How do you prevent permanent trauma after a serious occupational accident?

How do we define a serious occupational accident and trauma?

Bjorn: “A serious occupational accident is a fatal occupational accident or one that meets certain conditions. It involves the combination of an injury and an anomalous event and/or object, for example, a bone fracture resulting from a collapse of an overhead structure.”

Lindsy: “An event is potentially traumatic if it is an unexpected and uncontrollable event that feels overwhelming and which shatters our illusion or invincibility. We all know an occupational accident can happen, but this illusion of invincibility makes us think it won’t happen to us. That way, we don’t leave for work every morning anxious.

“A serious accident at work often leaves a deep impact. Not only on the victim, but also on colleagues, managers or witnesses. Fortunately, not everyone who experiences a traumatic event develops lasting psychological trauma. This is only the case when the initial – normal – symptoms have still not resolved after a few months. The way in which the first few hours, days and weeks following the accident are managed makes a huge difference. By recognising potentially traumatic events and responding to them appropriately, we can significantly reduce or even prevent the risk of long-term psychological symptoms.”

What does a ‘normal’ response to trauma look like?

Lindsy: “Immediately after a serious accident at work, the body switches to survival mode. The stress response kicks in fully and the reactions can vary widely, including crying, trembling, confusion, palpitations and sweating, but can just as easily involve laughing or displaying remarkable calm and decisiveness. These reactions are all normal. In this phase, the brain is primarily trying to restore a sense of safety and make sense of what has happened. The most important thing is that you are able to release the built-up tension. Allow those releases and emotions; they’re a part of the process. And talk about it with someone you know and trust. The only thing that doesn’t work is being alone.”

Bjorn: “So far, I have assisted one company for Mensura in the aftermath of a fatal occupational accident. A young man of barely 20 years old had been pinched between two machines. I’ll never forget it: the crying parents and friends, the anger and dejection, the guilt of those left behind, the body at the medical examiner’s… At such a moment, as a prevention adviser, you have to switch off your emotions and look at the facts: taking witness statements and writing a report from your role as an expert. What happened here and how do we avoid this in the future?”

What happens when those initial emotions sink in?

Lindsy: “After the sheer release comes recovery. For many people, these extreme emotions lead to panic, but we let them see that it is a healthy, restorative response. Flashbacks, nightmares, startle responses, sleep and concentration problems, and avoidance behaviour are intense, but they are also a sign that recovery has begun. These are normal reactions to an abnormal event.”

“People, by the way, possess a natural resilience, which comes out especially with others by your side. So talk about your feelings and listen to your body. We’ll check in with you after a month to see how your recovery is progressing. Are you still often crying in bed, but starting to leave the house again? Then your body is recovering; allow yourself to experience that pain. It’s important that you don’t become fixed in your avoidance patterns.”

“Do you feel like you’ve hit a processing plateau or complaints don’t go away and even increase? That’s what we mean by trauma. The accumulated tension has not found its way out and has got ‘stuck’ in your body. In that case, we’ll refer you to a trauma psychologist to confront and release that tension in a safe environment.”

Bjorn: “When I spoke to the witnesses of the fatal occupational accident, I also noticed that many only remembered fragments. In principle, such a report must be completed within ten calendar days, but after consulting with the company’s PAPSY and the FPS, we gave the witnesses extra time. After they calmed down, we were able to put the puzzle pieces of memory into place together. And that was actually also a form of processing.”

As a prevention adviser, how do you avoid taking on those emotions yourself?

Lindsy: “Intense emotions are part and parcel of the job. We try to be as empathetic as possible, without letting others’ emotions take hold of us. We maintain our professional role, but that does not mean that other people’s experiences or emotions cannot affect us. We also make use of peer support and peer supervision, and we remain alert to signs of burnout in ourselves. Only when you take sufficient care of your own resilience can you support others in the long term. Above all, don’t try to stay strong just because you’re a psychologist. Call someone you know so that you can unburden yourself in complete safety.”

Bjorn: “Every time I see that exact machine, I can still see that young man lying there. The PAPSY involved contacted me for a talk after the accident, and we always discuss such occupational accidents as a group at Mensura. I got a lot of comfort out of that.”

As an employer, how do you deal with a traumatic serious occupational accident?

Bjorn: “Production activities were temporarily halted in the company where the fatal occupational accident occurred. In consultation with the PAPSYs and the FPS TWW, and after taking the necessary preventive measures, the various lines were systematically restarted. You can really see a difference now in terms of safety culture. Everyone is now putting maximum effort into safety so that they never have to go through this again.”

Lindsy: “As an employer, you can play a key role in preventing long-term psychological consequences following a serious accident at work. First and foremost, it is essential to provide a safe, calm and clear environment. Employees need accurate information, practical support and the assurance that their wellbeing is being taken seriously. Show empathy, listen without judgement and respect the fact that everyone reacts differently to a traumatic event. Furthermore, care does not end after the initial support. By organising regular check-ins in the days and weeks that follow, staying in touch and offering professional support in good time when necessary, an employer can support the recovery process and reduce the risk of lasting trauma-related symptoms.”