197: Real Workplace Safety Includes a Mental Health Plan

Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas, mental health advocate, podcast host and founder of Construction Working Minds, joins us for episode 197 of Art of Construction.

In this episode, Sally takes us on a deep journey through Beauty and Beast: the importance of mental health, suicide prevention, and its correlation to the world of construction. More specifically, Dr. Spencer-Thomas assists construction companies with creating strategies for both suicide prevention and mental health.

Areas under construction, as most know, can prove to be dangerous in many aspects. But what happens when you mix the dangers of a construction site with the unpredictability or depression of a person suffering from mental health issues?  “The perfect storm of risk,” says Sally. These foreseen dangers mixed with the extreme failures, tight and stressful schedules, and the culture of fearlessness within the construction community, can stunt the growth of a company or family within the blink of an eye.     

80% of suicides are by white, middle aged men. Just based on that statistic alone, male dominated industries, such as construction, need to not only keep a better eye out but put in place extra precautionary measures to ensure the physical and mental safety of the whole crew. Just how CPR training is taught everywhere, many companies now train their employees through a program that helps them deal with handling situations involving a person or persons mental state. Construction will never stop, and neither will the cases of mental illnesses within a company. The only way to prevent the amount of cases of depression in a business is to act, and act fast. Implementing techniques and strategies to counteract mental illness will redefine the workplace, eradicating as much of this real world problem as possible. Thank you Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas for everything you’ve done and continue to do in order to keep our Art of Construction tribe safe!