Suicide Prevention

Well done to Colm Drumgoole and Leigh-Anne Pye on recently completing the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills training with Mates in Construction.

It is a sad fact that every year 190 Australians working in the construction industry take their own lives. This means we lose a construction worker every second day to suicide.

Construction workers are six times more likely to die from suicide than an accident at work. For our young workers, the facts are that they are well over two times more likely to take their own lives than other young Australian men.

Colm and Leigh-Anne are part of Ward’s efforts to ensure we have gate-keepers available to those who may need assistance or support.

Research has shown us that workers find it difficult to discuss feelings and emotions with colleagues at work and the nature of the work made social support more difficult. Pride was identified as an issue with saying they had a problem being seen as not manly.

If you need help and are on a construction site which has received MATES in Construction training, please contact 1300 642 111.  

Alternatively you can contact 13 11 14 Lifeline Australia that is open 7 days a week 24 hours a day and Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.