Companies › Burnout prevention programme for companies
Do I have to do a psychosocial risk assessment in Ireland?
Updated · Lon Clinic
Short answer: yes. Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, employers must protect employees' mental as well as physical health, so far as reasonably practicable. That includes identifying psychosocial hazards such as excessive workload, bullying and poor role clarity in the written risk assessment (Section 19) and the safety statement based on it (Section 20).
The main obligations
| Obligation | What it means in practice | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Risk assessment including psychosocial hazards | Identify workload, pace, conflict, isolation, low control, role ambiguity | 2005 Act, s.19 |
| Safety statement | Written statement of how risks are managed, based on the assessment | 2005 Act, s.20 |
| Prevent bullying | Policy and complaints procedure | HSA/WRC Code of Practice on the Prevention and Resolution of Bullying at Work (in effect since December 2020) |
| Right to disconnect | Policy on contact outside working hours | WRC Code of Practice on the Right to Disconnect (in effect since April 2021) |
What counts as a psychosocial hazard
- Excessive workload or unrealistic deadlines.
- Low control or unclear roles.
- Bullying, harassment or conflict.
- Poor support from managers.
- Isolation, including in remote or hybrid work.
- Constant contact outside working hours.
How to do it, step by step
- Run an anonymous, validated questionnaire across the team. The HSA's free Work Positive tool is one option.
- Analyse results by team, never by individual.
- Agree controls for the 3 highest risks.
- Record the assessment and controls in your safety statement.
- Review at least yearly, and whenever work changes significantly.
For tools and how to read the results, see how to measure employee wellbeing.
How LON Clinic helps
LON Clinic runs the screening, delivers an anonymous aggregated report, meets leadership to agree controls, and gives employees at risk fast access to a doctor and psychologist online, in English. LON Clinic is a clinic registered in Portugal; consultations take place online.
This page is general information, not legal advice.
Sources
- Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 (Irish Statute Book)
- Health and Safety Authority: Work Positive
- Workplace Relations Commission: codes of practice on the right to disconnect and on bullying at work
Frequently asked questions
Does this apply to small companies?
Yes. The duty applies to every employer with a place of work under its control.
Who inspects this?
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) can examine safety statements and risk assessments.
General information. It does not replace legal advice or an individual clinical assessment.