Stress

Stress is an adverse reaction that people have to excessive pressure or other demands placed on them.  it may be caused by things at work, outside work or both.

 

An estimated half a million UK workers report that that 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 it is prolonged or particularly intense for example.

 

Physical effects include:

• heart disease
• back pain, gastrointestinal disturbances

Mental effects include:

 

• anxiety and depression

Employers have a duty to make sure that employees aren't made ill by their work.  Where stress caused or made work by work could lead to ill health, employers must assess the risk.  A risk assessment for stress involves:

• looking for pressures at work that could cause high and long lasting levels of stress
• deciding who may be harmed by these; and
• deciding whether you re doing enough to prevent that harm.

If necessary, you must then take reasonable steps to deal with these pressures.

 

Act now.....prevention is easier than cure!

Further information

Further information can be found on the HSE website (www.hse.gov.uk/stress/index.htm)

 

If you would like to discuss any of the above, please contact as by email at regulatory@fareham.gov.uk or by telephone on 01329 236100.