Mental Health Awareness

The focus of the Q4 safety theme in 2022 will be Mental Health Awareness

Step Change in Safety is committed to making our sector the safest place to work by preventing predictable incidents, working with our colleagues in the industry to achieve that. From October until December 2022, the focus of our quarterly safety theme will be Mental Health Awareness. The objectives of this quarter are:

🔺 Raise awareness and recognition of mental health

🔺 Know where help can be found

🔺 Know how to initiate a conversation

Here we hope to raise and promote awareness of mental health among the energy industry workforce, both onshore and offshore. We recognise the increasing level of mental health challenges our workforce is facing. We also know that this can pose major risks to safety and wellbeing.

Mental health is about how we think, feel, and behave. As your mental health is not static, it is much better viewed as a continuum, which ranges from excellent mental health at one extreme to crisis point at the other extreme. We have used this simple model throughout our resources to demonstrate our ever-fluxing mental health state

Mental Health Awareness

Mental health, used to be a taboo subject, but over recent years has become ever more topical, with organisations becoming increasingly aware of their responsibilities to their employees. Mental health awareness is still evolving and the global pandemic accelerated this in the energy sector, due to added potential pressures of workload, isolation, uncertainty, job security, loss of income etc.

The offshore worker’s lifestyle has always brought with it unique pressures (being away from family for extended periods, lack of ability to “escape” from the workplace, close living quarters, harsh environment), and it is recognised that the lifestyle of offshore workers, particularly in a male-dominated industry where traditionally feelings are not discussed, makes improving the awareness of mental health particularly relevant.

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Mental Health Awareness Page

Poor mental health can affect us all, it is therefore important to act proactively to maintain good mental health and be able to recognise the signs and symptoms so that quick action can be taken if necessary. We all have a responsibility to our mental health; as employers, individuals and as friends and colleagues. We have divided information into these three categories to make it simpler to access.

Mental health and wellbeing continues to be a priority area for the oil and gas industry. Our Mental Health Awareness workgroup page features access to a range of resources related, including five films in which individuals associated with the energy industry speak openly about their mental health challenges. You can visit the Mental Health Awareness webpage here.

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Other Quarterly Themes for 2022

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