• About EAP and EAPworks
  • What is EAPworks?
  • Key Personnel
• For Individuals
  • What EAPworks offers you
  • Common uses of EAPworks
  • What can you expect from EAPworks?
  • How can I use the service?
• For Organisations and Managers
  • Goals & Principles
  • Benefits
  • Features
  • Additional features
  • Types of EAP referrals
  • Scope of EAPworks programmes
  • Professional standards
  • Legislative considerations
• Other Services Provided By EAPworks
  • Workplace change & restructuring
  • Career transition & outplacement services
  • Rapid response crisis services
  • EAPworks and rapid response
  • Conflict resolution - mediation & facilitation services
  • Workplace training services
  • Mentoring, Coaching & Supervision
• Resources for Managers

Rapid response crisis services

What is a critical incident?

A critical incident is an incident which may put a workplace community or any part of it under major stress. 

In general terms, a critical incident is defined as an unexpected and sudden traumatic event which causes or is likely to cause extreme physical and/or emotional distress to staff and may be regarded as outside the normal range of experience of the people affected. In assessing a critical incident, consideration must be given to the prevailing factors and mood of the staff at the time of the incident. It will also depend on how public the incident is and how many people are affected.

Some examples of critical incidents: 

• Any serious workplace accident or near-miss

• Any fatality, near fatality or incident likely to affect seriously a staff and/or volunteer or a number of staff members and volunteers.

• Traumatic loss or suicide involving volunteers/staff and their family members; 

• Threats of violence to staff / volunteers; 

• Physical or sexual assault; 

• Injury or death of a colleague; 

• Fire, explosion, bomb threat; 

• Chemical, radiation or bio-hazard spillage; 

• Hold-up or attempted robbery; 

• Major theft or vandalism; 

• Threat of contagious infection; 

• Incidents involving pain or abuse of animals; 

• Incidents in which sights, sounds, or smells are distressing; 

• Storms/natural disasters; 

• Acute illness (physical or mental)

• Serious traffic accidents; 

 

Every critical incident is unique and will need to be dealt with differently, according to the needs of the people affected.  EAPworks is committed to providing a priority Rapid-Response Crisis service to all organisations as part of the EAPworks’ Employee Assistance Programme.