Mental Health Awareness Month has provided a focus for a wide range of activities in the rail industry and community. But of course, raising awareness about mental health and promoting mental fitness is something that we can all do every day.
This year’s Mental Health Awareness Month theme was ‘Building Resilience: Communities and Connections’. We have a biological need for social connection and TrackSAFE’s free webinar earlier this month addressed why connection is important for our mental health. You can catch up on the recording with Psychologist Kathryn Gale via the TrackSAFE website. It includes some practical tips that are particularly useful for those with shift and remote work arrangements.
Rail as an industry have been early adopters in creating mentally healthy workplaces. We were the first industry to have our own dedicated R U OK?, and this has become a movement of genuine connection. As an industry we’re fortunate to have a growing list of champions making sure ‘R U OK?’ is a question we’re prepared to ask any day.
Next year’s Rail R U OK? is 3rd April 2025 – but in the meantime, it’s great to know there are plenty of conversations happening, including in Tassie with R U OK?’s Conversation Convoy visiting TasRail’s East Tamar site in Launceston earlier this month.
In addition to checking in on those around us, TrackSAFE’s free 30-minute Suicide Awareness Training increases knowledge, skills and confidence to safely intervene if someone is at risk. The training is designed specifically for rail workers in Australia and New Zealand. By completing this training, you could save a life. Materials to help you promote the training in your workplace are available here.
On average there are 74 suicides or suspected suicides on the Australian heavy rail network each year. In addition, there are 67 attempted suicides on the heavy rail network and a small number annually on the light rail network reported by the rail regulator. As well, there are many other self-harm incidents and threats of self-harm. In New Zealand there is an average of six suicides per year on the heavy rail network. You can find out more about the number of incidents on the heavy and light rail networks nationally and by state on here and here.
To demonstrate TrackSAFE’s commitment to the delivery of a safe, high-quality and effective suicide prevention program the training has been accredited by QIP to Suicide Prevention Australia Standards.
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