RU OK Day: Why construction has a higher suicide rate than other professions
Construction worker Russell Hagan was at his lowest point one morning before work six years ago, but now he is using the support of MATES In Construction to help tell his story.
NSW
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Six years ago, roofer Russell Hagan sat in his car, too depressed and defeated to open his door and start the day’s work.
He nearly became yet another Australian construction worker to take their life, a fate which occurs at the startling rate of one every second day.
A support group for construction workers say they’re more than twice as likely to die from suicide than other young Australian men and are six times more likely to die from suicide than a workplace accident.
Mr Hagan said the only thing that stopped him contributing to those statistics were his four children, Billy, Charli, Rocco and Paige and not wanting their memory of their dad to be for his mistakes.
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The death of his own father stirred up the deep psychological trauma of being molested as a child by his neighbour and had spurred persistent suicidal thoughts.
His explosion of trauma and grief, combined with financial stress and running his own construction business took him dangerously close to the edge.
“As I got older I’d start drinking at night because I’d have nightmares, I’d try to get to sleep that way,” he said.
“I came down with depression too and some days I’d turn up to work and I just couldn’t get out of my car because I had no energy and I didn’t want to do anything.
“It all escalated and that’s when I was thinking about suicide.
“At the end I just felt like it was all too much.”
Soon after, he called a mate who he considered to have it all worked out, but they both soon realised that was not the case for either.
“He said ‘Geez mate I thought you had all your stuff together’ and he told me a bit that was going on with him and I said ‘I thought you had all your stuff together too’,” Mr Hagan said.
As a male dominated industry, tradies are less inclined to talk about their issues and dismiss anyone who tries.
But mental health organisation MATES In Construction is on a mission to change both the statistics and stigma around tradie suicides.
Mr Hagan now works with MATES In Construction to share his experience and also runs a website called Been There Done That Let’s Chat to encourage “blokes” to drop the stigma and talk to each other.
Suicide in construction is disproportionately high compared to other Australian industries.
MATES NSW CEO Brad Parker said male stereotypes, job instability, bullying and lifestyle behaviours create a dangerous melting pot for jobsite workers.
“Men are not real good at opening up, they tend to bottle things up so they’re not good at discussing problems with anyone but especially their peers,” he said.
“Have a cup of concrete and all that.
“We have insecure work – the life of the project is as good as the life of the job. Where do they go next?
“There are bullying behaviours, heavy alcohol use and some drug use as well.
“There might be stuff happening in their life – breakup, custody disputes – and they come into work and they’re copping it again.”
In Australia, 75 per cent of all suicides are men and suicide is the leading cause of death for people aged between 15 and 44.
Construction as a whole has 80 per cent higher rates of suicide compared to the general working age population.
Today, more than 550 major construction sites and almost 60,000 workers will be taking part in Fly the Flag Day to highlight the suicide crisis facing the industry.