SOM has secured funding from Lloyd’s Register Foundation to run a systematic literature review on the mental health, safety and wellbeing of first responders in 2026.
Disasters and extreme events are becoming more frequent. Protecting the health and safety of first responders is of vital importance, so governments, and the public, can be assured that they can be called upon to work effectively in challenging environments.
The project will consolidate current knowledge on the mental health and safety of disaster and first responders from an international perspective by carrying out a systematic global literature review on the psychological impacts, both good and bad, experienced by this occupational group and identifying best practices and effective interventions. Findings will be used to provide actionable insights for policymakers; organisations and Lloyd’s Register Foundation.
SOM President Professor Neil Greenberg will be leading the systematic review alongside researcher, Dr Sahra Tekin. Neil said: “We are very grateful to Lloyd’s Register Foundation for this grant which will see us consolidating key evidence to produce actional outputs to support the mental health of disaster response workers across the globe. This work also fits very well with SOM’s intent to make better use of published evidence as the basis for the various guidance documents which we produce to help occupational health professionals carry out their important work”.
The Foundation’s 2023 World Risk Poll data shows that 30% of people globally had experienced a disaster related to hazards in the past 5 years, up from 27% in 2021. Approximately 60% of first responders experience psychological trauma during their careers and are three times more likely to experience PTSD than the general population. The ability for first responders to effectively cope with such stressors is essential not only for their own mental health, but for the safety and efficacy of their work.
We are delighted to be working with the new Lloyd’s Register Foundation Global Safety Evidence Centre which launched in 2025. The Global Safety Evidence Centre aims to become a hub for anyone who needs to know ‘what works’ to make people safer in the face of a range of global safety challenges.
Nancy Hey, Director of Evidence and Insight at Lloyd’s Register Foundation, said: “The World Risk Poll highlights a growing global trend: more people are experiencing disasters. This makes it even more important to strengthen resilience – not just for individuals, but for communities and societies as a whole.
“Research exists on the general impact of disasters on occupational safety, but not enough has been done on the impact on those that help us all with their consequences. Yet we know there are increasing risks to the mental safety, health and wellbeing of those first on the scene. This includes millions of people globally who respond to all types of disasters in professional, voluntary and informal roles. We’re pleased to be working with SOM to improve how evidence is used to support them.”
