Labour minister says workplace safety must cover mental health

Employers must protect workers’ mental health as part of safety regulations, Labour Minister Marinos Mousiouttas said on Monday. He said safety at work no longer concerned only physical accidents but includes “the protection of an employee’s mental health”. Addressing the start of Health and Safety at Work Week, he cited recent surveys, which found 37 per cent of workers reporting fatigue and 29 per cent reporting depression or anxiety. Mousiouttas said he wanted the government’s campaign to be “the starting point for substantive action” in workplaces. The ministry aims to raise awareness and encourage firms to treat psychological risks as part of routine safety management. He said risk assessments should cover workload, work organisation, clarity of roles and relationships between colleagues. Mousiouttas urged workers not to “hide difficulties for fear of appearing weak”.