*Warning: mentions of suicide.
Ports Australia has joined Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds as members to continue the promotion of mental health and wellbeing of transport and logistics workers.
It can be easy to go without noticing the sacrifice made for goods to arrive at our door or for food to arrive at our supermarkets, but those luxuries are the result of dedicated transport and logistics workers who spend much of their lives hauling our necessities on the road, in factories, or on the port.
Unfortunately, these occupations in the transport and logistics sector come with long hours, workplace isolation, and constant pressure to meet deadlines, all increasing vulnerability to mental health issues.
While it’s important not to get buried in statistics, they often provide important context. Healthy Heads’ National Mental Health and Wellbeing Roadmap shows that between 2008 and 2014, truck drivers had the highest number of suicides of any profession.
Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds Foundation exists to promote prevention and understanding of mental health issues that exist across the road transport and logistics industries in Australia. You can find out more about what they do at their website.
Ports Australia strongly recommends individuals across the transport and logistics industry to use the resources provided by Healthy Heads and to consider becoming a member (free for individuals).
The pandemic has challenged the industry more than ever to prioritise the mental health of staff given the unpredictability of working conditions and the potentially increased isolation they face.
Many of our ports have reimagined the way staff interact with each other, some introducing new workplace social media platforms, some holding virtual luncheons where food is sent to workers’ remote locations. We can only expect this innovation to continue as ports, pandemic or not, continue to give mental health the attention it deserves.
Ports Australia’s CEO, Mike Gallacher praised the work of Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds and looked forward to sharing a strong relationship going forward.
‘Businesses simply cannot go without mental health and wellbeing planning for their staff and its importance has been proven ever more for workers in the transport and logistics industry,’ Mike said.
‘Ports Australia believes that with such responsibility and exposure to risk, the mental health of our sector’s workers should be of the utmost importance to ensure their wellbeing and the continuity of our supply chain.
‘Ports Australia congratulates Healthy Heads on their work thus far promoting the mental health of supply chain workers and we look forward to joining their fight,’ Mike said.
