005 Suicide and Work Related Stress

D
Department of Forensic
F
Medicin
ne
S
School of Public Health and Preveentive Medicine
F
Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
S
Suiciide and
a w
work relatted stress
s in
V
Victo
oria
Departtment o
of Fore
ensic Medicin
M
ne, Mon
nash
Unive
ersity
Prrepared
d by:
Dr Virg
ginia Ro
outley, Gael Trytell
T
Professor Jo
oan Oza
anne-S
Smith.
10thh October 2011

Res
search Report
R
#: 1111-00
05-R10
Accompan
A
nying docu
uments to this repo
ort
Suicid
de and work related sstress in
Vicctoria (Rese
earch sum
mmary)
(Resea
arch summ
mary)
1111-0055-R10S
D
F
Medicin
ne
S
F
Tab le of Conttents
oduction
3
1. Intro
2. Meth
hod
5
3. Results
3.1 Dattabase
...6
3.2 Ana
alysis

..
...6
4. Interrventions

...17
5. Stre
engths and
d limitations
18
ations
18
6. Recommenda
ences ...............................................................................................................19
Refere
Researcch report # 1111-005-R10

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D
F
Medicin
ne
S
F
List off Tables

Table 1. Suicidess and work
k related ca
auses of sttress.....................................................9
2. Work re
elated suicides and no
on-work re
elated caus
ses of
Table 2
stress.................................................................................................... ........................10
Table 3
3. Suicidess associate
ed with wo
ork-related cause of stress
s
by g ender - % of
stress cause........................................................................................ ........................12
Table 4
ed with wo
ork-related causes of stress by ggender - % of
genderr................................................................................................. .......................13
Table 5
5. Main wo
ork-related stress cau
use by ANZSCO
occupa
ation*..................................................................................................................14
Table 6
6. Method
d of suicide
e by stress or
type..............................................................................................................................16
List off Figures

Figure
e1
Casse identific
cation for w
work related
d stressor
suicide
es..........................................................................................................................11
Figure
e 2 Suicides associated with wo
ork-related stress: Ag
ge group byy gender............21
Departmen
nt of Forensic Medicine
School of Puublic Health and Preventive Medicine
Faculty of M
Medicine, Nursing
g and Health Scie
ences
1. INTR
RODUCTIO
ON
Definittion
The World Health
h Organiza
ation define
es stress as
a the reac
ction peop le may hav
ve
presented with
w demands and prressures th
hat are nott matched to their
when p
knowle
edge and abilities
a
and
d which ch
hallenge the
eir ability to
o cope.
Stress is the seco
ond most common
c
ca
ause of wo
orkplace co
ompensatioon claims in
Australlia, after manual
m
handling. The issue has comprehe
ensive coveerage inclu
uding
by Worrksafe Victtoria, there
e being sevveral guide
es on preve
enting workk related-s
stress
for the private an
nd public se
ector featu red on the
eir website
(http://w
www.workssafe.vic.go
ov.au). How
wever therre appeared to be on ly one men
ntion of
suicide
e (as a posssible harm
mful outcom
me in Attac
chment 3. A Guide forr employerrs in
the pub
blic sector)). There ha
ave been n
numerous studies
s
in the
t academ
mic literatu
ure of
work sttress. A PssychInfo lib
brary searcch for the period
p
2002 to Septeember 2011
1 for
the keyywords stre
ess* and work*
w
identtified 16,38
87 referenc
ces. There were 411 when
the term
m suicide was
w added
d.
Suicides and wo
ork stress
s
Bottom
mley et al. (2002)
(
foun
nd in their analysis off 109 Victo
orian Coronners work related
suicide
es for the years
y
1989-2000 thatt the most frequent
f
work
w
difficullty was stress at
work ((n=23); the
en work tro
oubles, pro blems, diffficulties (21
1). Other w
work stress
s
relevan
nt major grroupings were
w
perform
mance pre
essures (10
0), job disssatisfaction
n (8)
and lon
ng hours (7
7). Most off the suicid es conside
ered work related weere also
experie
encing at le
east one non-work re
elated stres
ssor eg relationship, issues, he
ealth
issues,, substance
e abuse.
Woo & Postolach

he (2008) reviewed
r
th
he evidenc
ce around the
t impactt of occupa
ational
factorss on mood disorders and
a suicide
e and the efficacy
e
of interventioons and ide
entified
the following facttors: shift work
w
can in
ncrease the
e risk of de
eveloping oor aggravating
mood d
disorders, at least in vulnerable
e individuals; employees who pperceive the
ey are

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Departmen
Faculty of M
Medicine, Nursing
g and Health Scie
ences
treated
d unfairly by their sup
pervisors a re at increased risk of
o poor meental health
h; and
lack of social sup
pport is rela
ated to dep
pression.
Amaga
asa et al (2
2005) revie
ewed and ssummarise
ed 22 insurance and llegal reporrts filed
by psycchiatrists on
o employe
ee suicidess that were
e related to
o heavy woorkloads. Long
L
working
g hours we
ere recognised in 19 suicides, low
l
social support in 18, high
psycho
ological demand in 18
8 and low d
decision la
atitude in 17 cases. T
The subjects had
depresssive episo
odes by ICD
D-10 criterria and sho
owed suicid
dal signs.
A report on the Queensland

Q
d commerccial building and cons
struction inndustry (CB
BCI)
identifie
ed that con
nstruction workers
w
ha
ave a tendency towards elevateed suicide rates,
compa
ared to the general male workin
ng age population. Th
his was am
mplified in young
y
CBCI w
workers, whose
w
suicide risk wa s approxim
mately twice that of a ge-matche
ed
cohortss. It appears that worrk-related ffactors (e.g
g. long worrking hourss, pressure
e),
interpe
ersonal facttors (e.g. relationship
r
p problems
s), and individual facttors (e.g. alcohol
a
and substance ab
buse) interract to conttribute to suicide
s
risk
k in this maale-domina
ated,
blue-co
ollar industtry (AISRA
AP, 2006).
Stress
s
McCaliister (2003
3) noted tha
at high leve
els of job stress
s
corre
elated to hhigh levels of job
dissatissfaction wh
hich is influ
uenced by co-workerr support, supervisor
s
support, work
w
stress and personality dispo
osition.
There a
are many Japanese
J
studies su
upporting th
he contribu
ution of wo rk stress to
o
psycho
ological disstress. For example, Kawakamii & Haratan
ni (1999) reeported that
more th
han half off Japanese
e employee
es reported
d job-relate
ed distresss. Working ten
hours o
or longer per
p day was associate
ed with low
wer satisfaction in woorking life among
a
men in managerial occupattions. Amo
ong middle--aged work
king men, tthose who
o
worked
d 50 hours or longer per week h
had higherr levels of irritation, a nxiety, loss of
interesst and exha
austion. Fe
eelings thatt the job is unsuitable
e, a lack off control ov
ver the

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Departmen
Faculty of M
Medicine, Nursing
g and Health Scie
ences
workpla
ace and po
oor human
n relations at work we
ere associa
ated with ddepression, a well
documented risk factor for suicide.
s
Bottom
mley et al. (2002)
(
and
d Hartshorn
n (1997) no
oted that S
Stressful joobs are rarrely the
sole ca
ause of an employees suicide. How an in
ndividual co
opes with tthe pressures of
the job
b is influencced by man
ny factors such as em
mployees personalitty, prior
experie
ences, perssonal supp
port system
m and the balance
b
an
nd satisfact
ction the
employyee finds in
n other asp
pects of the
eir life.
Data sources
The Vicctorian Wo
ork Related
d Fatalitiess Database
e (VWRFD) is a recorrd of both
intentio
onal and un
nintentiona
al injury de
eaths reporrted to the Victorian C
Coroner that
have a work relatted compo
onent. Whe
ere there are co-existting factorss such as
relation
nship problems or me
ental healtth issues, the
t suicide is still codded as worrkrelated
d. Howeverr if there arre many otther stressors listed or
o the corooner named
da
particular other stressor suc
ch as relattionship bre
eakdown or
o terminal illness as the
major sstressor then the suic
cide has no
ot been cla
assified as work-relatted. Non work
w
related
d factors may have be
een noted in addition
n to those that
t
are woork- related
d
(Bugeja
a et al. 200
09). Included in this sstudy are suicides
s
that have woorkplace sttress
reporte
ed in the po
olice summ
mary of circcumstance
es or the co
oroners fin dings as a cause
or phra
ases noted such as work
w
relate d dissatisffied, unhap
ppy, stresssed, depres
ssed,
anxious or pressu
ured but otherwise
o
u
unspecified
d, PTSD, excessive
e
w
workload or
o work
hours o
or work conditions afffecting life
estyle eg sh
hift work, geographic
g
cal separation
from fa
amily.
Aim
The ressearch aim
med to prov
vide an ove
erview of all
a Victorian
n suicides associated
d with
work re
elated stresss between July 200
00 and Dec
cember 200
08 that havve been clo
osed
by the Coroner and make recommend
dations forr prevention.

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Departmen
Faculty of M
Medicine, Nursing
g and Health Scie
ences
2. MET
THOD
i) Workk related su
uicides tha
at had been
n closed by
y the Coroner as at 119th Decem
mber
2010 w
were extraccted from the VWRFD
D for the most
m
complete data ccollection period
p
(July 2000-Decem
mber 2008
8).
he extent to
t which this could be
e determined from the Coronerrs records,, work
ii) To th
related
dness had been deterrmined by a hierarch
hy of work agent,
a
worrk stressor,
r,
comme
ercial transsport and th
hen work llocation res
sponse variables. Seecondary work
w
related
dness had also
a
been recorded. The work stressor su
uicides weere extracte
ed.
iii) For each workk related sttressor suiccide in the extracted dataset upp to two wo
ork
related
d stressor types
t
were
e coded, in order of contribution
n to the sui cide. Another
variable work strressor type
e was adde
ed to recorrd if the strressor wass the sole work
w
related
d stressor or
o one of multiple
m
stre
essors, the
e other stre
essors beinng non-work
related
d e.g. menttal health is
ssues.
iv) Worrk related stressor

s
type categorries, determ
mined to be relevant to this study of
genera
al/other work stress frrom the pre
evious rep
port to Worksafe Wo rk Related
d
Suicide
e Stressorss were exttracted (Fi gure 1). Th
hese general/other w
work stress
s
suicide
es were analysed for the followiing variables: work re
elated and non-work related
causess of stress, gender, age-group,
a
occupation and suic
cide methodd used.
v) Anallyses were
e undertake
en using M
Microsoft Ex
xcel 2007 and SPSS
S Statistics
version
n 19.0.

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Departmen
Faculty of M
Medicine, Nursing
g and Health Scie
ences
3. RES
SULTS
3.1 Dattabase
There w
were 2,024
4 work rela
ated fataliti es that had been clo
osed by thee Coroner on
o the
VWRFD for the period
p
July 2000 to D
December 2008.
2
Of th
hese, 730 ((36.1%) we
ere
es and 378
8 (18.7%) were
w
work related stressor suicides wheree stressors
s were
suicide
of prim
mary work-rrelatedness
s.
3.2 Analysis
he work sttressor suic
From th
cides (Figu
ure 1) there
e were 92 suicides cooded as be
eing
associa
ated with general/oth
g
her work sttress for the period July 2000 too Decembe
er
2008, a
an average
e of ten per year. Of these suic
cides the majority,
m
53 (58%)
mentio
oned multip
ple stresses in the ca
ase report, of which at
a least onee was a wo
orkrelated
d stress. Th
here were also 39 su icides (42%
%) which specified
s
a single workrelated
d stress in the
t case re
eport (Tablle 1). For the
t majority
y of suicidees, 54 (59%
%) the
specificc details off the work--related strress were not
n reporte
ed. This unnspecified workrelated
d stress inccluded men
ntion of disssatisfactio
on or unhap
ppiness witth work, orr workrelated
d depressio
on, anxiety
y or pressure as a con
ntributing factor
f
in th e suicide. Other
work-re
elated stressors inclu
uded: Postt Traumatic
c Stress Disorder (PT
TSD) follow
wing a
work-re
elated incid
dent, reduc
ction in hou
urs and ex
xcessive workload or working lo
ong
hours, anxiety related to pe
erformance
e and anxie
ety about returning too work afte
er a
break ((Table 1).

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Departmen
Faculty of M
Medicine, Nursing
g and Health Scie
ences
Table 1 Suicides and work related ca uses of strress

Work-re
elated cause
es and/or reports of
stress
Multiple cau
uses of
Single worrk-
Total
stress inclluding
related
(N)
work-relate
ed**(N)
cause
c
of strress
(N)
General unspecified work-related

d stress,
29
25
54
Hours ha
ad been cut back
Performance Anxietyy
WorkCo
over claimantt for
Excessivve workload or work hours
Return tto Work Anxiety
Not copiing with or mismatched

m
to
o job
Lack of recognition of
o contributio
on/ Work
53
39
92
depressed, anxious, unhappy,

dissatisffied, or presssured
PTSD depression or anxiety fo
ollowing
ent
an incide
anxiety/d
depression
ns affecting lifestyle
l
/ Unw
wanted
condition
change to position or department/
ngement
Change of pay arran
Total
Source: VWRFD Clo

osed cases, July
J
2000 D
December 2008
2
unts less tha
an 3 cannot be
b noted.
*Cell cou
** Prima
ary stressor type
ty only
The no
on work-rellated stressors of the
e 53 suicide
es which had
h multiplee stressors
s
include
ed in the ca
ase reports
s are summ
marised in Table 2. The
T most ccommon co
oexisting
g suicide trriggers me
entioned we
ere psycho
ological diffficulties orr depressio
on (22,
42%), a history of
o mental illness or pssychiatric treatment (10, 19%), relationship
breakd
down (9, 17
7%) and fin
nancial diffficulties (7, 13%). Mu
ultiple non work-relatted
causess of stress were menttioned in 2
21 (40%) off suicides.

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Departmen
Faculty of M
Medicine, Nursing
g and Health Scie
ences
Table 2
2.
Wo
ork related suicides a nd non-wo
ork related causes off stress
Strressor 1
Stressor 2
(N)
(N)
22
24
4
10
10
0
Relation
nship breakdo
own
13
3
Financia
al difficulties
12
2
Loss of a significant relationship
Alcohol//drug use
WorkCo
over
Other
Total
53
20
73
3
ork- related causes

c
of
Non wo
Tottal
stress
Psycholo
ogical difficu
ulties/
depression
Mental illness/
psychiattric history
Source: VWRFD Clo

osed cases, July
J
2000 D
December 2008
2
unts less tha
an 3 cannot be
b noted.
*Cell cou
Age an
nd genderr
The ma
ajority of suicides (11
1, 12%) we
ere males in
i the 35-3
39 year agee group wh
hereas
in fema
ales the hig
ghest number of suiccides (5, 5%
%) was in the
t 45-49 yyear old ag
ge
group ((Figure 2)

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22
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Departmen
Faculty of M
Medicine, Nursing
g and Health Scie
ences
Figure 2. Suicide
es associatted with wo
ork-related stress: Ag
ge group byy gender
14
4
Numberofsuicides
12
2
10
0
8
6
Male
Female
2
0
Ag
gegroupinyeears
Source: VWRFD Clo
osed cases, July
J
2000 D
December 2008
2
Four tim
mes as ma
any male suicides
s
we
ere associa
ated with general
g
wo rk-related stress
than fe
emale suicides (79% male vs 21
1% female
e) (Table 4)).

0
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Page 11 of
Departmen
Faculty of M
Medicine, Nursing
g and Health Scie
ences
Table 3
3. Suicides associated with wo
ork-related cause of stress
s
by ggender - % of
stress cause
Gender
elated cause
e of stress***
Work-re
Male
e
Total
T
N
Femaale
43
79.6
11
20.4
54
50
50
Hours ha
ad been cut back
100
80
WorkCo
over claimantt for
100
80
20

m
to
o job
100
66.7
o contributio
on/ Work
73
79.3
19
20.7
92

d stress,
ollowing
ent
an incide
anxiety/d
depression
condition
ns affecting lifestyle/
l
Unw
wanted
change to position or department/Change
of pay arrangement
Total
Source: VWRFD Clo

osed cases, July
J
2000 D
December 2008
2
unts less tha
an 3 cannot be
b noted.
*Cell cou
** Prima
ary cause of stress
s
only
m
in case re
eports, app
proximately
y the samee proportion of
Of the stressors mentioned
and female suicides (58% each)) were ass
sociated with generall unspecifie
ed
male a
males were
e proportion
nally more likely to haave had PTSD
work-sttress (Table 5). Fem
after a work-relatted inciden
nt (16% vs 4%). Only
y male suicides were associated
d with
WorkC
Cover claim
ms for depre
ession or a
anxiety and
d stress as
s a result oof hours be
eing cut
back, o
or from nott coping or being missmatched to their jobs
s, as well aas changes
s to
pay or unwanted changes to
t position or departm
ment. Male
es and fem
males were
e
equallyy likely to have
h
had stress asso
ociated with
h performa
ance anxietty, or exce
essive
hours o
or workload
d.
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Departmen
Faculty of M
Medicine, Nursing
g and Health Scie
ences
ed with worrk-related causes of stress by ggender - % of
Table 4
genderr
Gender
elated cause
e of stress***
Work-re
Male
e
Total
Femaale
43
58.9
11
57.9
54
4.1
15.8
Hours ha
ad been cut back
6.8
5.5
WorkCo
over claimantt for
6.8
5.5

m
to
o job
4.1
Return tto Work Anxiety/
o contributio
on/ Work
73
100
19
100
92

d stress,
ollowing
ent
an incide
anxiety/d
depression
l
Unw
wanted
condition
ngement
Change of pay arran
Total
Source: VWRFD Clo

osed cases, July
J
2000 D
December 2008
2
unts less tha
an 3 cannot be
b noted.
*Cell cou
** Prima
ary stress cau
use only
Major Occupatio
onal Groupings (AN
NZSCO)
Work sstress majo
or Australia
a and New
w Zealand Standard
S
Classificatio
C
on of
Occupa
ations (AN
NZSCO) gro
oupings we
ere most commonly
c
professionnals (n=24)),
manag
gers (17), te
echnicians
s and trade
e workers (13),
(
comm
munity and personal
service
es workers (12) mach
hinery operrators and drivers (7)), labourerrs (7) and clerical
c
and ad
dministrativve workers (5). Eleve
en were nott actually employed
e
aat the time of
suicide
e (ie ANZSCO Not Ap
pplicable) a
and their previous
p
oc
ccupation i mplicated in the
work sttress is the
erefore included here
e. Professio
onals, Man
nagers andd Commun
nity and
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Departmen
Faculty of M
Medicine, Nursing
g and Health Scie
ences
Person
nal Service
e Workers were
w
mostt likely to be affected by generaal unspecified
work-re
elated stress (Table 5).
5
5. Main wo
ork-related stress cau
use by ANZ
ZSCO occupation*
Table 5
Work-re
elated stress
s type**
Mos
st common major
m
occup
pational
ANZ
ZSCO group
ping***

d stress,
54
Proffessionals (17), Managers

rs (11),
Com
mmunity & Pe
ersonal Serv ice
Worrkers (8), Tec

chnician and trade
work
kers (6), Labourers (4), C
Clerical
and admin worke
ers (3), Machhinery
operrators and drrivers (3), (Frrequencies
inclu
ude 7 N/A)

ollowing
ent
an incide
Com
mmunity & Pe
ersonal Serv ice
Worrkers (*)
Hours ha
ad been cut back
Varied
Varied
WorkCo
over claimantt for
Proffessional (*)
Varied

m
to
o job
Tech
hnicians & Trade workerss (3)
o contributio
on/ Work
anxiety/d
depression
l
Unw
wanted
condition
ngement
Change of pay arran
Total
92
Source: VWRFD Clo

osed cases, July
J
2000 D
December 2008
2
unts less tha
an 3 cannot be
b noted.
*Cell cou
** Prima
ary stressor type
ty only
*** Inclu
udes 11 whosse major ANZ
ZSCO group
ping was actu
ually Not App
plicable at th eir time of de
eath but
previouss occupation implicated in
n work stresss included he
ere.
Where there were

e sufficientt numbers (>=3) the following could
c
be reeported forr the
variouss occupatio
onal coding
g systems on the VW
WRFD for the 54 geneeral/unspe
ecified
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22
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Page 14 of
Departmen
Faculty of M
Medicine, Nursing
g and Health Scie
ences
work-re
elated stress as in Ta
able 5. Forr current oc
ccupation and
a NCIS usual
occupa
ation: builders (3), ca
abinet make
ers (3) and
d truck driv
vers (3), stuudent (3) and
a
retired (4). For AN
NZSCO oc
ccupation a
as above but
b also rettail manag ers (3). Minor
ANZSC
CO groupin
ng also wo
ood trades workers (3
3). Sub-ma
ajor ANZSC
CO groupin
ng:
Design
n, engineerring, scienc
ce and tran
nsport proffessionals (7), hospittal, retail and
service
e managerss (5), spec
cialist mana
agers (5), constructio
on trades w
workers (4),
business, human
n resources
s and markketing proffessionals (4), other ttechnician and
trades workers (4
4), protectiv
ve service workers (4
4), road an
nd rail driveers (4), carrers
and aid
des (3), facctory proce
ess workerrs (3), inquiry clerks and
a recepttionists (30
0) and
legal, ssocial and welfare pro
ofessionalss (3).
Method of Suicide
Hangin
ng (54.3%)) (51% all Victorian
V
su
uicides) wa
as the mos
st commonn suicide method
m
followe
ed by moto
or vehicle exhaust
e
ga s (21.7%) (10.9% all Victorian suicides) (Table
(
6). Alth
hough popu
ulation size
es are likelly to be too
o low to ex
xhibit statisstical signifficance
being a group witth probable
e high veh icle ownerrship reflec
cts motor vvehicle exhaust
gas choice of me
ethod.

0
22
Nov 2011
Page 15 of
Department of Forenssic Medicine

School of Public Healthh and Preventive Medicine
Faculty of Medicine, N
Nursing and Health Sciennces
T
Table 6. Metho
od of suicide by
y stressor type
H
Hours
mance
Perform
WorkCov
ver
Excessive
Not coping
R
Return
Lack of
o recognition of contribution/
unspecified
c
cut
Anxiety
claimant
workload
with or
t
to
Work conditions
c
affectting lifestyle/
work-
b
back
/ work
mismatched
W
Work
Unwan
nted change to position or
hours
to job
A
Anxiety
department/ Change off pay
al
Genera
PTSD
d
related
Suicide Method
stress
Total
gement
arrang
Hanging
31
1
50
Gases and
d other
14
4
20
Drug overd
dose
Firearms
Struck by ttrain
Jumping from high
54
4
92
vapours (m
mostly
motor vehicle
as)
exhaust ga
places
Drowning
Total
*Cell counts less th

han 3 cannot be noted.
n
S
Source: VWRFD C
Closed cases, July
y 2000 Decemb
ber 2008
R
Research report # 1111-005-R10
Nov 20
011
Page 16 of 22
Departmen
Faculty of M
Medicine, Nursing
g and Health Scie
ences
4. INTE
ERVENTIO
ONS
Althoug
gh not spe
ecifically foc
cussing on
n suicide a VicHealth study (20006) involve
ed the
review of 90 publlished job stress
s
inte rvention sttudies and concludedd that a sys
stems
ach to job stress
s
is more effectivve than oth
her alterna
atives yieldding benefitts to
approa
individu
uals such as
a decreas
sed stress and impro
oved health
h and orga nizations.
System
ms approacches to job
b stress com
mbining individually-focussed i nterventions with
organissational intterventions
s were foun
nd to be th
he most efffective. Thee proportio
on of
interve
entions takiing a syste
ems approa
ach has inc
creased in recent yeaars.
Two aw
ward-winning suicide
e preventio n interventtions for men in the bbuilding an
nd
constru
uction indu
ustry were presented at the 4th Asia
A
Pacific Conferennce of the IASP.
17-20 N
Novemberr. Brisbane:
1) Inco
olink is a Life Care Sk
kills progra
am that has
s been delivered to oover 15,000
0
appren
ntices in rural and reg
gional Victo
oria. A Victtoria Unive
ersity evaluuation indic
cated
that the
e program is effective
e in increa sing aware
eness and knowledgee of suicide risk
factorss and prom
moting self-s
seeking be
ehaviour an
nd that the
e key compponents lea
ading
to effecctiveness included th
he program
ms holistic approach that targetted multi-risk
factorss. Tailoring the progra
am to speccific needs of young men,
m
their learning sttyles
(eg narrrative app
proach) and
d delivering
g the program in worrkplaces w
were also fo
ound to
be effe
ective (Corn
ney,T, 2010).
Mates in Constru
uction is a program
p
de
eveloped by
b OzHelp Queenslaand to deal with
suicide
e in the con
nstruction industry.
i
Itt followed on
o from the
e AISRAP (2006) rep
port.
The pro
ogram aim
ms to raise awarenesss, facilitate
e getting he
elp and enssure the he
elp is
approp
priate to the
e needs off the worke
er. All work
kers are Ge
eneral Awaareness Trrained
(GAT) providing a base und
derstandin g of the ne
eed to look
k after theirr own and their
mates mental hea
alth and well-being
w
What doe
es it look lik
ke when yoour mate is
s doing
it tough
h? Workerss self nominate as C
Connectors
s A mate
e who can keep you safe
while cconnecting you to hellp. One in 2
20 workers
s is trained
d as a Con nector. The
connecctors can contact
c
AS
SSIST worrkers gen
nerally site
e nurses, ssafety office
ers,
union o
officials etcc who can intervene, construct a safe plan and referr the worke
er for

0
22
Nov 2011
Page 17 of
Departmen
Faculty of M
Medicine, Nursing
g and Health Scie
ences
further help. The award win

nning progrram now in
nvolves 6500 workerss. The programs
ence is tha
at men will seek help if offered in
i a cultura
ally approppriate mann
ner
experie
(Gullesstrup et al, 2010).
5. STR
RENGTHS AND LIMIITATIONS
Limitations of thiss study are
e: 1) Some
e work relatted stress suicides m
may not hav
ve
been ccaptured in the VWRF
FD where w
work stress was not identified bby police or
o
corone
ers and 2) NCIS
N
circu
umstances and findin
ngs attachm
ments are vvariable in the
informa
ation they provide wh
hen review
wed for add
ditional info
ormation onn work rela
ated
stress.
6. REC
COMMEND
DATIONS
1. The generral principle
e of public health me
easures to support th e whole
population
n to reduce
e work stre ss should assist in re
educing theese suicide
es.
estigators should
s
con
nsider work
k stress ex
xplicitly durring suicide
e
2. Death inve
investigations.
ation data a
and hard copy
c
Coron
ners manuaal files cou
uld be
3. Worksafe compensa
investigate
ed and surrveys cond ucted to su
upplementt the data oobtained in
n this
study.
gation of Australia-w
A
wide work re
elated stress suicidess on the National
4. An investig
Coronial In
nformation
n System ccould provid
de more ro
obust resullts although it is
currently complex
c
to find releva
ant cases on this sys
stem.
I
Liffe Care Su
uicide Prev
vention program and Queenslan
nds
5. Victorias Incolink
Mates in Constructio
C
on program
m be investtigated for possible w
wider adopttion.
pecific interrvention po
oints for prevention of
o harmful l evels of work
6. Identify sp
stress succh as guide
elines for m
management of exces
ssive workk hours or work
w
overload, return to work
w
etc.
Emphasize
e interventtions that a
are system
ms approaches to job stress com
mbining
individuallyy-focused interventio
ons with orrganizational intervenntions.

0
22
Nov 2011
Page 18 of
Departmen
Faculty of M
Medicine, Nursing
g and Health Scie
ences
Refere
ences
Amaga
asa, T, Nakkayama,T, Takahash
hi,Y (2005), Karojisatsu in Japaan:
Characteristics of 22
2 cases of w
work-relate
ed suicide. Journal oof Occupatiional
Health
Australlian Institutte for Suicide Resea rch and Prrevention (2006). Suiicide in
Queenslan
nd's Comm
mercial Bui lding and Constructio
C
on Industryy. An
investigation of facto
ors associa
ated with suicide and recomme ndations fo
or the
prevention
n of suicide
e.
BBC N
News Asia-Pacific 26 May 2010 .
http://www
w/bbc.co.uk
k/news/101
161633?prrint=true. Accessed
A
11/12/2010.
Bottom
mley, J., E. Dalziel, ett al. (2002)). Work fac
ctors in Suicide: Evideence for a new
commitme
ent in occupational he
ealth and safety,
s
policy and praactice.
Melbourne
e, Urban Ministry
M
Nettwork.
Bugeja
a, L., J. Ibra
ahim, et al. (2009). "E
Expanding
g definitions
s of work-rrelatedness
beyond the
e worker." Journal off Occupatio
onal Health
h and Safeety - Austra
alia and
New Zeala
and 25(6): 461-475.
Corneyy,T. (2010)) Suicide prevention p
programs for
f young working
w
m en: the
importance
e of targeted program
mmatic serrvice delive
ery in the cconstructio
on
industry. Suicide
S
Pre
evention: a dialogue across disciplines annd cultures
s. 4th
Asia Paciffic Confere
ence of the IASP. 17--20 Novem
mber. Brisbaane. (Absttract).
See Incolink.
Gullesttrup,J, Brady,J, Martiin,G. (2010
0) Mates in
n constructtion An innnovative
n in the Qu
ueensland constructio
c
on industry
y.
approach to suicide prevention
Suicide Prrevention: a dialogue
e across dis
sciplines and
a culture s. 4th Asia Pacific
Conferencce of the IA
ASP. 17-20
0 Novembe
er. Brisbane. (Abstracct) See Ma
ates in
Construction.
Hartshorn, D. B. (1997). "C
Can Suicide
e be Considered a Work-Relate
W
ed Death?""
Safety and
d Health: 102-103.
ww.incolink
k.org.au/Em
mployees/health-and
d-wellbeingg.aspx
Incolinkk. http://ww

0
22
Nov 2011
Page 19 of
Departmen
Faculty of M
Medicine, Nursing
g and Health Scie
ences
Kawakkami, N. an
nd T. Harattani (1999)). "Epidemiology of Jo
ob Stress aand Health
h in
Japan: Re
eview of Cu
urrent Evid
dence and Future Direction." Inddustrial He
ealth
37: 174-18
86.
Mates in Constru
uction. http://www.ma
atesinconsttruction.com.au/fluxcontent/mic/pdf/suiciideinQLDccommercialbuilding.pdf
and Support at Work as Predicttors of Worrk
McCaliister, C. S. (2003). Hardiness a
Stress and
d Job Satis
sfaction. Fa
aculty of th
he Graduatte School, University
y of
Texas at Austin.
A
Doc
ctor of Edu
ucation: 104.
VicHea
alth (2006) Workplace stress in
n Victoria: Developing
D
g a system
ms approach.
www.vichealth.vicc.gov.au/w
workplacesstress (acce
essed 13/9
9/11).
Woo, JJ.-M. and T.
T T. Postolache (200
08). "The im
mpact of work
w
enviroonment on mood
disorders and
a suicide: Evidencce and imp
plications." Internationnal Journal of
Disability and
a Human Develop ment 7(2):: 185-200.

0
22
Nov 2011
Page 20 of
21
FIGURE 1: CASE IDENTIFICATION FOR WORK RELATED STRESSOR
SUICIDES
Deaths reported to Coroners in Victoria,
July 2000- December 2008
(as at December 2010). (NCIS)
Investigation still open
n = 47, 568
n = 6,325
Cases formally completed (closed)

by a coroner (as at December 2010)
n = 41,243 [n = 4,934 suicides]
Deaths due to natural causes

or unlikely to be known
n = 31,813
Deaths due to external causes

n = 9,430
Deaths without a work

association,
Intent = Unknown causes
n=7,406
Work Related Fatality Database

Work relatedness = At worknot traffic
crash, at work traffic crash, bystander,
commercial transport, commuting to or
from work, Do-it-yourself (DIY), work
agent, work stressors, work location,
other (Bugeja et al, 2009)
Intent = unintentional, assaults, legal
intervention, civil conflict and acts
of terrorism, complications of
medical or surgical care
n = 2,024
n= 1,294
Suicides
Intent = Intentional self-harm
n = 730
Work relatedness = means

commercial transport, work location,
work agent primary not work
stressor.
n = 352
Work stressor suicides

Work relatedness or secondary work
relatedness = work stressor
n = 378
General/other work stress suicides
n = 92
Work stressor = business related financial

problems, recent retrenchment or fear of this
occurring or resignation, previous work
injury, difficulty gaining employment or no
longer being employable or fear of this,
workplace wrong doing mostly with legal
implications, conflict with colleagues or
supervisors, harassment/bullying
22

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005 Suicide and Work Related Stress

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D

10thh October 2011

Researcch report # 1111-005-R10

List off Tables

List off Figures

Woo & Postolach

Researcch report # 1111-005-R10

A report on the Queensland

Researcch report # 1111-005-R10

Researcch report # 1111-005-R10

iv) Worrk related stressor

Researcch report # 1111-005-R10

Researcch report # 1111-005-R10

Table 1 Suicides and work related ca uses of strress

General unspecified work-related

Excessivve workload or work hours

Return tto Work Anxiety

Not copiing with or mismatched

depressed, anxious, unhappy,

Source: VWRFD Clo

Researcch report # 1111-005-R10

Loss of a significant relationship

ork- related causes

Source: VWRFD Clo

Researcch report # 1111-005-R10

Researcch report # 1111-005-R10

Excessivve workload or work hours

Not copiing with or mismatched

Return tto Work Anxiety

General unspecified work-related

Source: VWRFD Clo

Excessivve workload or work hours

Not copiing with or mismatched

Return tto Work Anxiety/

General unspecified work-related

Source: VWRFD Clo

General unspecified work-related

Proffessionals (17), Managers

depressed, anxious, unhappy,

Worrkers (8), Tec

PTSD depression or anxiety fo

Excessivve workload or work hours

Not copiing with or mismatched

Return tto Work Anxiety

Source: VWRFD Clo

Where there were

Researcch report # 1111-005-R10

Department of Forenssic Medicine

department/ Change off pay

Jumping from high

*Cell counts less th

Researcch report # 1111-005-R10

further help. The award win

Researcch report # 1111-005-R10

Researcch report # 1111-005-R10

Researcch report # 1111-005-R10

Investigation still open

Cases formally completed (closed)

n = 41,243 [n = 4,934 suicides]

Deaths due to natural causes

Deaths due to external causes

Deaths without a work

Work Related Fatality Database