National Safe Work Month: Mental health in the spotlight this week

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National Safe Work Month: Mental Health in the Spotlight This Week

Safe Work Australia is focusing on psychosocial hazards during the second week of National Safe Work Month. The theme for this working week is Working Together to Protect Workers' Mental Health.

According to Safe Work Australia, in 2020-21, 9% of all serious workers' compensation claims were for mental health conditions. Psychological injuries are a growing concern across construction, healthcare and manufacturing sectors, where physical and psychosocial hazards often overlap.

Why Psychological Health Matters This Week

"On average, work-related psychological injuries have longer recovery times, higher costs, and require more time away from work," Safe Work Australia said. Employers who identify psychosocial hazards early can reduce the severity of claims and support faster, safer outcomes for their teams.

Promoting psychological safety alongside physical safety is now a core expectation for organisations managing workplace risk. Businesses that build mental health considerations into their broader safety management systems tend to see stronger engagement and fewer long-term claims.

Practical Steps for Safety Teams

Safety professionals can take several actions to support workers' mental health this week and beyond:

• Identify psychosocial hazards specific to your industry, whether in construction, healthcare or manufacturing environments
• Review existing risk management processes to ensure psychological hazards are captured alongside physical ones
• Provide clear resources and support services so workers know where to turn when experiencing distress
• Encourage open conversations between management and frontline teams about workload and stress

Construction sites, in particular, face unique pressures, including tight deadlines, physical demands and isolation on remote projects. Combining strong construction safety practices with mental health services helps address risks from multiple angles.

Building a Culture That Supports Mental Health

Effective management of psychosocial risk requires more than policy documents; it demands ongoing commitment from leadership. Reviewing your Week 1 safety priorities alongside this week's mental health focus creates a more complete picture of workplace risk management.

Organisations across construction, healthcare and manufacturing can strengthen their approach by integrating mental health services into existing safety frameworks rather than treating them as separate initiatives. This aligns with broader safe work month objectives of protecting workers' mental health through coordinated, whole-of-business action.

Support services remain available for workers and employers seeking guidance on psychosocial hazard management, including access to counselling services, employee assistance programs and industry-specific mental health resources.

Learn more about this week's focus and explore additional National Safe Work Month resources, or review the upcoming Week 3 focus on clean air and clean lungs as part of your organisation's ongoing safety management calendar.

Learn more here.

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