It’s only fairly recently that stress has become recognised as a product of the working environment. It had been argued that stress was “an almost meaningless term and does not exist.” Yet we all know that stress is a fact of working life that emerges virtually the minute you step across your employer’s threshold.

But the Health & Safety Commission has been paying work-related stress particular attention for the past two or three years through a special discussion group involving psychologists and interested practitioners.

The HSC has now accepted that around half a million people in the UK experience work-related stress at a level they believe makes them ill. Up to 5 million people feel “very” or “extremely” stressed by their work and as a result time off costs the country in the region £3.7 billion a year.

As of 3 November 2004 employers need to follow new standards that are aimed at reducing stress levels or they may face prosecution.

Chairman of the HSC, Bill Callaghan, explains: “We believe this can help employers tackle work-related stress and reduce sickness absence. We don’t expect to eliminate all stress, but want to enable employers to recognise and manage the risks sensibly”.

More info from www.hse.gov.uk

Andrew Leech, 01753 884216