Psychological strain

In detail

What the act requires

Hazards in the sense of the ASchG are work-related physical and psychological strains that lead to harmful stress § 2(7) ASchG. The assessment must expressly consider the design of tasks and the type of activities, the work environment, workflows and work organisation § 4(1) no. 6 ASchG. After incidents with increased work-related psychological stress, the assessment must be reviewed § 4(5) no. 2a ASchG, and occupational psychologists in particular can be given the job of identifying the hazards § 4(6) ASchG.

Typical strain factors

The three most common psychological strain factors in Austria according to Statistics Austria (2022), as the Labour Inspectorate quotes them (Labour Inspectorate):

• heavy time pressure or work overload: 38.3%;
• dealing with difficult clients: men 29.9%, women 39.6%;
• emotionally stressful interaction within the company, that is communication and cooperation: 12.6%.

Other typical factors on its list include a lack of decision latitude, too little or too much information, emotional labour such as pressure to be friendly, thin staffing, frequent disruptions and interruptions, working in isolation and badly designed working hours. The list is an overview: factors never come alone and can reinforce each other.

Working conditions are what's assessed

The focus is on objectively observable working conditions acting on the workers, seen as the strain profile of the workstations per group of activities (Labour Inspectorate). Where psychologically hazardous working conditions are found, they must be combated at source § 7 no. 3 ASchG.

Four phases

The Labour Inspectorate divides the process into four phases (Labour Inspectorate):

1. planning and organisation;
2. identifying and assessing;
3. documenting;
4. measures: developing, implementing and checking that they work, plus reviewing and adjusting where needed.

Without prior experience, it estimates about 30% of the total effort for planning. In small and medium-sized businesses, it says, planning matters just as much but takes much less time.