Psychosocial risks at workplace in Uruguay: background, approaches, and challenges for an unavoidable agenda

Abstract

The study of the centrality of work in people's lives is unavoidable, both from a social perspective—as a means of subsistence—and in terms of its role in the construction of subjectivity. Psychosocial risks at work (PRW), which arise from the relationship between workers and the conditions under which work is organized, have significant effects on health. The objective of this study was to review previous research on PRW and the current regulatory framework in Uruguay. A comprehensive bibliographic and documentary review methodology was employed. The studies analyzed address the identification of PRW from both regulatory and health-related perspectives. A total of 170 studies were identified, originating mainly from the fields of Psychology (53%), Medicine (21%), and Law (15%). Regarding the regulatory framework, it was found that PRW are not specifically regulated in Uruguay, except in specific areas such as gender-based violence (Law 19580 of 2017) and sexual harassment (Law 18580 and Decree 256/2017). Gaps were observed in both academic production and legislation with respect to the identification, prevention, and management of these risks. In this context, it becomes imperative that academia, together with union, productive, and governmental actors, advance in the critical discussion and regulation of this field.