While regulations do vary from state to state, the principals outlined in the following resources are broadly applicable as they relate to the application a risk management approach.

Work Design for Mental Health Resource Suite
& Psychosocial Hazard Work Re-Design Tool (PHReD-T)
(PDF Resources)
Developed as part of Safework NSW’s Mentally Healthy Workplaces Strategy - these resources provide a step-by-step guide to identifying and assessing psychosocial hazards, and implementing control measures through work redesign.

Vicarious Trauma Awareness & Prevention Project
(Video Series)
Developed by CPSU Victoria, these resources clearly outline the key ideas related to organisational prevention of VT; including Victorian WHS regulations, responsibilities & strategies.

Model Code of Practice: Managing psychosocial hazards at work

(Comprehensive Guide)
Safe Work Australia’s 2022 guideline provides clear direction for the management of psychosocial hazards under Australian WHS legislation. This Model Code of Practice has now been adopted in most states & territories.

Managing Mental Health Risks at Work - Training for Managers & Employees
(Free 30min e-learning module)
Developed by Beyondblue and accessible as part of the Heads Up project resources.

Vicarious Occupational Trauma Exposure (VOTE) Index (PDF Assessment Tool)
This assessment tool, developed by Harvard University, helps organisations measure and evaluate occupational trauma exposure across different roles. Particularly useful for measuring changes in exposure patterns when implementing control measures in line with WHS requirements.

Secondary Traumatic Stress Informed Organisation Assessment
(Online Assessment Tool)
Created by the University of Kentucky Center on Trauma & Children, this evidence-informed tool helps organisations assess their current capacity to address indirect trauma exposure. Provides a practical framework for identifying gaps and strengths in organisational response to trauma exposure.

STS Blueprint: Guide to Addressing Secondary Traumatic Stress (Interactive Online Resource)
While developed for social service organisations, this practical tool supports systematic assessment of organisational maturity in managing Secondary Traumatic Stress. Particularly useful for identifying areas for development in psychosocial safety systems.

People at Work
(Structured online process)
This free online tool is a national Australian initiative to support the management of psychosocial risks in all workplaces. The tool supports users to move through a comprehensive risk assessment and management process.

Health & Safety Wellbeing Self-Assessment Tool & Handbook
(PDF guideline & comprehensive self assessment)
Developed by Safe & Equal (Vic), this tool steps through organisational considerations for VT management in trauma exposed workforces supporting the identification of areas for improvement. Whilst developed for the DFV sector, many of the principals are broadly applicable.

Workload Management Environmental Scan
(Comprehensive review)
Developed by the Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research (Vic), this resource provides an overview of workload management as a hazard; as well as current and emerging best practices in workload management.

Vicarious Trauma–Organizational Readiness Guide for Victim Services
(8 page page assessment tool)
Developed by the US Office for Victims of Crime as part of their Vicarious Trauma Toolkit - this is a research-validated tool to support organisations to self-asses their strengths and areas for growth in implementing organisational change related to VT prevention.

Safe & Together - Health, Safety and Wellbeing Self Assessment Tool and Handbook
(23 page PDF assessment tool + 30page handbook)
Developed by Safe + Together, this tool is orientated toward re-enforcing best-practice for domestic violence services. It is designed to support organisations to conduct an in-depth self-assessment of their management of workplace health, safety & wellbeing.

Guidelines for a Trauma-Informed Organisation: Making the Business Case
(2page PDF summary)
This resource, developed as part of the US Vicarious Trauma Toolkit, provides a succinct summary of the evidence of the cost-effectiveness of organisational VT prevention.

STS Blueprint: A Guide to Addressing Secondary Traumatic Stress in Children’s Advocacy Centers
(online resource)
The STS Blueprint was designed to help CACs (Children’s Advocacy Centers) develop an organisational plan to address secondary traumatic stress (STS) among CAC staff. This resource may be helpful in identifying and planning organisational change initiatives.

Guidelines for a Vicarious Trauma-Informed Organization
(3 page guideline)
Part of the US Office for Victims of Crime Vicarious Trauma Toolkit, this guideline provides clear practical instruction for organisations proactively addresses the impact of vicarious trauma through policies, procedures, practices, and programs.

Workload Management: An implementation Guide
(25 page PDF - comprehensive review)
Developed by the Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research (Vic), this guide provides an in depth analysis of strategies to implement workload management measures relevant as applied to the Victorian public service.

Identifying, Mitigating and Managing Vicarious Trauma in Legal Settings - Seminar Summary.
(Single webpage)
Summarised by NSW Bar Association, Robyn Bradey’s 2016 seminar provides advice relevant to senior lawyers and practice managers in preventing Vicarious Trauma.

Supervision Guidelines for a Vicarious Trauma-Informed Organization
(2 page evidence-based guideline)
Part of the US Office for Victims of Crime Vicarious Trauma Toolkit, this guideline provides clear practical advice for strengthening the effectiveness of supervision as a tool for VT prevention.

Trauma-Informed Workforce Management Resource 

(Web page)

Developed by SA DHS (Child Protection) this resource provides an in-depth mapping of the the personal and clinical impacts of burnout and VT; providing a framework for an integrated organisational response to prevention. This resource provides guidelines for:


• fostering ‘vicarious resilience’

• a trauma responsive framework


• trauma-informed supervision


• the prevention responsibilities of each tier of staff (practitioners, senior workers, supervisors and managers)