COMPANIES that want to challenge new health and safety regulations on workplace stress will have the backing of the Confederation of British Industry.

The CBI described plans to make companies monitor stress as “incredibly onerous”.

The comment came after the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) confirmed that it had issued its first enforcement notice against an NHS hospital. The West Dorset Hospitals NHS Trust could face unlimited fines.

Janet Asherson, of the CBI, said that, if the HSE tried to issue an enforcement notice against a company, it should strongly consider defending itself through the courts.

“The law is there to serve both parties,” she said. “Challenging the law may cost you money but not challenging it may cost you a lot more.”

The NHS said that it would monitor the stress levels of all employees. From next year all who work at hospitals and doctors’ surgeries will be asked about their working environment. A stress-management policy will be drawn up in line with HSE recommendations.

The questions are likely to include whether employees feel able to meet the demands of the job, whether they have access to counselling and whether they are overloaded with work.

The surveys will be carried out by the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI).

A commission source said: “We don’t intend to ask the question: ‘Do you feel stressed?’ because that would be answered too subjectively to be easily analysed. Instead we will ask questions which relate to the causes of stress, like long hours, management culture and resources.

“We hope the survey will inform individual trusts what staff truly think, benchmarking them against other trusts and drawing attention to weaknesses and strengths.

“Where significant issues are raised by the staff survey, it may prompt a forthcoming CHI inspection to look more closely at that area, or could even prompt an unscheduled inspection.”

According to a survey by Unum, one of Britain’s leading income protection insurers, the number of claims made over stress and mental illness has risen by 88 per cent in seven years. The HSE estimates that industry loses £370 million a year because of stress, and the cost to society as a whole could be £3.75 billion.

DEBATE

Are employers doing enough to combat stress?

Send your e-mails to debate@thetimes.co.uk

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Science News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• An officer and a gentle woman
• Dame Helen Mirren is worthy of the Epidaurus
• Foods that can help to prevent swine flu