Upcoming Psychological Health Regulations in Victoria
Did you know? 17% of workplace injury claims in Victoria in the 2024 to 2025 financial year involved mental injuries. (Source: Premier of Victoria)
These figures portray a clear picture: supporting the psychological wellbeing of workers is no longer optional, it is essential, and the cost of inaction can be significant. The new Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025 introduced in Victoria aim to address these growing concerns in psychological wellbeing.
Set to come into effect from the 1st of December 2025, these new regulations recognise what many already know; psychosocial hazards can be just as harmful as physical hazards. It will place a stronger legal obligation on Victorian employers to take proactive action in managing psychological health in their workplaces. (Source: WorkSafe Victoria)
In this article, let’s review what these regulations are and how they might impact your workplace.
What’s included in the new regulations?
The new regulations aim to strengthen the existing workplace safety laws in Victoria by requiring employers to identify and manage psychosocial hazards with the same level of importance and priority as physical hazards. They introduce specific duties to employers to help them manage psychosocial hazards in their workplaces; these include:
Identify psychosocial hazards in the workplace.
Assess identified risks.
Use hierarchy of controls to manage those risks.
Review and revise controls as necessary.
Consult with employees on matters affecting their psychological health and safety. This should extend to independent contractors where relevant.
Provide workers with sufficient information, instruction, training, and supervision so that they can perform their work safely. This should extend to independent contractors as well.
Keep records of consultation and risk management process for all psychosocial hazards.
Source: Psychological Health Compliance Code
Who has legal duties?
Employers, people with management control, and employees all have legal obligations. In labour hire arrangements, both the provider and host employer will have shared responsibility and must consult and coordinate with each other. (Source: Psychological Health Compliance Code)
What are psychosocial hazards?
As explained in the Psychological Health Compliance Code, psychosocial hazards are defined as factors in:
work design
systems of work
management of work
carrying out of the work
personal or work-related interactions
These factors can cause workers to experience one or more negative psychological responses that might create a risk to their health or safety. Examples include bullying, high job demands, low role clarity, poor support, etc. These hazards might lead to behavioural, cognitive, emotional and physical responses that can result in psychological injuries as well as physical conditions.
Can I use the risk management process to control psychosocial hazards?
Yes, the risk management process can be used to control psychosocial risks (Source: Psychological Health Compliance Code). For more information on using the risk management process to manage psychosocial hazards, read our previous article on Managing Psychosocial Hazards in the Workplace.
How can psychosocial hazards be controlled?
Employers can use the hierarchy of control described in the Psychological Health Compliance code, which is tailored specifically to control psychosocial risks. It includes:
Eliminating the hazard where it is reasonably practicable to do so
If elimination is not possible, then take action to reduce the risk by:
Either altering the work design or plant or management of work or systems of work or work environment
Using information, instruction or training (only when none of the risk control measures mentioned above can be used)
Or using a combination of the above two steps
Source: Psychological Health Compliance Code
For more information on the types of controls that can be applied, read the Psychological Health compliance code here.
Image Source: Psychological Health Compliance Code
When should you review your controls?
According to the compliance code, employers must review and revise their risk control in specific circumstances. These include:
At the request of an HSR
When new hazard information is available
After a psychological injury or psychosocial hazard is reported
After a notifiable incident occurs
When changes are made or planned to systems of work
If the control measures seem no longer adequate
Source: WorkSafe Victoria
Refer to the compliance code for more information on how to review risks.
Read the full Psychological Health Compliance Code on the WorkSafe Victoria website for more information on the new regulations.
Ensure Compliance with Certex iSafe Program
Certex iSafe assessments can help you stay compliant. Our independent assessors can perform workplace assessments and help assess and identify gaps in your obligations. Once risks have been identified, we can then provide you with the information you need to meet your legal obligations as well as take better care of your workers.