How to support railway employees exposed to traumatic events

All railway employees – from drivers and conductors to station staff and maintenance crews – often face challenging and traumatic events as part of their everyday work. Violence, accidents, fatalities, and near misses aren't just rare incidents; they’re a real and recurring risk across the rail industry.

The impact of these experiences can be far-reaching. We know that trauma affects mental health, job performance, and long-term well-being if left unaddressed. But it can be difficult to put the right support in place for your employees.

At Resilient People, we believe in acknowledging these challenges with honesty and compassion. You can make a huge positive difference to your organisation by creating a trauma-informed workplace culture where everyone feels seen, supported, and psychologically safe.

This blog post offers practical guidance on how to help your railway staff at key moments – from emotional first aid immediately following an incident to the embedded structures that create ongoing support.

TW: This article discusses different types of traumatic experiences, including death by suicide and other fatalities. Please consider whether this is the right time for you to read this before you continue.

Types of traumatic experiences railway workers are exposed to

Railway workers face different types of traumatic experiences. These are some of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulation(RIDDOR) statistics reported to the Office of Rail and Road, for the year March 2023-March 2024:

Across all mainline networks, trams and the London Underground:

• No workforce fatalities for the first year since 2016
• 10,709 total injuries to staff, passengers or members of the public
• 22 fatalities from injuries (not including suicide)
• 1,325 severe injuries that needed hospitalisation
• 1,178 cases of shock and trauma
• 342 suicide, or suspected suicide attempts, resulting in 274 fatalities – the highest number since 2020

That’s nearly one suicide attempt every day.

Mainline railworkers:

• 104 rail staff specified injuries (the most serious reportable injuries) – this is an increase of 4% on the previous year
• Total of 4,456 workforce injuries (specific, over 7 days, and non-severe)
• 4,352 other injuries

Station staff:

• 94% of frontline staff have experienced work-related violence

That’s a wide range of traumatic experiences, from witnessing fatalities and serious accidents to dealing with near misses, verbal abuse and violence, or discovering someone in distress.

All of these situations are deeply upsetting, and the effects aren’t always immediate or visible. That’s why your mental health support plan needs both reactive and preventative elements.

It’s not only about what happens just after an incident happens but also about helping workers feel mentally prepared before anything occurs. Support can be broadly categorised into two areas:

1. Immediate action: Including psychological first aid, peer support, and time to decompress following an event
2. Long-term action: Involving expert-led trauma training, access to counselling, regular mental health check-ins, and building a workplace culture that recognises and responds to trauma in a meaningful way.

Both parts are essential to sustaining the good mental health of your railway employees. Let’s explore each type in more detail…

1. Providing immediate support for railway workers after a traumatic event

In the aftermath of a traumatic experience, the right support can make all the difference. It’s about more than responding – it’s about reassuring, protecting, and allowing space to process.

Immediate support should prioritise safety, dignity, and compassion. Here’s how:

Provide a safe space

As soon as possible, move the affected employee to a private, quiet area – ideally somewhere calm, away from operational activity, public view, and loud noises. This could be a break room, office, or designated well-being area.

The aim is to give them a sense of physical and psychological safety – a place where they can start to regain a feeling of control.

Offer Mental Health First Aid (MHFA)

If trained personnel are available, Mental Health First Aid should be offered. This doesn’t mean counselling – it means listening calmly, providing reassurance, and being present.

Offer simple physical comforts like water, a warm drink, a blanket, or tissues. Ask if they’d like someone contacted (a family member, friend, or union rep).

Your presence and gentle approach help reinforce that they’re not alone, that their well-being is a priority, and that they’re going to be okay.

Acknowledge their experience

Traumatic incidents can leave people feeling shocked, numb, tearful, guilty, angry, or completely shut down. All of these reactions are normal. Let them know it’s okay to feel whatever they’re feeling.

You don’t need to probe or ask for details – simply saying something like, “You’ve just been through something really difficult, so it’s completely okay to feel overwhelmed right now” can go a long way in helping them feel validated and supported.

Initial time off

It’s important to allow the person to step away from their duties without having to explain themselves or feel guilty for leaving. Encourage them to take the rest of the day off – and longer if needed – and make it clear that their immediate well-being comes first.

Offer to arrange transport home or ensure someone can meet them if they’re not okay to travel alone.

Debrief, don’t interrogate

In the hours following an incident, it’s natural to want to understand what happened. But this isn’t the time for formal questioning or fact-finding, especially if they’ve already given a witness statement to the police.

Instead, provide a gentle, non-judgmental check-in. Focus on how they’re feeling rather than what they saw or did. Avoid putting them on the spot.

A question like “How are you feeling now?” or “Is there anything you need right now?” can create space for them to talk if they want to – and stay silent if they don’t.

2. Providing long-term mental health support and ongoing counselling

Support after a traumatic event shouldn’t stop once the initial crisis has passed. In fact, it’s often in the days, weeks, and even months that follow that people begin to process what happened. This is where longer-term support within a mental health strategy becomes critical.

Here are some elements to include in your meaningful, sustained mental health care:

Early access to professional help

Getting timely access to the right support can make all the difference in preventing longer-term mental health issues.

Offer clear, simple pathways to trauma-informed professionals – whether through your organisation’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) or external specialists in crisis response.

It’s vital that the services provided understand the unique pressures railway workers face and are trained in supporting people who’ve experienced shock, loss, or high-stress situations.

Normalise counselling

One of the biggest barriers to long-term recovery is stigma. Some employees may feel they should ‘tough it out’ or keep going for the sake of their team – particularly in male-dominated industries like the railway industry.

That’s why it’s important to:

• Tackle the source of this stigma with mental health awareness training that gives your employees the language and workplace culture to discuss their mental health comfortably.
  
  
• Consistently frame counselling and psychological support as a strength, not a weakness. Use language that makes it clear this is not only accepted but encouraged: “It’s completely normal to need support after what you’ve experienced—in fact, it’s a sign of strength to reach out.” Leadership teams and line managers play a key role in setting this tone.

Flexible support options

Everyone responds differently after a traumatic event, and what feels safe or comfortable for one person might not suit another. That’s why offering choice is essential.

Make sure employees have access to a range of formats, including in-person counselling, telephone support, and secure online therapy sessions. Flexibility helps remove barriers, especially for those who may not feel ready to speak face-to-face or who work irregular hours.

Regular check-ins

Recovery isn’t linear, and sometimes the emotional impact of a traumatic event doesn’t surface right away. Scheduling confidential follow-up check-ins creates ongoing opportunities for support. It gives individuals reassurance to know that management understands this and they’re not expected to be ‘fine’ after a set date.

Ideally, check-ins will be scheduled at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after the incident.

These can be carried out by a trusted line manager, HR professional, or designated well-being lead. Check-ins should be informal and focused on how the person is feeling, not on performance or return-to-work pressure.

Watch for delayed symptoms

Some signs of trauma don’t show up immediately. Managers and colleagues should be aware of potential delayed symptoms of PTSD or ongoing stress. These can include withdrawal or avoidance behaviour, irritability, difficulty concentrating, sleep issues, or increased absenteeism.

Your team leaders need training and awareness sessions to help them spot these signs early and respond with empathy and appropriate referrals – not discipline or judgement.

How Resilient People supports you – before, during, and after trauma

Supporting railway workers through trauma isn’t just about reacting to what’s happened – it’s about preparing, responding, and following up in a way that builds long-term resilience.

At Resilient People, we specialise in helping organisations create environments where people feel safe, supported, and understood, no matter what challenges they face.

You get a tailored package of support chosen from the full range of our expertise and experience, which includes:

• Mental Health First Aid (MHFA): Our accredited MHFA course teaches key staff how to deliver emotional first aid and spot signs of mental ill health.
• Trauma Prepared: Give your line managers and employees the confidence to effectively lead and handle traumatic workplace situations. Our Trauma Prepared course equips staff with knowledge and understanding of the signs and impact of trauma.
• Trauma Risk Management (TRiM): Our TRiM course gives you a peer-led framework that specifically tackles workplace situations that involve trauma or potential trauma.

At Resilient People, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. Every railway team is different, and we’re here to help you find the right fit.

Call us today to talk through the best approach for your railway workers. Let’s build a healthier, more resilient workplace together.