Physical risks and mental health: review of interactions, prevention practices and workplace cases across various sectors

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) is planning to launch a call for tender to support the priority area ‘physical risks and mental health’, of the Healthy Workplaces Campaign on mental health and psychosocial risks (PSR) that will be launched by the contracting authority in 2026. The contracting authority asks for the provision of expert services to analyse and synthesise evidence addressing the interactions between physical risks, psychosocial risks and mental health at work, with particular attention to high-risk sectors characterised by high physical workload and accident rates. EU-OSHA reports are already available for PSR in the health and social care sector , construction , agriculture . Within this context, the objective of this contract is to strengthen the evidence base and practical understanding of combined exposures to physical risks, psychosocial risks and environmental working conditions, and their implications for workers’ mental health, safety outcomes and prevention. The results of the contract shall support the preparation and implementation of EU-OSHA activities and communication products, including the Healthy Workplaces Campaign on psychosocial risks and mental health, notably the priority area “Physical risks and mental health”. The specific objectives of the contract are to: • analyse current scientific and institutional evidence on the interaction between physical risks, environmental working conditions and psychosocial risks, and their implications for mental health, safety outcomes and accident occurrence; • identify and describe key pathways and mechanisms through which combined exposures (including physical workload, musculoskeletal disorders, environmental stressors, accidents and psychosocial risks) influence workers’ mental health, behaviour and safety; • highlight sector-specific, occupation-specific and group-specific vulnerabilities, with particular attention to micro and small enterprises (MSEs), migrant, temporary, seasonal and older workers; • examine and promote integrated prevention and risk-management approaches addressing physical, psychosocial and environmental risks in a coherent manner; • identify, document and disseminate good practice examples illustrating effective workplace-level prevention strategies and integrated risk management. The maximum total budget available for the contract to be awarded will be EUR 60.000 (excluding VAT). It is possible to express interest as an individual organisation or a consortium. However please note that invited candidates can submit a joint tender with other economic operators only if they have expressed interest in the planned procedure as a consortium. More information regarding the participation rules. Please find the technical and professional capacity required for this contract here: https://osha.europa.eu/en/about-eu-osha/procurement/osha2026lvp0007-exa-physical-risks-and-mental-health-review-interactions-prevention-practices-and-workplace-cases-across-various-sectors