ALPHARETTA, Ga. (PRWEB) August 29, 2018 -- Workplaceviolence911.com, the award winning and widely read workplace violence prevention information portal, announced its launch of a new Suicide at Work Prevention Resource Center. The new Resource Center is focused on providing resources and information to help organizations have a highly productive environment in which employees feel safe, respected, valued and have work-life balance by developing a mentally healthy workplace. The Resource Center’s purpose is to help organizations increase their understanding, knowledge and recognition of mental health issues at work, to help them develop effective approaches to promoting mental health at work and to share resources and tools to help them get there.
The Suicide at Work Prevention Resource Center was born out of the ‘Healthy Minds’ column which appears regularly in the e-publication, Workplace Violence Today. Given the heavy usage of the internet by managers and organizations today we thought this was one of the best places to put the Center to provide the information on this often over looked and under reported subject.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the number of workplace suicides rose to 291 in 2016 reaching the highest level since the numbers have been reported by the occupational fatality census. In 2005, the suicide rate was 180 and they have been steadily increasing from this point.
During this same time period there were a total 2,848 suicide deaths that occurred at work. Click here to see a chart of suicides that occurred at work from 2003 to 2016.
Researcher in a study published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine suspect that suicides occur at work because the perpetrator wanted to protect family and friends from discovering their deceased body.
We recognize that, in the midst, of the fear of terrorist attacks and active shoot incidents organizations are significantly challenge in how to deal with the spectrum of violence they may potentially face. Historically, there has been a tendency in organizations for managers to shy away from addressing or even discussing the issue of suicides that occur in the workplace as a real and legitimate issue. The stark reality is that not talking about it is not going to make the issue go away no matter how hard you wish it would. As has been widely stated, ‘Hoping is not an effective business strategy.’
Managers need clear guidelines on healthy approaches to manage and prevent violence in the multiple forms it can take. Two industries that have higher levels of suicides include law enforcement and construction and both have taken the issue of suicides at work head on. Executives in both industries have developed strategies intended to assist their industry workplaces in building their capacity to better prevent suicide. Both of these industries have forged landmark partnerships with The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention to start to address the problem.
The Construction Industry has developed a A Construction Industry Blueprint: Suicide Prevention in the Workplace.
Working in partnership with the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Carson J Spencer Foundation, the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, and the American Association of Suicidology developed a guid entitled Breaking the Silence: Suicide Prevention in Law Enforcement.
Barry Nixon, Executive Director, National Institute for Prevention of Workplace Violence, Inc. is the creator of WorkplaceViolence911.com and the publisher of Workplace Violence Today. Mr. Nixon said ‘We created the Suicide at Work Prevention Resource Center because while progress is being made in some industries, most industries and organizations have not accepted that healthy minds in the workplace is a foundational issue they need to be addressing. The time has come for executives to bring mental health issues out of the closet and to confront them with the same vigor that other business challenges are tackled. We can no longer think of suicide as a dirty little secret and hope it will go away.”
For information about the National Institute for Prevention of Workplace Violence, Inc., WorkplaceViolence911.com or Workplace Violence Today magazine please contact W. Barry Nixon at 1-949-770-5264 or Barry at wvp911.com.
ABOUT WORKPLACEVIOLENCE911.com:
Workplaceviolence911.com is a resource rich information portal on workplace violence prevention.
William Nixon, National Institute for Prevention of Workplace Violence, inc., http://www.Workplaceviolence911.com, +1 9499225374, [email protected]
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