To integrate psychosocial risks into your occupational health and safety (OHS) prevention program, begin by assessing your workplace environment and the prevention measures already in place within your organization.
This assessment aims to provide a clear picture of your workplace by identifying both psychosocial hazards—such as workplace harassment, exposure to potentially traumatic events, or different forms of workplace violence—and psychosocial risk factors related to work organization, including low recognition, limited decision-making autonomy, insufficient support from supervisors or colleagues, poor organizational justice, or excessive workload. Both aspects should be incorporated into your prevention strategy.
As of 2026, managing psychosocial risks has become a key compliance requirement, as well as an essential component of employee psychological health and organizational performance. Employers must integrate psychosocial risks into their occupational health and safety prevention mechanisms, including their OHS Prevention Program or OHS Action Plan, depending on the size of their establishment. The CNESST specifies that psychosocial risks and psychosocial risk factors must be managed like any other occupational health and safety hazard.
To better understand your legal obligations, also consult our guide on OHS compliance requirements in 2026.
Why Include Psychosocial Risks in Your OHS Prevention Program?
Psychosocial risks are no longer viewed solely as a human resources or employee wellness issue. They are now recognized as an integral part of occupational health and safety.
According to Quebec’s National Institute of Public Health (INSPQ), several factors related to work organization, management practices, employment conditions, and workplace relationships can become psychosocial risk factors. When these risks are not properly managed, they can negatively affect both employees’ physical and psychological health.
Integrating psychosocial risks into your prevention program helps your organization:
- Prevent stress, burnout, and absenteeism;
- Reduce workplace conflict, harassment, and violence;
- Improve communication and workplace culture;
- Strengthen CNESST compliance;
- Structure prevention initiatives within an evolving and documented prevention program.
A structured approach allows organizations to address psychosocial hazards and organizational risk factors before they impact employee well-being or organizational performance. These measures naturally become part of an effective OHS prevention program and evolve according to the realities of each workplace.
How to Integrate Psychosocial Risks into Your OHS Prevention Program
Successfully integrating psychosocial risks into your OHS prevention program requires identifying psychosocial hazards and organizational risk factors, implementing appropriate preventive measures, and monitoring their effectiveness over time.
Steps to Integrate Psychosocial Risks into Your Prevention Program
- Identify psychosocial hazards
Start by identifying the psychosocial hazards present in your workplace. These may include:
- Workplace harassment;
- Workplace violence;
- Domestic violence that may affect the workplace;
- Sexual violence or sexual harassment;
- Exposure to potentially traumatic events.
- Assess psychosocial risk factors
Next, assess the psychosocial risk factors related to work organization, such as:
- Low recognition;
- Limited decision-making autonomy;
- Insufficient support from supervisors or coworkers;
- Poor organizational justice;
- Excessive workload.
To complete this assessment, organizations may use scientifically validated questionnaires, employee interviews, focus groups, or workplace assessments. Regardless of the chosen method, the process should follow a structured approach and be carried out by appropriately trained individuals.
For more guidance, consult our article on how to identify psychosocial risks in the workplace.
- Prioritize the risks
Evaluate the identified psychosocial hazards and organizational risk factors based on their severity, the number of workers affected, potential consequences, and available resources.
This assessment will help establish intervention priorities. Many organizations benefit from professional consulting services to identify and prioritize workplace risks.
- Address organizational causes
Implement preventive measures that target the underlying organizational issues.
Examples include:
- Clarifying roles and responsibilities;
- Improving internal communication;
- Increasing employee recognition;
- Supporting supervisors and managers;
- Preventing harassment and workplace violence.
Santinel also offers psychosocial risk training to help organizations better understand and prevent psychosocial risks.
- Document your actions in the prevention program
Record the identified hazards and risk factors, selected prevention measures, responsible individuals, implementation timelines, and follow-up mechanisms within your OHS Prevention Program or OHS Action Plan.
- Monitor results and continuously improve
Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your prevention measures by monitoring indicators such as:
- Absenteeism;
- Workplace injuries;
- Incident reports;
- Workplace conflicts;
- Employee climate surveys;
- Training completion.
Update your prevention plan whenever necessary to support continuous improvement.
Organizations seeking a more comprehensive approach can also explore Santinel’s psychosocial risk management solutions.
Santinel’s Support for Managing Psychosocial Risks
Integrating psychosocial risks into an occupational health and safety prevention program requires a structured and sustainable approach.
Santinel helps Quebec organizations manage psychosocial risks, comply with CNESST requirements, and continuously improve their prevention strategies.
Our services include:
- Psychosocial risk identification and prioritization;
- Development or review of prevention programs;
- Creation or update of OHS Prevention Programs and OHS Action Plans;
- Manager and employee training;
- OHS committee support;
- Compliance audits;
- Comprehensive OHS management packages.
To simplify your prevention efforts, Santinel also offers turnkey occupational health and safety packages that combine risk assessments, procedures, training, and compliance audits tailored to your organization’s level of risk. These solutions are ideal for businesses seeking ongoing occupational health and safety management.
Frequently Asked Questions About Integrating Psychosocial Risks
Do psychosocial risks need to be included in an OHS Prevention Program?
Yes. Psychosocial risks must be identified, assessed, and managed like any other occupational health and safety hazard. They should be fully integrated into your organization’s prevention strategy.
Is workplace stress considered a psychosocial risk?
Workplace stress is generally considered a potential consequence of psychosocial hazards and psychosocial risk factors rather than a psychosocial risk itself.
A prevention strategy should therefore identify and address both recognized psychosocial hazards—such as harassment or workplace violence—and organizational risk factors like excessive workload, limited autonomy, lack of recognition, or insufficient managerial support.
How do you integrate psychosocial risks into an OHS Prevention Program?
Organizations should:
- Identify psychosocial hazards and organizational risk factors;
- Assess and prioritize risks;
- Implement appropriate preventive measures;
- Document the selected actions;
- Monitor results and continuously improve their prevention strategy.
What is the difference between an OHS Action Plan and an OHS Prevention Program?
In Quebec, an OHS Action Plan generally applies to workplaces with 19 employees or fewer, while an OHS Prevention Program applies to workplaces with 20 employees or more, as well as certain specific situations identified by the CNESST.
Why is it important to manage psychosocial risks?
Managing psychosocial risks helps organizations reduce the negative consequences these hazards can have on both employees and the business.
An effective psychosocial risk management strategy can reduce:
- Stress;
- Burnout;
- Workplace conflict;
- Occupational injuries;
- Absenteeism;
- Errors;
- Productivity losses;
- Employee turnover.
At the same time, it contributes to healthier workplaces, improved employee engagement, and stronger organizational performance.
