4. How to protect workers’ mental health

This Chapter focuses on how workplace union reps can ensure employers take action to prevent or reduce the impact of Covid on workers’ mental health, including how they can use health and safety law, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Stress Management Standards, and TUC and trade union information, advice and guidance.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has produced the guidelines Working safely during coronavirus (Covid-19). These make dealing with the mental health and wellbeing aspects of Covid-19 a key criteria for employers, although there is little detail contained within the guidance.