The Western Australian Government is investing $3.3 million in specialised workforce training delivered by SafeSide Prevention.
SafeSide Prevention will bring its workforce training to Western Australia to help suicide prevention across the state. This training will further support those working in mental health, alcohol and other drugs services, and youth services, to help staff respond during a suicidal crisis.
The training will extend and complement Western Australia’s suicide prevention initiatives funded under the Western Australian Suicide Prevention Framework 2021-2025.
Mining workers are often overlooked in Australian suicide research. Touted as the first to look into rates of suicide within the resources sector is a national study titled ‘Suicide in the Australian Mining Industry: A National Study’ by researchers from the University of Melbourne’s School of Population and Global Health.
The report estimates that suicide rates among mining workers is between 11 and 25 per 100,000 – but in reality probably closer to 25 per 100,000.
Based on figures obtained from the Minerals Council of Australia, between 8,000 and 10,000 employees are estimated to experience a common mental illness such as anxiety, depression, or substance use in the New South Wales minerals industry alone. The costs to the industry, including lowered productivity, is projected to be as much as $450 million per year or around $300,000 to $400,000 for an average site of 170 people.
Elliotts Australia reports that suicide is the number one killer of men aged between 15 and 44 years old. The FIFO workforce is predominantly males aged between 25 to 44.
Mental Health and Health Minister Meredith Hammat says preventing suicide requires a whole of community commitment, and this is one example of working collaboratively to build a more effective suicide prevention system.
“Tragically, too many Western Australians have experienced the devastating effects of a loved ones death by suicide. Our government is committed to suicide prevention, and this investment will provide our mental health workforce with enhanced skills and training for the challenging job they face when confronted with a suicidal crisis in our community,” says Hammat.
The Western Australian Government’s MARS Program Landmark Study reveals that one in three mining workers experience regular emotional exhaustion, indicating high levels of burnout, as reported by Mining.com.au.
It is largely because of this in the construction industry that MATES was established. A major report on suicide within the Queensland Commercial Building and Construction Industry found suicide rates in the industry were higher than the Australian average for men, and that youth suicide within the industry could be as much as 2.38 times more common than among other young Australian men.
The not-for-profit has since created a MATES in Mining arm and operates in Queensland and Northern Territory, New South Wales, South Australia, and Western Australia, as well as in Queensland to the energy sector and nationally to the mining sector.
The charity was established in 2008 and provides suicide prevention through community development programs on sites, and by supporting workers in need through case management and a 24/7 help line.
The MATES program is based on the idea that ‘suicide is everyone’s business’. The premise is that if industries in Australia are to improve the mental health and well-being of workers and reduce suicide, it cannot be left to mental health professionals – everyone in the industry must play their part.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data shows that between 1907 and 2023, age-standardised suicide rates in Australia ranged from 8.4 deaths per 100,000 population per year (in 1943 and 1944) to 18.4 in 1963.
In 2023, the highest suicide rates for males occurred in those aged 55–59 (30.9 deaths per 100,000), followed by males aged 45-49 (27.3), 40-44 (27.2) and 50-54 (27.1). For males aged 80-84, the number of deaths by suicide was the lowest (56 deaths), whereas males aged 40-44 had the highest number of suicide deaths recorded (240).
High rates of suicide were also recorded in males aged 85 and over and 25–29 (26.4 and 23.4, respectively). Males aged 40-54 accounted for one quarter (28.2%) of deaths by suicide among males. The highest suicide rate for females was in those aged 50-54 (10.7). Females aged 40-54 accounted for 27.7% of deaths by suicide among females.
In April, this news service celebrated World Day for Safety and Health at Work on 28 April, which is an annual international campaign started by the International Labour Organization in 2003 to encourage a culture of risk prevention and awareness.
Safeside Prevention will establish a Restore Network in Western Australia to provide organisational leaders with the tools, resources and support to collaborate on suicide prevention activities across the state.
This state Labor Government is also launching the development of a new Western Australian Suicide Prevention Framework 2025-2030, which will set out Western Australia’s approach to suicide prevention for the next five years.
Lifeline: 13 11 14, lifeline.org.au
Headspace: 1800 650 890, headspace.org.au
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 635, beyondblue.org.au
SANE Support line and Forums: 1800 187 263, saneforums.org
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: WA Government & Unsplash
