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Stress is an adverse reaction that people have to excessive pressure or other demands placed on them. It may be caused by work, outside work or both.
An estimated half a million UK workers report that they believe they have been made ill by work related stress - that's as many as one in five.
Stress is not an illness but it can lead to increased problems with ill health if prolonged or particularly intense.
Physical effects include:
Mental effects include:
Employers have a duty to make sure that employees are not made ill by their work. Where stress caused or made worse by work could lead to ill health, employers must assess the risk.
A risk assessment for stress involves:
If necessary, you must take reasonable steps to deal with these pressures.
Act now ... prevention is easier than cure!
Both the above are available either online from the |Health and Safety Executive or from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sunbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA. Tel: 01787 881165.
|Download an example Health & Safety checklist which indicates some of the main points to be considered in your stress assessment.