Source: GDA
Guidelines on Consultation and Supervision to Counter Mental Stress in the Workplace
Work-related mental stress has a tremendous impact on our health. Risk assessments must therefore reliably identify and appropriately consider mental stress at work. Against this backdrop, the institutions involved in the Joint German Occupational Safety and Health Strategy (GDA) have agreed on guidelines on mental stress in the workplace. According to section 21 (3) No. 1 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act [Arbeitsschutzgesetz, ArbSchG] and/or section 20 (1) No. 1 of Book VII of the German Social Code [Sozialgesetzbuch, SGB], institutions involved in the GDA are required to coordinate general principles for a methodical approach to the consultation and supervision of companies.
These guidelines describe how regional authorities that are responsible for occupational health and safety and/or accident insurance institutions are to conduct consultations and supervision to counter work-related mental stress. The current version was passed by the National Occupational Safety and Health Conference [Nationale Arbeitsschutzkonferenz, NAK] in November 2015. Besides outlining the approach, the guidelines also include an annex that details Quality Principles for Instruments/Methods to Assess the Risk of Mental Stress, which the institutions involved in the GDA will consider when providing corresponding aids.
These quality principles ensure that inspectors can provide commutative consultation and supervision, and are the foundation for ascertaining that the tools and methods offered by accident insurance institutions and the Federal States (Länder) are in line with consistent standards.