Subdivision Controlling exposure to traumatic events - Work Health and Safety (Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work) Code of Practice 2024 - Controlling exposure to traumatic events or material | Zoe

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Subdivision Controlling exposure to traumatic events - Work Health and Safety (Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work) Code of Practice 2024 - Controlling exposure to traumatic events or material | Zoe

Controlling exposure to traumatic events or material

Note: These are examples only. You must identify and implement control measures that eliminate or minimise the risks in your workplace, so far as is reasonably practicable.

Job/work design	- Design work to minimise the number of workers exposed to traumatic events (e.g. design roles so tasks that can be carried out away from an accident or disaster scene are performed from another location).- Coordinate and schedule tasks at traumatic scenes so workers are not exposed to unnecessary trauma (e.g. arrange for less urgent tasks to be performed after a body has been removed).
Physical work environment	- Eliminate physical risks to health and safety in the workplace to prevent trauma from a workplace incident or near miss.- Remove or secure potentially lethal means of self-harm (e.g. medications or hazardous chemicals) from the workplace or secure them (e.g. require two workers to enter codes to access storage units or require higher level authorisation processes).- Provide physical barriers to discourage suicide attempts (e.g. install fences to prevent access to train tracks or railings on bridges, locking windows and limiting roof access).- Implement file flagging processes or password requirements on potentially distressing files to eliminate inadvertent exposure to distressing content.
Minimising exposure to traumatic events or material	- Reduce exposure to traumatic materials, particularly if there is no operational need for workers to view or listen to all the materials or consider them in detail (e.g. allow online moderators to remove users based on a single serious breach or encourage officers discovering suspected child abuse material to pass that material to identified investigations without reviewing it).- Use screening software to remove explicit material.- Minimise the number of workers exposed to traumatic materials or events (e.g. do not bring unnecessary workers into an investigation or natural disaster area).- Minimise the amount of traumatic materials or events each worker is exposed to (e.g. rotate police officers through different roles to provide periods of respite).- Reduce workloads so workers can investigate thoroughly and provide adequate support to victims (e.g. prevent workers from feeling they ‘failed someone’).- Increase breaks and recovery time after exposure to a traumatic event (e.g. provide time to disconnect from work).
Safe work systems and procedures	- Provide guidelines and procedures for dealing with incidents, train workers in these procedures and ensure they understand them (e.g. reduce the number of decisions workers make during a traumatic event).- Implement reporting systems for exposure to traumatic or distressing events. Implement systems that prompt supervisors to support workers, trigger a review of the incident and a review of whether control measures are working as planned.- Create a safe space for workers to report traumatic or distressing events and deal with these disclosures sensitively and seriously.- Implement peer support programs.- Implement procedures for providing support after traumatic events (e.g. provide counselling and professional support).- Train supervisors on responding to trauma and where they can get assistance.
The worker	- Ensure recruitment and selection practices incorporate a realistic job preview so applicants are aware the role has the potential to expose them to trauma.- Monitor the health of your workers following traumatic events, or when dealing with traumatic materials, using processes developed in consultation with workers.- Provide training to workers so they understand their role, know how to respond effectively, and know where to access advice and assistance during a traumatic event.- Provide training to workers who may be exposed to traumatic events or have a role in supporting workers who are exposed, so they can recognise signs and symptoms of stress and ensure they know where and how to access support.- Monitor and support workers following traumatic events (e.g. are there any changes to their behaviours or increased absenteeism).- Provide employee assistance programs and encourage workers to use them.