Reducing suicide risk in the workplace

To reduce suicide risk in the workplace, it can help to identify any risks in the environment and any changes that can make things safer. 

Suicide and workplaces

A workplace experience or environment may impact someone significantly and increase the risk of suicide. Any workplace experiences that create or increase suicide warning signs may include:

• change to employment status – e.g. end of contracts, redundancies, overall job and/or industry insecurity
• change in work conditions – e.g. end of significant project, performance management, unfair work practices, organisational restructure
• change to work environment – e.g. relocation, disruptive or uncomfortable noise/temperature 
• change to work duties – e.g. new technology, increase workload
• job strain – e.g. high demand, low control, burnout, chronic stress
• interpersonal difficulties – e.g. staff reallocation, lack of support, workplace conflict, bullying, feeling embarrassed or shamed by a workplace event/situation
• certain risk exposures – some industries are higher risk than others, including shift work, fly-in fly-out/drive-in drive-out workers and workers exposed to trauma. 

Some aspects of work can increase the risk of suicide. Workplaces must identify and manage these risks under work health and safety laws. 

What can you do to reduce suicide risk in the workplace?

Workplaces should conduct a regular audit to understand any psychosocial hazard that may be present and develop policies and procedures to account for the associated risks. This includes developing an evidence-informed plan to categorise (as high or low) and mitigate risks.

Reflect on what is happening in your workplace, and how this might impact someone. Consider ways you can respond by preventing harm (including access to means for suicide), act early to support others, support someone’s recovery over time, and promote health and wellbeing. This is likely to start with a conversation (see Safe conversations about suicide).

Access to means

Restricting access to means decreases the risk of suicide. A workplace’s nature and function will determine the measures put in place to reduce access to means. Examples can include restricting access to drugs, medicines, chemicals, pesticides, vehicles and weapons, putting effective locks on windows and doors, limiting access to rooftops, and reviewing safety measures on construction sites.

Regular risk assessments can help manage access to means. 

Liability for suicide related to the workplace 

In some jurisdictions, an employer can be held accountable when the action or inaction of an employer results in the death of a worker. This is called industrial manslaughter. Most states and territories have developed their own industrial manslaughter laws. Industrial manslaughter also carries a fault element—that is, the act or inaction was intentional, negligent or reckless (which varies between jurisdictions).

In Victoria, Brodie’s Law emerged because of a death by suicide related to workplace bullying. This law makes serious bullying a crime punishable by up to 10 years in jail. It highlights that employers take actions to create a mentally healthy workplace, identify and tackle mental harms and prevent suicide in their workplace.

How can you identify if someone is at risk of suicide? 

Changes in someone’s regular behaviour that might lead to suicide are known as suicide warning signs. Here are a few things you need to know upfront: 

• Suicide warning signs might be something they say, something they do, a change in their appearance or mood.
• Someone who is suicidal is likely to display a few of these warning signs, rather than just one. 
• Look for the clues. Often these warning signs aren’t obvious, but someone who’s thinking about suicide will usually give some clues or signs to people around them. 
• Preventing suicide starts with recognising these signs and taking them seriously.

It is helpful to know the warning signs for suicide. It might be something someone says (e.g. I can’t go on); it might be something they do (e.g. stop doing their regular activities); it might be how they feel (e.g. seeming anxious or disconnected); it might be how they look (e.g. drastic weight changes).

What they might say 

Here are a few phrases to look out for:

• “I've had enough.”
• “I’m done.”
• “I can’t go on anymore.”
• “Nobody would care if I died.”
• “There’s no way around this.”
• “I can’t get through this.”

What they might do

Here are a few behaviours to look out for:

• drinking more or using other drugs
• staying away from friends, family or the community
• sleeping too much or too little
• tying up the loose ends, e.g. finishing projects, organising finances, saying goodbye
• reckless/risk-taking or impulsive behaviour e.g. dangerous driving, train surfing, unsafe sex, getting into fights, not using protective equipment/procedures as usual
• self-harm behaviours, which can include cutting, scratching or burning
• writing about or painting about death, posting/sharing things online about death.

What they might look like

Here are a few things to look out for:

• having low energy or moving lethargically
• not caring about personal hygiene or their appearance in general
• drastic changes in weight
• frequent illnesses.

What they might feel

They might talk about feelings, such as: 

• depression or significant mood changes
• anxiety and agitation
• rage or uncontrollable anger
• shame and guilt
• disconnection
• feeling helpless, worthless or hopeless 
• feeling like a burden to others. 

The signs for suicide are not always obvious. You might just feel like something is not right.

Getting help

To help you respond in a way that supports others, it can be useful to know what services and resources are available. If you or someone close to you is in immediate danger, dial 000 as soon as possible. The following services are available 24/7:

• Lifeline Australia | 13 11 14
• Suicide Call Back Service | 1300 659 467
• 13Yarn – a free confidential service run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People | 13 92 76
• Kids Helpline | 1800 55 1800
• MensLine Australia | 1300 78 99 78
• Beyond Blue | 1300 22 4636
• Qlife – anonymous and free LGBTI peer support | 1800 184 527 – (3 pm to midnight every day)