Critical Incident in Workplace: Safety, Functional and Administrative Issues

The impacts of critical incidents on staff not only occur when an incident occurs in the workplace, but also impact the worksite when staff are involved in such incidents other than at work, even in far distant places. The incidents may impact: a) the productivity and safety of staff performing their work; b) the care and treatment of patients, clients, students or those receiving goods from the agency, and; c) the administration and operational functioning of an organization. Many organizations have plans to respond to employee and family needs for support when critical incidents occur within employee and family assistance programs internally or through contract services with agencies which provide these services. The services provided may range from psychological first aid (PFA), to broader and more in-depth intervention programs such as critical incident stress management (CISM), which involve early individual, large and small group responses to support staff and when necessary, referral to more in-depth support with counselling / therapy.