Psychosocial Hazards & Legal Responsibilities – OHS Act™

Psychosocial hazards—such as stress, bullying, harassment, high workload, trauma exposure, and lack of support—pose significant risks to employee health, productivity, and workplace culture. Although historically overlooked, these hazards fall under the employer’s legal duty to ensure a safe and healthy working environment. This course provides a legal interpretation of psychosocial risk under the OHS Act 85 of 1993, helping participants understand how psychosocial hazards fit into Section 8 employer responsibilities, Section 14 employee duties, and risk management processes. Learners explore practical controls, reporting processes, organisational policies, and case examples relevant to South African workplaces. Learners completing the course will be able to: Explain psychosocial hazards and their impacts Link psychosocial risks to legal responsibilities under the OHS Act Apply the reasonably practicable principle to psychological harm Identify signs and root causes of psychosocial risks Implement practical and systematic risk control measures Support safe reporting, confidentiality, and early intervention Target audience includes supervisors & managers, employee wellbeing/HR personnel, safety officers/reps, public sector leadership, workers in high-stress and trauma-exposed sectors, SMEs and NGOs.