HSC seeks views on stress management standards

Bill Callaghan, chair of the Health and Safety Commission, is urging the leaders of the top 350 companies to give their views on how to prevent sickness absence caused by work-related stress.

Bill Callaghan, chair of the Health and Safety Commission, is urging the leaders of the top 350 companies to give their views on how to prevent sickness absence caused by work-related stress.

He has written to business leaders to call for their participation in the HSC's consultation on Management Standards for stress.

The views of all employees are also invited - and it couldn't be easier to get involved in the debate.

The consultation is online and via a specially produced CD-Rom, with the consultation running until 27 August.

It is intended that the Management Standards will enable employers to gauge stress levels, identify causes and work with employees to resolve any issues.

The Standards are clear and practical statements of good management practice, supported by a body of research and an ongoing dialogue with businesses, professional bodies and trade unions.

Note that the Standards are not new regulations; they are a non-legislative yardstick to help organisations meet their existing duty of care and their duty to assess the risks of work-related stress.

Bill Callaghan says: "We're not about eliminating all stress or pressure in the workplace.

"Rather we want to help employers recognise and manage the risks sensibly.

"We believe the Management Standards can help employers tackle work-related stress at source and reduce sickness absence caused by work-related stress.

"The Standards have been well-received so far but we need to gather more views".

The revised draft Management Standards were publicly available from 25 May 2004, when Bill Callaghan launched the innovative consultation campaign at the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) conference.

The consultation is innovative because it goes beyond the usual format of a consultation document distributed to traditional stakeholders.

The Standards, an introductory video and supporting materials are available on the HSE's website (see 'stress' under 'Health and safety topics').

The material has been distributed to managers and employers on a CD-Rom carried free with editions of selected journals.

Copies have also been sent to leaders of the top 350 companies.

Bill Callaghan is also writing to the leaders of trade unions for their views.

The Standards consist of six main factors that contribute to work-related stress: demands, control, support, relationships, role, change.

Employers already have a duty to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of their employees at work (Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974) and to assess for health and safety risks (Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999).

These duties cover work-related stress.

The first draft Management Standards were developed and piloted in April 2003.

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