5. Controlling the risks
Once a psychosocial hazard has been identified and assessed, controls must be put in place to reduce the risk as far as is reasonably practicable.
Controls must be determined by the principal or their delegate, in consultation with affected staff and HSR/s where elected and recorded in the school’s OHS risk register.
By implementing department policies that relate to specific psychosocial hazards, for example, Work-Related Violence in Schools, Workplace Bullying, Sexual Harassment – Employees, schools will be enacting controls to reduce the risk of those hazards.
A work environment completely free of psychosocial hazards can be difficult to achieve, however controls must be selected to eliminate or reduce the risk as far as possible. It is good practice to begin by identifying as many controls as possible, before selecting those that will be most effective and practical in your school.
Where possible, eliminating the hazard or preventing exposure to the hazard will be most effective. Where elimination or prevention is not possible controls must be chosen that bring the biggest reduction in the risk of negative psychological impact possible in the school’s circumstances.
The greater the risk, the more controls that will be needed, and this may require using as many controls as your school’s resources and circumstances allow. A combination of controls is usually required to reduce risk. The use of training and the provision of information can be considered but must not be the only controls implemented. Information and training may only be used in combination with other controls that eliminate exposure, prevent or reduce harm.
When recording risk controls in the OHS risk register, it is also important to capture activities already underway at the school level that may contribute to preventing or reducing psychological harm from that hazard, for example following HR policies or programs to develop supportive staff culture, build leadership capability.
The OHS advisory service and Statewide OHS Services team are available to assist schools to select and implement controls.
Reviewed 02 December 2025