The construction/extraction industries have the highest suicide rate of any industry. Make no mistake about it: this is a real issue that is directly related to health and safety. But what is behind this statistic? Why are these industries struggling with the bleak reality of suicide? There are several reasons, and a few solutions, to explore.
The culture of the industry is a hypermasculine one, where it is frowned on to be vulnerable and to ask for help. This particular emotional profile is a recipe for disaster when it comes to suicide. There are also many alpha males in the industry, which can create an atmosphere that makes discussions of suicide prevention difficult.
Alpha males can unknowingly compromise health and safety on projects, but they can also create an environment of health and safety given the right approach and training. An article in the July/August 2008 issue of the Harvard Business Review, “Unmasking Manly Men” by Robin J. Ely and Debra Meyerson, focused on how roughnecks and roustabouts on oil rigs improved their safety by softening their approach and focusing on the safety and well-being of workers.
According to Ely and Meyerson, “Over the 15-year period, these changes in work practices, norms, perceptions and behaviors were implemented company-wide. The company’s accident rate declined by 84% while productivity (the number of barrels produced), efficiency (cost per barrel) and reliability (production “up” time) increased beyond the industry’s previous benchmark.” We have to wonder if this approach was ignored on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig, the site of the worst oil disaster in the history of the industry.
They further state, “If men in the hyper-masculine environment of the oil rigs can let go of the macho ideal and improve their performance, then men in corporate America might be able to do likewise. Numerous studies have examined the cost of macho displays in contexts ranging from aeronautics to manufacturing to high tech to the law. They show that men’s attempts to prove their masculinity interfere with the training of recruits, compromise decision quality, marginalize women workers, lead to civil and human rights violations, and alienate men from their health, feelings, and relationships with others. The price of men striving to demonstrate their masculinity is high, and both individuals and organizations pay for it.”
The key to this approach to safety is the emotional intelligence of the people on the projects; therefore the typical construction worker profile must be addressed first. The following graph is the emotional profile for more than 200 people in the industry (mostly men) who manage the construction process. The scores are similar to an IQ test with a bell curve distribution where 100 is the mean (average). The test measures total EI as well as 16 individual emotional competencies.
Take particular note of high self-actualization (we love what we do), high problem solving and stress tolerance. The problem with high stress tolerance is that, as an industry, construction workers tend to take on more stress than is healthy. When this happens, stress can manifest itself in physical symptoms such as fatigue, trouble sleeping, stomach issues, headaches and other pains, allergies, skin problems, autoimmune maladies and irritability.
Now, take note of the lower emotional self-awareness, emotional expression, interpersonal relationships, empathy and flexibility (tendency toward perfectionism). Change must start with emotional self-awareness so workers are more aware of their surroundings, their bodies, and their levels of stress and fatigue. Then increase empathy skills and relationship skills so people will connect with each other. Emotional expression also must be increased so everyone is comfortable expressing emotions. That will make any safety program more successful. If these core issues are addressed, identified and improved on, the industry can create fundamental change that will help to take safety to a new level.
There is mounting evidence of this link between stress and general health. According to the World Health Organization, 80% to 90% of illnesses are either caused by or made worse by stress. They estimate that by 2020, the second leading cause of disabilities will be mental diseases, including stress-related disorders. And with the construction industry having the highest suicide rate, we better start paying attention.
When people actually make emotional connections and care about each other, they look out for each other and work safer naturally. They also support each other in their goals for good mental health. And when people work more safely, not only do they become healthier, more productive employees, but companies also will improve productivity and impact profitability by lowering insurance rates, reducing worker’s compensation claims and decreasing wrongful death lawsuits. As a caring culture in construction expands, there is reason to believe that suicide rates will drop.
How do companies start this culture of caring? One way is to incorporate the people side of the business at weekly toolbox safety meeting. Here are 52 ideas from Brent Darnell International’s Primal Safety Interactive Toolbox Safety Topics.
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