make positive changes. The benefits of doing so are proven, for people and for business. So, let’s get started.”

Peter McGettrick, Chairman of British Safety Council, said: “Employers already have a duty of care towards the health, safety and wellbeing of their employees, but supporting people’s mental health at work means going further than just complying with the law.

“Employers have a vital role to play in breaking through stigma, talking about issues openly with staff, and making sure that support is there to help prevent issues before they occur. Only then can we begin to tackle the growing mental health issues affecting individuals, their families and wider society.”

Fran McCloskey, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, said: “CIEH knows that there is an integral link between one’s environmental health and mental health. With people spending a significant proportion of their lifetime at work, it is essential that these environments are not only physically safe but promote positive mental wellbeing.

“We join many of our partners in the health and safety sphere to call attention to the importance of a holistic approach to workplace wellbeing. The time for the Government to act is now. A healthy population is not just a moral imperative, but the cornerstone of a thriving economy.”

*The Occupational Safety and Health Stakeholder Alliance is a collaboration of prominent health and safety bodies dedicated to uniting OSH expertise to ensure better occupational safety, health and wellbeing for all.