August is Tradies National Health Month (TNHM). The day puts a focus on two sides of a tradie’s health and safety that often get treated as separate problems. One is the body, worn down by the work, and the other is the mind, strained by the pressure of the job. A sore back or a dodgy knee can be easy to spot on a worksite, but what a workmate is dealing with on the inside is not.
With a few honest words, a colleague can change what happens next for a mate who is going through that hidden kind of struggle. That worry does not have to go unspoken, and turning it into a conversation that helps is something any tradie can do once they have the words for it.
What is Tradies National Health Month?
Tradies National Health Month has been run by the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) every August since 2012. It raises awareness of the risks that come with trade work for a tradie’s health and wellbeing, and encourages both tradies and their employers to treat problems early and change how work is done to prevent injuries rather than pushing through pain.
Trade work is physically demanding. Tradies wear their bodies down through heavy lifting, repetitive tasks, awkward postures, and long hours, and the results can be back pain, joint and ligament problems, and other musculoskeletal injuries that can harden into chronic conditions over a career.
Over the years the campaign has widened to give mental health equal standing with physical health. A tradesperson whose body is sore and whose sleep and mood are suffering is dealing with a single health picture, and treating only the visible half leaves the rest unaddressed.
The Signs a Workmate Might Be Struggling
Workmates in trouble rarely announce it. The changes tend to be small at first and easy to explain away as a bad week, and anyone not watching closely can miss them. The mental health message of Tradies National Health Month depends on workmates noticing these changes early.
Someone who is normally easygoing may start snapping at people over minor things, or seem flat and switched off from the banter that usually keeps a crew going. Others swing the other way and become restless or wound up. Struggling workmates might withdraw socially, knocking back invitations or going quiet on the group chat. They may also start drinking more than usual, or lean on other substances to cope.
Someone who is usually switched on may lose concentration, take longer on simple tasks, and make more mistakes or have near-misses. They may turn up late or call in sick more than they used to.
Comments about being a burden, feeling trapped, or seeing no point in going on are the most serious signs, and no one should brush them off as dark humour. If you are ever worried about a workmate’s immediate safety, call triple zero without waiting.
How to Start a Conversation When You're Worried
Starting the conversation is the part most people dread. But the conversations encouraged by Tradies National Health Month come down to showing a mate you have noticed and giving them room to talk.
Pick a private moment where you will not be interrupted, away from the rest of the crew. Explicitly point out the changes you’ve noticed rather than asking them a general “you right?”. Say something like “you’ve seemed pretty flat the last couple of weeks, everything alright?” and let them take it from there.
Then give them your full attention and let them lead. Take what they say seriously without judging, and hold back from offering quick fixes. If they open up, ask how long they have felt this way and whether something in particular set it off. If they brush you off, do not push; let them know you noticed and that you are around whenever they want to talk.
Once they have talked, help them think about a next step rather than fixing it for them. That might be seeing their GP, calling a support line, or talking to someone at home. Offer to help them make the call, or to go along if that would make it easier for them.
Send a follow-up message or have another chat a few days later. Workmates who were not ready to talk the first time may take the opening the second time.
Workplace Resources Tradies Can Point Each Other Toward
A good conversation does more when you can point a mate toward help that continues after you walk away. Tradies National Health Month is a useful prompt to learn what support exists before anyone on the crew needs it. Most of it is free, and much of it is available around the clock.
- MATES in Construction runs a 24/7 helpline on 1300 642 111, answered by people who understand the industry.
- Lifeline provides 24/7 crisis support on 13 11 14, by phone, text, or online chat.
- Beyond Blue offers phone and online counselling on 1300 22 4636 for anxiety, depression, and general mental health support.
- Employee assistance programs give workers and their families a set number of free, confidential counselling sessions. A quick question to a supervisor can confirm whether your workplace has one.
- Your GP can assess what is going on and set up a mental health treatment plan. That plan covers part of the cost of several psychologist sessions through Medicare.
Add Mental Health First Aid Training to Your Toolkit
A tradie’s mental health is the whole crew’s concern. Tradies National Health Month asks you to make a mate’s state of mind as normal to watch on site as their footing on a ladder. No one is better placed to notice when a mate is not themselves than the people working beside them.
Our mental health first aid training gives you the skills to support someone who is developing a mental health problem or facing a mental health emergency, and for guiding them toward professional help that lasts beyond a single chat. You might be the one workmate close enough to change how a mate’s worst day ends.
FAQs
What Other Long-Term Health Problems Can Trade Work Cause?
Noise-induced hearing loss from power tools and machinery, skin cancer from years of sun on outdoor sites, and lung damage from breathing in dust such as silica are all common examples.
Can I Call a Support Line if I'm Worried About Myself?
Yes. Support lines take calls from anyone.
What Support Is There for Apprentices and Young Tradies?
Apprentices and young workers can get free, confidential mental health support from headspace, which helps anyone aged 12 to 25.
References
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2023). National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020-2022. ABS. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/mental-health/national-study-mental-health-and-wellbeing/latest-release
PricewaterhouseCoopers. (2014). Creating a mentally healthy workplace: Return on investment analysis. Beyond Blue. https://www.pwc.com.au/publications/pdf/beyondblue-workplace-roi-may14.pdf
Safe Work Australia. (2022). Code of Practice: Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work.
McGorry, P.D. & Mei, C. (2018). Early intervention in youth mental health: progress and future directions. Evidence-Based Mental Health, 21(4), 182-184. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10270418/
Dewa, C.S., et al. (2014). Mental Health Interventions in the Workplace and Work Outcomes: A Best-Evidence Synthesis of Systematic Reviews. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6816521/
