Employers are being urged to improve the process for reporting and addressing psychiatric injuries
A corporate psychologist is calling for mental health injuries and physical injuries caused by work-related incidents to be treated equally.
Catling said this would put mental health injuries “on par with physical injuries”, which would create “more psychological safety in the workplace”.
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“It would not only save companies thousands in absences and productivity; it would save lives,” she added.
Employee engagement
In March, AXA UK published a study which showed that poor mental health in the workplace cost the UK economy £102bn in 2023.
Further research from Gallup highlights the link between mental health, staff engagement and physical injuries. According to the findings, the least engaged workers are 64% more likely to experience a safety incident at work compared to the most engaged workers.
“We need to ask ourselves a fundamental question - why do we separate mental health from physical health? Our heads are connected to our bodies. Yet, if someone sustains a mental health injury due to work, there is no legal obligation for employers to investigate and report it,” said Catling.
“Recognising and recording mental health injuries would lead to better protection for employees and encourage employers to take proactive measures, such as implementing psychological safety risk assessments and addressing workplace factors contributing to stress-related harm.”
RIDDOR reporting
Catling added that there would be an “immediate shift” if RIDDOR reporting was required for mental health injuries.
“Employers would look closer at issues such as microaggressions, unconscious bias, bullying and the general psychological safety of their employees. There is an ISO for Psychological health and safety at work it is ISO45003 from 2021, but companies are not incentivised to apply for it,” she said.
“Creating the correct organisational protocols for psychological injury is a crucial step in creating inclusive, psychologically safe cultures that value both mental and physical well-being equally. A first step that every organisation can take is to ensure that individuals can report mental health injuries in the accident book.
“As a practicing corporate psychologist, I know that psychiatric injuries are happening at work and they are going unreported. They are not investigated and dealt with in the same ways as physical injuries and that is wrong.”
Mental health support and advice for CIOB members, past members and related family is available through CIOB Assist. CIOB, in partnership with Anxiety UK, also provides wellbeing support.
For additional support or advice, contact the Samaritans by calling 116 123. Support is also available via the industry charity Lighthouse Club by calling the support line on 0345 605 1956 or texting HARDHAT to 85258.
