is stress an official OHS issue in Australia?

[Sally M]

Hi,

We hear of people going on "stress leave", which is essentially "sick leave" due to stress. But is "stress" now an official OHS issue for employers here in Australia ?

I don't think it is. I've yet to meet an OHS professional in Australia who believed that "stress" was part of their remit (this is not a criticism).

But will it become so?

It already is in the UK, where Board Director/CEOs, HR managers, H&S managers and Line Managers all have specific responsibilities in the successful prevention of stress.

I have both a professional and personal interest in this so I would love to hear your views on this topic!

Cheers,
Sally