FEATURE
According to the Mayo Clinic, many people with mental
illnesses are unaware that their thoughts or behaviour are
atypical and consider their signs or symptoms a normal
part of life. This makes it especially critical that workplaces
be better equipped to recognize and discuss mental health
issues to keep employees safe.
“People spend more time at work than they do outside
of work; we have a definite role in recognizing symptoms of
mental illness or suicide risk factors,” said Walker. “If somebody
is dealing with a severe mental illness or is at risk of
suicide, they’re at a place of despair. Their mind is not going
to be on the job and they’re not going to be safe for themselves
or others on the work site. It’s in everybody’s best
interest to help them.”
Risk factors: Sound familiar?
The majority of the Canadian construction workforce is
male; consider that men – especially white men in their
early 20s through their 50s – are most at risk for suicide
and it’s easy to understand by demographics alone why
the construction workforce could be identified as having a
heightened risk for suicide.
However, looking beyond statistics alone, the nature of
certain aspects of the construction industry create risk factors
that compound the concern for people predisposed to
suicidal thoughts.
Typical construction culture
“Culture is probably one of the biggest factors, and one of the
areas that we can prevent,” said Walker. “Think about the
traditional construction culture – the tough guy, getting the
job done at all costs.”
The manner in which leaders are often promoted in the
industry also has a role to play.
The very nature of construction
sites require employees to work in
uncomfortable situations – working
from heights or in trenches – and
provides access to lethal means
VITEETHUMB/123RF
“People typically get promoted based on their technical
abilities, and not necessarily on their leadership or management
skills,” said Walker. “This can create issues for people
from not having clearer, positive leadership or having leaders
whose only mode of directing or guiding their employees is
through negative, almost stigmatizing behaviour.” Unhealthy
management styles, especially those involving shame and
humiliation as part of the discipline process, can feed into a
toxic culture.
“When you look at the main contributing factors to suicide
risk, perceived burdensome is one – ‘I’m no good, the world
would be better off without me’ – these types of thoughts,”
said Walker. “When you put together that lack of belongingness
with a manager who is unhealthfully guiding and not
disciplining with positive behaviour, you can see where that
can be a huge contributing factor to someone at risk.”
Remote work and industry demands
Remote construction projects require workers to be away
from their homes, sometimes for long periods of time.
Separation from family or friends can be isolating and restrict
access to those critical support systems, in addition to the
family issues that can result from extended absences.
For projects in any location, the low margin for error
that exists in construction can create extreme pressure for
some people.
“If you screw something up on a construction project, it
can be a really big deal,” said Walker. “There’s not a lot of room
for slight slipups – that pressure can build on people.”
Beyond that, changing crews and the seasonal nature of
the work provides an inconsistent team environment, creating
a barrier in what could be a more stable support system
to a person at risk for suicide. Additionally, too much time
between projects or layoffs can result in financial issues,
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