Managing Psychosocial Hazards in the Workplace: How "Make a Report" Supports Compliance and Early Intervention

Written By Andrew McLeish

The rise in awareness around psychosocial hazards has prompted a significant shift in how Australian organisations must approach health and safety at work. These hazards—ranging from bullying and harassment to unreasonable workloads and exposure to traumatic events—pose serious risks to employee wellbeing and organisational culture if left unaddressed.

Under the Model Work Health and Safety Act 2011, employers have a legal obligation to ensure the psychological health and safety of their workforce, just as they must for physical safety. Section 19 of the Act outlines the primary duty of care, requiring employers to eliminate or minimise risks to health, including mental health, so far as is reasonably practicable. In addition, the Model Code of Practice: Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work and the international standard ISO 45003:2021 emphasise proactive risk management, early intervention, and worker participation in identifying and responding to these issues.

However, despite legislative guidance, many workers remain hesitant to raise concerns—especially when it comes to sensitive, emotionally complex, or culturally stigmatised issues. Confidentiality, fear of reprisal, and a lack of safe channels for disclosure often prevent early identification and resolution.

This is where Make a Report delivers critical value.

Make a Report is a secure, independent reporting platform designed to support organisations in identifying, managing, and resolving psychosocial hazards in the workplace. It offers a safe, anonymous, and user-friendly environment for employees, contractors, volunteers, and even family members to report concerns relating to bullying, harassment, burnout, vicarious trauma, toxic leadership, and other psychosocial risks.

Key features of the platform include:

  • Customised incident categories aligned with psychosocial risks

  • 24/7 access via mobile or desktop for ease of reporting at any time

  • Anonymous and confidential options to reduce fear and stigma

  • Real-time case management tools that allow secure follow-up and resolution

  • Audit-ready recordkeeping to demonstrate compliance with WHS laws and codes of practice

Importantly, Make a Report helps organisations meet their legislative and ethical obligations under WHS legislation and ISO 45003, while also fostering a culture of psychological safety. When people feel safe to speak up, risks can be identified early—before they escalate into critical harm or reputational damage.

For businesses operating in high-risk or high-stress environments such as healthcare, education, retail, logistics, and emergency services, psychosocial hazards are not hypothetical—they are part of the daily reality. By offering a trusted, accessible reporting pathway, Make a Report becomes a frontline tool in your organisational risk framework.

Our platform is not a generic feedback system—it is a purpose-built solution, backed by decades of experience in managing confidential disclosures and workplace investigations. It aligns with contemporary best practice, supports a preventative approach, and provides leadership teams with the insight they need to respond meaningfully and lawfully.

 

How Stopline Can Help

At Stopline, we understand that managing psychosocial risks is not just about compliance—it’s about protecting the wellbeing of your people and preserving the integrity of your organisation. With nearly 25 years of experience as Australia’s most trusted whistleblower and integrity reporting service, we offer independent, confidential, and accessible reporting platforms to support your workforce.

 

Whether it's workplace bullying, harassment, stress-related concerns, or other psychosocial issues, our team of trained professionals is here to help ensure every voice is heard safely and without fear.

 

Partner with Stopline to:

  • Provide your staff with a secure, anonymous channel to raise concerns

  • Demonstrate your commitment to a psychologically safe workplace

  • Identify and address issues early before they escalate

  • Meet your obligations under WHS laws and industry Codes of Practice

 

👉 Let’s talk about how we can support your organisation.

Contact Andrew today at andrewmcleish@stopline.com.au or call 1300 30 45 50.

Andrew McLeish

Andrew McLeish is the CEO and Managing Director of Stopline Pty Ltd, Australia’s first dedicated whistleblower hotline service, and the Founder of Make a Report Pty Ltd, a secure, cloud-based reporting and case management platform. With more than 25 years of experience in corporate governance, whistleblower reporting, and workplace investigations, Andrew is a nationally recognised authority in integrity services and compliance.

Since Stopline was founded in 2001, Andrew has led the delivery of whistleblower services to over 500 organisations across government, corporate, and not-for-profit sectors, managing thousands of confidential disclosures each year. Drawing on over two decades of insight and client feedback, Andrew designed and built the Make a Report platform to align with key legislative requirements - such as the Corporations Act, Public Interest Disclosure Act, and the Treasury Laws Amendment (Enhancing Whistleblower Protections) Act 2019 - as well as national and international standards including AS 8001:2021 – Fraud and Corruption Control, ISO 37001 – Anti-Bribery Management Systems, and ISO 37002 – Whistleblowing Management Systems.

He is a trusted advisor to boards, executives, and compliance leaders, known for his practical, ethical, and strategic approach to addressing complex matters involving misconduct, fraud, and corporate wrongdoing.

https://www.stopline.com.au
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