World Day for Safety and Health at Work

April 28^th commemorates World Day for Safety and Health at Work, promoting safer, healthier and more productive and cohesive working environments.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) has been instrumental in raising global safety standards and practices in the workplace and companies are encouraged to take part in the initiative to help develop measures to mitigate workplace accidents and ill health, including things such as occupational diseases.

The theme for 2026 focuses on the psychosocial working environment, defined by how work is designed, organisational processes and management. Psychosocial factors in the workplace feature thing such as workload, autonomy, support, working time and role clarity to name a few of them. These factors directly affect workers’ experience of the working environment and can have a huge impact on safety, health and overall employee performance.

Once psychosocial factors became harmful to your workforce, they become hazards and can also increase the risk caused by other physical, chemical and biological hazards.

Health and Safety Director, Chris Wagstaff comments:

“It is vital that businesses recognise Health and Safety as more than just the physical working environment, it extends beyond this and includes the mental wellbeing of your workforce.”

“The psychosocial elements of the workplace are incredibly important in ensuring the mental wellbeing of your workers. Excessive workloads, long hours and lack of support are some of the main culprits of work-related stress and this can lead to a multitude of Health and Safety issues, such as depression and an increased risk of accidents occurring.”

“Employers should give these factors the same due care and attention that they would to physical factors and ensure that risk assessments, policies and procedures are in place to help reduce the risk to workers.”

What should employers do to maintain a healthy psychosocial environment?

• Treat psychosocial risks and hazards with the same urgency and attention as physical, chemical and biological risks ad hazards.
• Conduct risk assessments.
• Address any immediate issues.
• Develop and implement company policy.
• Offer support to employee’s where required, this could be through adjusted working arrangements or through support programmes like an Employee Assistance Programme.

Get expert Health and Safety support from Croner

Contact a member of our expert team today to find out how you can ensure the mental wellbeing of your workforce, in accordance with your employer’s duty of care.

For more information regarding stress in the workplace, you can also download our FREE stress toolkit or call 01455 858 132.