Psychosocial Hazards Risk Assessment Template
Start managing psychosocial hazards with our simple template.
What's in this psychosocial risk assessment template?
A structured risk assessment spreadsheet aligned to the WHS Act 2011, Model Code of Practice 2022, and Victoria's OHS (Psychological Health) Regulations 2025.
Covers all 14 psychosocial hazard domains, a likelihood and consequence rating system that auto-calculates risk scores and levels (Low through Extreme), a risk matrix tab for guidance on rating scales and required response timeframes, and an action planning section to document controls, assign responsibilities, and set review dates.
Ready to use. No WHS expertise required to get started.
How to use this psychosocial risk assessment template
Work through it in five steps: fill in your organisation and assessor details, identify which hazards are present using the dropdown (Yes / No / Unsure), rate likelihood and consequence for each hazard present, prioritise anything rated High or Extreme, then document your controls and set review dates.
The risk score calculates automatically. Start with your highest-rated hazards and work down. Keep the completed template on file — it's your evidence that you identified and assessed psychosocial hazards systematically, which is exactly what regulators want to see when they investigate.
Why psychosocial risk assessments matter
Under Australian WHS law, identifying and assessing psychosocial hazards isn't optional — it's step one of a four-step legal obligation. Without a formal assessment, you can't prove you knew what risks existed. Without proof, you have no defence when WorkSafe comes knocking.
The problem most organisations have isn't intent. It's documentation. Hazards get discussed in meetings, noted in exit interviews, vented about in staffroom conversations — but none of it becomes formal evidence. A risk assessment turns what you already know into a document that demonstrates due diligence.
Mental health claims average $45,900 each and keep workers off site for a median of 27 weeks. A risk assessment costs nothing but time. One prevented claim justifies every minute spent on it.
FAQs
What is a psychosocial risk assessment?
A psychosocial risk assessment is a documented process for identifying which psychosocial hazards are present, rating the risk each one poses, and recording the controls you will apply. It is the same process you use for physical hazards, applied to how work is designed and managed.
A psychosocial hazard is an aspect of work with potential to cause psychological harm. Psychosocial risk is how likely that harm is and how serious it would be. You rate the risk, not the hazard, which is why two teams facing the same hazard can score very differently. If the difference between hazards and risks is new to your team, start there.
Is a psychosocial risk assessment legally required in Australia?
Yes. Every PCBU must eliminate or minimise psychosocial risks so far as is reasonably practicable, and you cannot evidence that duty without a documented assessment. The instrument that applies depends on your jurisdiction.
Victoria's requirements differ from the model laws, so confirm yours before you start. Our breakdown of psychosocial hazards legislation by state covers the current position in each jurisdiction.
How do you rate likelihood and consequence?
Rate each hazard twice, once for how likely harm is and once for how serious it would be. The template multiplies the two into a score and a rating from Low to Extreme, and the rating sets your priority order.
Rate the work as it is actually done, and rate by work group rather than by individual. Base ratings on evidence you already hold: incident reports, absence and turnover, claims, roster and overtime data, exit interviews and worker consultation.
What controls should you record?
Record controls that change the work before controls that ask workers to cope with it. Work down the hierarchy: eliminate the hazard, redesign the work or roster, isolate workers from the source, improve equipment and environment, then apply administrative controls such as staffing levels and escalation paths.
Do you still need the People at Work survey?
No. The People at Work survey is being decommissioned, so organisations that used it as their free measurement tool need another way to gather workforce data.
A survey and an assessment do different jobs. The survey collects the data, the assessment turns it into rated risks, controls and owners. This template covers the assessment side and works with any input, including a replacement psychosocial hazard survey.
How often should it be reviewed?
At least annually, and sooner after a restructure, workload spike, staffing change or serious incident. Record the review even when nothing has changed, because a current date is evidence and an undated assessment is not.
Which psychosocial hazards should you assess with this template?
Use the template to assess the 14 psychosocial hazards recognised by Safe Work Australia in the Model Code of Practice. Work through each one, decide whether it is present for the work group you are assessing, and rate only the ones that are.
The 14 hazards are:
- High or low job demands, including workload, time pressure, emotionally demanding work, or work that is monotonous
- Low job control, meaning little say over how or when work is done
- Poor support, including inadequate supervision, training, resources or equipment
- Lack of role clarity, meaning unclear or conflicting expectations
- Poor organisational change management, such as restructures made without consultation
- Inadequate reward and recognition
- Poor organisational justice, meaning policies applied inconsistently or unfairly
- Traumatic events or material, including vicarious exposure
- Remote or isolated work, including working alone or out of hours
- Poor physical environment, including noise, heat and unsafe conditions
- Violence and aggression from clients, patients, students or the public
- Bullying
- Harassment, including sexual harassment
- Conflict or poor workplace relationships
Hello 👋 I’m Joel the founder of Foremind.
Are you ready for simplified support & compliance?
Answers to the frequently asked questions.
Our last EAP was barely touched. Why would this be different?+
Most EAPs go unused because of how they're accessed, not because staff don't need them. Phoning a stranger, explaining yourself, then waiting weeks is enough to stop most people before they start. Foremind removes all three steps: staff see real counsellor profiles, pick someone themselves, and book the same day.
If you already have a provider, the question worth asking is what your current utilisation is. Most traditional EAPs sit in low single digits, which means you're paying for cover your people aren't reaching. If yours is being used, staff can get seen quickly, and it covers your psychosocial obligations, there's no reason to move. If not, it's worth knowing what you're getting for the spend.
Do you offer 24/7 support?+
Yes. A 24/7 after-hours crisis line means staff can reach someone immediately at any hour, including nights and weekends.
Counselling appointments are also available outside standard business hours, so shift-based and on-call teams aren't limited to a nine-to-five window. Those are two different things, and it's worth checking any provider offers both rather than just the crisis line.
Are your EAP counsellors based in Australia?+
Yes. Every practitioner on the platform holds current membership with an Australian professional body and practises under Australian standards, codes of ethics and disciplinary frameworks. There are no offshore call centres.
Practitioners hold membership with the Australian Counselling Association, the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia, or the Australian Association of Social Workers, along with a current Working with Children or Vulnerable People Check.
How much does an EAP cost?+
Pricing is usually per employee per month, based on total headcount rather than how many people use the service. Costs vary widely depending on whether sessions are bundled in and whether compliance tooling is included.
A more useful comparison is cost per employee who actually uses it. An EAP with 2% utilisation can work out several times more expensive per person helped than one that gets used. Foremind offers pay-as-you-go, inclusive session plans and compliance-inclusive plans, with discounted pricing for not-for-profits and charities.
For full breakdown of our plans, see our EAP pricing page or request a quote for a tailored proposal.
What information does an employer receive about EAP usage?+
Nothing that could identify anyone. All counselling is completely confidential and all reporting is anonymous - you'll never see who booked, when, or what was discussed.
What you do see is the aggregated picture: how many people are using it, what psychosocial risks are prevalent in the business, and which teams are under pressure. Enough to know the investment is working and where to act, never enough to identify a person. Reporting thresholds mean small teams can't be reverse-engineered from the data.
Does having an EAP meet an employer's psychosocial duty of care?+
No. An EAP is a control measure, and a valuable one, but it only addresses harm after it has occurred. It doesn't identify hazards, assess risk, or evidence that controls are working.
Australian WHS law requires you to identify psychosocial hazards, assess the risk, control it so far as is reasonably practicable, and review whether those controls are working — with documented evidence at each step. Offering counselling on its own leaves three of those four steps undocumented.
Foremind covers both in one platform. See how the compliance side works in our product tour.