THE PATH OF ASSESSMENT AND RISK MANAGEMENT The introduction of risk assessment of work-related stress is causing the demand by companies, assessment tools easy, cheap and good. The market offers products apparently effective, mostly in the form of software / check-list, but which, if used exclusively, can be inappropriate, if not counterproductive or damaging.
In fact, the nature of the risk work-related stress, different from other occupational hazards (eg noise) could be approached with standardized methods and tools of measurement, requires more than an assessment tool "mechanistic" application of shared methods of approach the problem with the assessment of specific risk through different instruments, divided between them and the management of corrective actions with the participation of all stakeholders in the system of prevention and protection (employers, managers, supervisors, head of prevention and protection, the competent physician, representatives of workers' safety, workers).
It fostered a virtuous cycle, and this is possible only by clearly defining how a process of risk assessment and management of work-related stress must necessarily follow the steps described below.
5.1 Shares information and communication
These actions are the necessary premise for the entire journey and must be one of motivation as well as informative. Is possible to imagine two distinct strands of communication:
a) awareness of all workers on the problem work-related stress: nature, causes, effects and solutions;
b) an explanation by management's willingness to tackle the problem (by engaging directly in activation) recognition of the role of employee participation and willingness to direct the whole journey in search of common solutions (especially collective prevention).
tools and initiatives should be evaluated according to specific situations. For example, in small companies with few workers and a relatively low level of organizational complexity may be sufficient meetings with all employees, supported by appropriate information materials (booklets / brochures).
For more complex business realities, divided into functional areas
and production areas and with a greater number of employees, should instead arrange for meetings of groups of workers and specific briefings for managers and supervisors.
In all cases we recommend a specific action of "information / activation key figures on the internal (in charge of prevention and protection, workers in the service of prevention and protection, the competent physician, representatives of workers' safety). 5.2 Analysis of documents
's documentary analysis is needed to read the organization of work (plan, production flow, communication flows, human resource management, etc..), The collection of indicators of corporate work-related stress (sick leave , accidents, turnover, job demands change, etc.). and for information about managing health and safety (minutes of regular meetings, annual action plans / long-term, annual reports biostatistics);
5.3 Actions Actions
training courses (training courses for management training courses for workers and worker representatives security, update and competent doctor in charge of prevention and protection) should have as objectives:
- transferring knowledge and skills aimed at preventing the risk, even in order to qualify and promote the effective participation of workers in the assessment phase ;
- strengthen different skills for the ongoing management of specific risk. In
this sense are different training courses for internal figures: a.
courses for managers-in charge. These persons must be trained (D. Lgs. 81/08 art. 37 paragraph 7) the responsibilities identified by law is charged to the employer, for the same directors / officers (together the implementation of the assessment of specific risk,
definition of criteria and methods of assessment, identification of procedures for the implementation of preventive measures with particular reference to the role of the organization, knowledge of issues related to gender, age, geographic origin, type of contract);
b. courses for workers at particular risk, in the training provided for in Article 37 Legislative Decree no. 81/08;
c. courses for representatives of workers' safety, as provided in Article. 37 Section 10 of Legislative Decree 81/08;
d. the expertise of experienced figures can not be limited to general knowledge on the topic of workplace stress, but should ensure the ability to directly (in close relationship with the employer) to assess the specific risk. E 'should be responsible and the doctor in charge of prevention and protection should perfect their skills acquired in training institutions through participation in specific
accredited training (courses, conferences, seminars, etc.)..
Training must be repeated periodically.
5.4 Risk assessment
intervention assessment of specific risk, preceded by the actions described above, includes:
- an objective assessment through direct observation methods;
- a subjective assessment by analyzing the perceptions of workers;
- a final report with data analysis and definition of risk levels to link the preventive / protective work-related stress, which becomes integral part of the overall risk assessment.
The purpose of objective assessment should be to make a "snapshot" organizational reality of business. To do so can be used with tools such as direct observation reports, checklists, job analysis. This first moment of objective analysis will also identify homogeneous groups of workers or organizational partitions with similar characteristics on the risk factors of organization. The subsequent talks on
the process of risk assessment can be made about groups or partitions so identified.
The subjective evaluation, preceded by a statement that aims to ensure adequate participation,
covers activities investigation of subjective perception of work-related stress
homogeneous groups, by means of assessing the size perceived critical work,
resources of individual / group accessible psychological and physical disorders and work-related stress (
mental disorders, somatic complaints);
Based on data collected on the basis of the same s 'identify parametric summary measures of risk level (such as low-medium-high) at the company or organization to partition / homogeneous group.