Mental Health of Safety Professionals

[James Shaw]

After about a years worth of research, writing, peer reviews, and instructional design my first course has launched.

This is a Non-Clinical approach for safety professionals.

https://www.columbiasouthern.edu/online-degree/continuing-education/online-courses/safety/ce-1113-mental-health-of-safety-professionals/

Definitely worth sharing!

[Pinecone]

Hmm, I have been a professional in occupational health and safety for almost 40 years.

Never saw any mental health issues with people in the field.  Other than anger at management for not listening.

[James Shaw]

Hmm, I have been a professional in occupational health and safety for almost 40 years.

Never saw any mental health issues with people in the field.  Other than anger at management for not listening.

I understand where your coming from.

Here is an article from a recent SH&E Publication.

https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/23265-workplace-stress-and-mental-health-osha-launches-webpage

[etodd]

If you are a First Responder. No matter how much management tells workers that its ok to seek professional help for mental health issues, if you do, 90% of the time you'll be out of a job soon. Its just the way it is. They have to internalize their issues to keep working. Leading to high rates of suicide. Its a huge problem with no easy answer. Departments will create these nice programs to make it appear they are working on it. But the bottom line stays the same. First responders know to keep quiet.

[heliodoc]

Agree w some of etodd's analysis

But y'all best be paying attention to DoD and the wildland fire world and the PTSD and suicide issues. Divorce rates, lack of adrenaline rush, the breakup of camaraderie, alcohol,drugs....etc

Work related or not CAP might want to pay attention to these issues.

CAP guys like Pinecone....not so sure where he works but being a former wildland  fire type and emergency management types with Type A personality  and ive seen more of my share who don't pay attention to issues especially at many a management level where it needs to be SERIOUSLY addressed

[TheSkyHornet]

The last we need in this organization is a bunch of individuals claiming that CAP has caused undue stress and health issues; thus, members start filing lawsuits against CAP.

I worked under a commander who had absolutely no organizational management or planning focus for projects/activities. After one year of command, he told me he needed to step down because it was impacting his marriage and his personal health, that he was developing ailments because of it.

I'm not dismissing that stress is real and can impact your health nor that CAP can induce a great deal of stress. But are we just finally starting to recognize stress and the harmful impacts that it can have, or are we normalizing the idea that everyone can get stressed at any time and that we need to start tiptoeing around so we don't "freak people out?" Sure, that the cookie cutter, insensitive way of saying it.

There has to be a balance here.