So, it comes as no surprise that protecting the Health, Safety & Wellbeing (HSW) of all people involved in delivering infrastructure is listed as one of the top outcomes in our enterprise project.
We have teamed up with several HSW partners to ensure everyone can come to work and return home safely.
One of these partners is MATES in Construction. MATES in Construction runs an accreditation programme that trains workers to notice and initiate conversations with those who are struggling.
Our head of health, safety and wellbeing Bronwyn Struthers says the number of people who have taken part in the project has been incredible, with two of our enterprise model sites - Redoubt Reservoir and Puketutu Island - now MATES in Construction Accredited.
"This means that 80% of those on site have received General Awareness Training (GAT), they also have one connector for every 20 workers, and they are linked to one ASIST trained individual.
"A connector is trained to assist in keeping someone crisis safe, while at the same time connecting them to professional help, while an ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) – blue sticker – accredited worker will help the person at risk to make a safe plan.
"The MATES initiative is a fantastic way of ensuring that the team looks after each other and knows when something is not quite right – which is important since many workers usually spend more time on-site than at home."
*We plan to roll out MATES across many of its sites, including its head office in Newmarket, over the next two years.
