New guides on stress

The GMB general union has published a new guide on stress for safety reps which puts forward a six-step approach that safety reps should follow in order to tackle stress at work.

Getting action on work- related stress, free to GMB safety reps, £10 to non- members from GMB, 22-24 Worple Road, London SW19 4DD. Tel: 020 8971 4263.

The HSE has just published new guidance on preventing work-related stress aimed at managers in organisations employing over 50 people. It provides a step-by-step approach to tackling the stress at work identifying seven broad categories of risk factors. These are: the culture; demands; control; change; role; support, training and factors unique to the individual.

Tackling work-related stress a managers' guide to improving and maintaining employee health and well-being, £7.95, from HSE books

The HSE has also produced a new leaflet Tackling work-related stress - a guide for employees" however public services union UNISON, has written to all its branches asking them to ensure that employers do not distribute the leaflet.

The union's head of health and safety Hugh Robertson said: 'The employees leaflet is worse than useless. Apart from the fact that it does not give any indication of the causes of stress, much of the advice puts the responsibility for dealing with stress on the individual worker rather than the employer."