Image Credit: Getty Images / Deagreez

The opinions, claims, conclusions, and positions expressed in this post are those of the author or person quoted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, AIHA, The Synergist, or SynergistNOW.

On March 25, an AIHA University webinar will present a comprehensive introduction to psychosocial hazards for OEHS professionals. NIOSH defines these hazards as factors in the work environment that can cause stress, strain, or interpersonal problems for workers. Examples of psychosocial hazards include ineffective leadership, harassment, excessive workloads, and exposure to traumatic events. The webinar presenter, Reginald J. Richards, DrPH, CIH, is a semi-retired occupational health behavioral scientist with experience at OSHA, MSHA, and the United States Army. In addition to AIHA, Richards is a member of the Society for Occupational Health Psychology.

The articles and blog posts listed below offer perspectives on psychosocial hazards and serve as background reading in preparation for the webinar.  

Mental Health in the Workplace

In February 2021, the American Psychological Association reported that the COVID-19 pandemic was exacerbating Americans’ already high levels of stress and isolation; worse still, the stigma surrounding mental health issues kept many people from seeking treatment or even talking about their struggles. This article, written during the pandemic, discusses mental health issues from a Total Worker Health perspective and includes suggestions from recent guidance such as ISO 45003, Occupational Health and Safety Management—Psychological Health and Safety at Work: Guidelines for Managing Psychosocial Risks. Read more in the October 2021 Synergist.

Treating the Whole Worker

At the electric-car manufacturer Rivian, an internal investigation found that manufacturing workers used tele-mental health solutions less than half as often as workers in other divisions. This article presents a case study that examines the efforts of the Rivian wellness team to provide on-site therapy to workers at the company’s Normal, Illinois, manufacturing facility. Soon after the company brought a part-time occupational therapist to the facility, the number of workers engaging with this face-to-face care far outstripped those who used the virtual option. Rivian later hired the therapist to a full-time position. Read the article in the February 2024 Synergist.

Mental Health: Ending the Stigma

This blog post introduces Stop Stigma Together, an initiative launched by the Huntsman Mental Health Institute to make it safe for people to discuss mental health challenges. “OEHS professionals are well positioned to help achieve HMHI's vision of a world where mental health and substance use issues are treated just like other health outcomes, with an emphasis on prevention,” the author notes. “They can't be prevented if stigma keeps people from acknowledging them.” Read the post on SynergistNOW.

Recovery from Technostress

Technology makes it easier than ever to work from anywhere at any time. But workers are paying for that convenience, as technology often intensifies workload, increases job complexity, and leads to greater job insecurity, all the while encroaching on workers’ personal time. This article, written by a research psychologist, explains the technostress phenomenon, emphasizing the ways it shortens the recovery time workers need. Often, workers try to cope by “borrowing” from their sleep time. OEHS professionals have an opportunity to change workplace culture to support recovery and limit the expansion of work into the personal domain. Read more in the September 2024 Synergist.

An Introduction to Mental Health First Aid

As the problem of workplace stress deepened in recent years, many workplaces have turned to mental health first aid, a training program that teaches people to recognize and respond to signs of mental health or substance use challenges. This blog post presents an interview with Megan Hammes, who is certified as an instructor in mental health first aid by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. Hammes discusses the ALGEE action plan for helping people with mental health challenges, which stands for approach, listen nonjudgmentally, give reassurance and information, encourage appropriate professional help, and encourage self-help and other support strategies. Read more on SynergistNOW.

Building Supportive Work Environments

Based on interviews with current OEHS professionals, this article on chronic conditions returns again and again to psychosocial hazards and the problem of stress in the workplace. “What I’m telling new industrial hygienists today is that you need to learn more about wellness, well-being, and mental health,” one OEHS professional says. “We’re not going to be the experts, but we need to work with the human resources folks and immerse ourselves into this world, because more and more, we’re seeing how it actually affects how people do their work.” Read the article in the September 2025 Synergist.

The AIHAU webinar “Psychosocial Hazards 101: What Every OEHS Professional Should Know” will be held March 25 from 1 to 3 p.m. Eastern time. More information is available on the AIHA website.