The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has launched a new information campaign aimed at raising awareness of the damaging effects of work-related stress.

Mental health problems like stress, anxiety and depression are the second highest causes of work-related illness in Ireland. The conditions are associated with the longest absences from work according to a 2016 ERSI study.

Some 22% of workers in Ireland experienced stress at work ‘always’ or ‘most of the time,’ according to a recent European-wide survey on working conditions. The proportion that ‘always’ experienced stress was the third highest in the EU15, and the tenth highest among the 34 countries surveyed.

To assist employers manage this, the HSA , in conjunction with the State Claims Agency, has developed the ‘work positive’ online tool. Available at WorkPositive.ie, it helps employers to implement a structured and collaborative approach to managing work-related stress. With employees at the heart of the process, the free tool provides clear guidance for employers to design and implement focused action plans and interventions.

IMPACT official Dessie Robinson said that employers have a duty of care to ensure that all workers have a safe and healthy workplace. This applies to all aspects of work including stress. “WorkPositive is a valuable tool to enable employers to establish good practices around stress in the workplace,” he said.

The tool, which is free and easy to use, can help employers comply with their legal responsibilities and develop action plans to mitigate against known workplace stressors.

For more information visit www.hsa.ie or www.workpositive.ie