Psychosocial and mental health
Last reviewed: April 2026
As described in the Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025, a psychosocial hazard refers to any factor or factors that may arise in the working environment and may cause an employee to experience one or more negative psychological responses that create a risk to the employee's health or safety.
The Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025 recognise that:
- psychosocial hazards are just as important as physical hazards, and;
- require that employers eliminate or reduce risks to health and safety associated with psychosocial hazards so far as is reasonably practicable.