When Helping Hurts: PTSD in frontline workers and first responders

Every day frontline workers put their physical and mental well-being on the line to protect and serve our communities. When your workplace involves regular exposure to traumatic events, what help is available?  

Learn more about PTSD in first responders and your options for workers’ compensation payouts for PTSD Australia.  

Australia’s frontline workers 

In Australia we understand ‘frontline workers’ to include those working in a community-facing profession, including in health, law enforcement and emergency response: 

• Police officers 

• Nurses 

• Paramedics and ambulance service 

• Emergency first responders such as fire and rescue services 

• State emergency service volunteers 

What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) 

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a trauma-related mental illness, usually incorporating a group of stress reactions after witnessing a traumatic event such as: 

• Serious injury or death 

• Sexual violence 

• Family violence 

• Workplace violence such as dangerous situation or shootings 

• A serious motor vehicle accident, plane crash or other transport incident 

• A serious workplace accident 

• Natural disaster including fire, storm, and flood 

What a traumatic event can feel like 

Each person who experiences or witnesses a traumatic event will respond differently. Not all will develop PTSD. You may have felt: 

• Extreme fear (including being fearful or death) 

• Helpless 

• Overwhelmed 

• Shocked or horrified 

What are symptoms of PTSD? 

The Black Dog Institute recognises four groups of PTSD symptoms following traumatic events (or repeated exposure to traumatic events). PTSD symptoms tend to be persistent, may last a long time (and worsen over time) and impact how you cope with daily life. The four symptom groups are: 

• Reliving or reexperiencing the traumatic event 

• Avoiding being reminded about the traumatic event 

• Development of negative mood and thought patterns 

• A ‘flight or fight,’ hypervigilant feeling of being ‘on edge’ 

Your right to a safe workplace 

Your employer must ensure your workplace is safe. This includes ensuring that your mental health is protected and supported. There’s an increased responsibility where workers are regularly exposed to traumatic events. This exposure often can’t be controlled or eliminated. But workplaces can control: 

• The environment that frontline workers return to after their shift 

• Provision of mental health resources and support services 

• Train workers on how to respond in traumatic events 

Key mental health findings for police and emergency service workers 

Beyond Blue’s landmark ‘Answering the Call’ research was the first national mental survey in police and emergency service frontline workers. Its key findings included: 

• More than half of all emergency service employees had experienced a traumatic event in the course of their work 

• Emergency service workers are more than twice as likely (as the general population) to experience high rates of psychological distress 

• 1 in 3 employees experience very high psychological distress (compared to 1 in 8 Australian adults) 

• 3 in 4 employees found the current workers’ compensation process to be detrimental to their recovery 

• Poor workplace practices and cultures are as damaging to mental health as workplace trauma 

PTSD and workers’ compensation claims 

Under workers’ compensation laws, PTSD is a psychological injury. We recommend seeking workers’ compensation advice from Shine Lawyers about the: 

• Circumstances of your PTSD injury and trauma exposure 

• Relevant workers’ compensation legal requirements in your state or territory 

Post-traumatic stress disorder presumption in some states and territories 

Workers’ compensation laws in some Australian states include a presumption that eligible frontline workers who are diagnosed with PTSD by a psychiatrist, have a work-related injury (unless there’s contrary evidence). This recognises: 

• That eligible frontline work necessarily involving exposure to traumatic, stressful events 

• Complexities involved in diagnosing PTSD 

• Having to repeatedly discuss the ‘triggering’ event or incident can exacerbate PTSD 

Learn more for your state or territory here: 

• Queensland – includes first responders PTSD and other eligible employees whose employment requires repeated or extreme traumatic exposure 

• Australian Capital Territory 

• Tasmania – includes eligible public servants 

• South Australia – a Bill to amend existing workers’ compensation legislation has been introduced, to include the presumption that PTSD in eligible workers is work-related. This has not yet been made law but is relevant to first responders PTSD 

• Western Australia – includes ambulance officers PTSD, paramedics PTSD, communications systems officer PTSD and firefighters PTSD 

• Northern Territory – includes first responder PTSD (including as a volunteer) unless the person is trained as a first responder but hasn’t attended an emergency  

New South Wales and Victoria each have PTSD initiatives relevant to first responder PTSD and frontline worker PTSD, but they have not been formalised into law: 

• New South Wales – Front of Mind initiative 

• Victoria – Phoenix Australia Responder Assist service 

Time limits to make a PTSD workers’ compensation claim 

Strict time limits apply for making workers’ compensation claims. The basic time limitations for each state or territory are: 

Do you need PTSD support? 

If you’re a frontline worker or first responder in need of counselling or mental health assistance, contact

• Lifeline: 13 11 14

• Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467

• Black Dog Institute 

• Fearless 

• Phoenix Australia 

Shine Lawyers – we’re here to help

Shine Lawyers have a dedicated team of legal experts who can provide support to first responders, frontline workers, and emergency services workers if you’ve experienced something traumatic at work. 

Get in touch with us today for an obligation-free consultation to check if you are eligible to make a workers' compensation claim, or for help with accessing your benefits and entitlements through your superannuation, life insurance or other insurance policies.