Office Workplace Safety Risk Self-Check
For Psychological Safety and Work Design Hazards
In office-based workplaces, serious safety risks are not limited to physical hazards. Psychological safety and work design risks can lead to prolonged and costly injury claims if they are not identified and managed early.
This self-check reflects governance principles outlined in the Model WHS Act, the Code of Practice on Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work, and ISO 45003.
Answer Yes or No to each question.
1. Have psychological safety and work design hazards been formally identified in your organisation within the last 12 months using a structured process?
WHS duties require hazards to be identified systematically. If hazards are not formally identified, it is difficult to demonstrate that risks were recognised and managed.
2. Have identified psychological and work design hazards been risk-assessed and recorded?
Regulators examine whether risks were assessed, not merely discussed. ISO 45003 emphasises structured evaluation of psychological risks.
3. Were workers consulted during the identification and assessment of these hazards?
Consultation is a core WHS obligation. Controls developed without worker input are often considered incomplete or insufficient.
4. Is there a clearly defined role accountable for overseeing psychological safety risk controls?
Governance requires ownership. Without defined accountability, controls may exist on paper but not in practice.
5. Have control measures been implemented that address workload, role clarity, supervision, change management, or conflict resolution?
Support services such as EAP are reactive. WHS guidance prioritises elimination or minimisation of hazards through work design and organisational controls.
6. When concerns about workload, behaviour, or work design are raised, is there documented evidence of how they were assessed and what decisions were made?
In investigations, regulators review how concerns were handled. Informal conversations without records are difficult to defend.
7. Are psychological safety risk controls periodically reviewed to confirm they are working as intended?
ISO 45003 requires monitoring and review. Controls that are not evaluated may degrade or become symbolic.
8. Has psychological safety risk been formally discussed at leadership or board level within the last 90 days?
Officer due diligence includes ensuring appropriate resources and processes are in place to manage WHS risks.
9. Is there a structured method for capturing early patterns related to workload pressure, role ambiguity, conflict, or organisational change?
Psychological injuries often follow patterns rather than single events. Without structured capture, early warning signs may be missed.
10. If a regulator or insurer requested evidence tomorrow, could you demonstrate the full process of identification, consultation, control, and review of psychological safety risks?
The test of governance is whether your system can be demonstrated, not whether your intentions were good.
Count the number of "No" responses.
0 No responses — Your documented processes appear aligned with structured psychological safety risk governance principles. Periodic review remains essential to ensure controls continue to operate effectively.
1 to 2 No responses — Some elements of your psychological safety risk controls may rely on informal or inconsistently applied processes. These gaps may reduce defensibility during investigations or insurer reviews.
3 or more No responses — Your psychosocial risk controls may rely substantially on informal processes that are difficult to demonstrate during regulatory or insurer scrutiny. A structured review of identification, consultation, and control mechanisms may be warranted.
Want to know what a system looks like?
GRACEX helps Australian businesses with 40 to 200 people build the evidence trail between awareness and documented action. If your score raised questions, let's have a conversation.
This self-check is a general governance reflection tool. It is not legal advice and does not replace formal WHS risk assessment, professional advice, or regulatory guidance. Results depend on the specific circumstances of each organisation.