What is "Stress check" system ?

What is " Stress check" ?

The Stress check is a simpele test that you can assess your stress status by answering the questions on paper audit. A result of the fact that "Occupational Safety and Health Act" of workers has been revised, the law that protects workers' safety and health, we are now obliged to implement  this assessment toward workers once every year.

There already exists the similar assessments in the UK regulated by HSE, which  can not be found in the EU though.  Here you can see what is it like.

For what and why?

It is intended to prevent heart of the disorder in advance

There are a variety of reasons explaining why the Japanese government concerns about the workers' stress and the necessity to carry out the stress check in the background. 

According to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare showed,  more than 60% of workers feel strong anxiety and worries on their job, have  depression or  ill because of stress.  It showed that a growing number of "leave and absence" related to stress at work. 

For organizational level

Based on the aggregate results of the stress check, organizations or departments get tips for improvement of workplace to reduce the stress.

労働安全衛生法　"Industrial Safety and Health Law"

目的　Purpose

　第一条　この法律は、労働基準法（昭和二十二年法律第四十九号）と相まつて、労働災害の防止のための危害防止基準の確立、責任体制の明確化及び自主的活動の促進の措置を講ずる等その防止に関する総合的計画的な対策を推進することにより職場における労働者の安全と健康を確保するとともに、快適な職場環境の形成を促進することを目的とする。

Article 1　The purpose of this Act is to secure, in conjunction with the Labor Standards Act (Act No. 49 of 1947), the safety and health of workers inworkplaces, as well as to facilitate the establishment of comfortable working environment, by promoting comprehensive and systematiccountermeasures concerning the prevention of industrial accidents, such as taking measures for the establishment of standards for hazardprevention, clarifying the safety and health management responsibility and the promotion of voluntary activities with a view to preventing industrial accidents

事業者等の債務　　　Responsibilities of Employer, etc.

第三条　事業者は単にこの法律で定める労働災害の防止のための最低基準を守るだけでなく、快適な職場環境の実現と労働条件の改善を通じて職場に置ける労働者の安全と健康を守るようにしなければならない。また事業者は小ニが実施する労働災害の防止に関する施策に協力するようにしなければならない。

Article 3　(1)　The employer shall not only comply with the minimum standards for preventing industrial accidents provided for in this Act, but also endeavor to ensure the safety and health of workers in workplaces through creating a comfortable working environment and improving working conditions. He/She shall, furthermore, endeavor to cooperate in the measures for the prevention of industrial accidents to be taken by the State.

Written by Mie Fuchigami@ Global Wellbeing / copyright@GWB