Labour inspectors and unions address psychosocial hazards:

researchers and practitioners collaborate to protect workers’ mental health

Katherine LippelCRC in Occupational Health and Safety Law, University of Ottawa

Ximena Diaz, Amalia Mauro, Julia Medel, Diego Lopez Centro de Estudios de la Mujer, CHILE

Teasdale-Corti Program Symposium

1 – 3 October 2012

OTTAWA

www.proyectoaraucaria.cl

Research program: Axis 2

Comparative study of law, policy and interventions on psychosocial hazards, mental health and work, analysed through a gender lens

Policy studies in the Araucaria project

2007-2008Comparative analysis of

Québec and Chilean law

Adaptation of a Québec INSPQ surveillance tool for detection of psycho-social risk factors

2008-2012Implementation of the

surveillance tool, training in Chile.

Comparative analysis of regulatory instruments in many other jurisdictions.

Comparative study of implementation strategies.

Policy related activities of the research team

Three international seminars held in Santiago in 2007, 2010 and 2012 where researchers and research users from various countries, including Chile and Canada presented papers on themes related to the research programme

Four special issues of journals: describing the situation in 16 countriesWork and mental health (IJLP)Law of workplace bullying (JCLLP)Role of labour inspectors and unions in prevention of

mental health problems (Safety Science)Law of workplace bullying and harassment in the

Americas (Revista de Estudios Laborales)

Workers’ CompensationAcute-Chronic stress

No public policy mechanisms/tort law

Anti-harassment legislation

Risk assessment/Manageme

nt systems

Policy typologies regulating exposure to psycho-social risk factors

OHS regulationlabour inspection

Constitutional law

Why harassment/bullying?

It is politically easier to legislate on bullying because of the more individualistic approach

This may eclipse the need to address fundamentally important psychosocial hazards: job strain, employment strain, effort-reward imbalance, job insecurity

Policy artificially divides the different hazards

Cox, 2010

Seminars and publications as tools for change

Capacity building objectivesTo multiply the tools

available for local, national and international research users to intervene in the workplace and to influence policy in order to reduce psychosocial hazards

To multiply the number of researchers and research users in a variety of jurisdictions who are interested or preoccupied by our core issues:Psychosocial hazardsGender perspectivePrecarious

employment

Challenge - 1

All of this to be done in a context of work intensification and globalisation where

‘‘many of the factors that have contributed to the declining influence [of workers’ representation on health and safety] are the same ones that contribute to the rise in psychosocial risks and their effects at work’’.

Walters, 2011

Challenge - 2

To learn more…

International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, vol.30: 4-5, 2007

Safety Science, vol. 49:4, 2011

Comparative Labor Law and Policy Journal, vol. 32: 1, 2010

http://www.droitcivil.uottawa.ca/chairohslawhttp://www.proyectoaraucaria.cl/