Traumatic Response Policy

03/06/2024

Traumatic Response Policy

Definitions/Brevos (abbreviations)

PTE - Potentially Traumatic Experience

Overview 

This policy is to ensure the wellbeing of the workforce after a potentially traumatic experience. Including but not limited to;

• How management or appropriate employees are to consult with the affected parties immediately after the inciting incident.

• What is expected of the affected party or those witness to a worker involved in a potentially traumatic incident.

• What follow up consultation is required by management or on behalf of management.

Scope

This policy covers the responsibility of workers or those witness to workers involved in a potentially traumatic event as well as the  response required by employers to employees after a potentially traumatic experience.

A traumatic experience is defined as one that poses a threat of serious injury or death to oneself or others, and elicits feelings of intense fear, helplessness, or terror.

Procedure

After a PTE, a worker, or witness to a worker involved in a PTE is to call the office to inform the appropriate manager or supervisor of the incident.

In the event that the PTE is a road incident involving an employee, said employee is to follow Accident and Breakdown Procedures first, then continue on with this policy.

In the event that the traumatic experience is on a job site, employees and employers are to follow the Reporting Unsafe Work Environment policies, then continue with this policy.

In the event that the potentially traumatic experience is not described above the following procedure will still be followed.

Members of staff involved in the PTE will be directed to get to a safe place, take note of the time and take a moment to process what has just occurred (approximately 5 to 10 minutes, or until the affected parties feel capable enough fill out the Injury Register - http://ohs.mwav.org/

The PTE must be logged in the Injury Register by all staff involved in the PTE.

After staff have submitted their completed injury reports, they are to again contact a manager to discuss the best course of action.

The appropriate manager will then make an informed decision on the best course of action to benefit the wellbeing of those involved including but not limited to:

• The affected staff member(s) is capable to continue working and or driving

• If the affected staff member(s) is to return to the depot and end their shift

• If they need to take a break then check back in with the manager

If the employee is both comfortable and able to continue their shift, they are required to report to a manager by the end of it to discuss the incident, both the event(s) and how they are coping immediately post-event.

This discussion is a welfare check and in no way to reprimand or conduct performance management. If performance management is required, this is not to occur until the affected person is ready to discuss the issue(s) but must be before their next rostered shift. Both parties must agree to performance management.

Follow Up Procedure

In the event that the registration of a PTE is completed, the most appropriate manager (most likely to be the General Manager - Humans)  and employees must discuss the incident and its effects within 7 days of the incident.

This is to enquire as to whether the PTE affected person has been experiencing any residual emotional difficulties or stressors that could be related to the incident. 

If so, refer to the workplace injury flowchart for further instruction.

If not, a further follow up by day 14 post PTE is required to catch any delayed reaction. If so, refer to the workplace injury flowchart for further instruction.