The Civil Construction Federation (CCF), has congratulated Asphalt Paving Services (APS) managing director Terence Breen, for being one of the first businesses to be accepted into the Positive Plans – Positive Futures project, as a founding partner.
The Project aims to use mental health action plans as a key driver to prevent work related stress and burn-out, and improve mental health outcomes for young workers and senior professionals in the civil construction and related industries.
Chief executive officer of CCF, John Kilgour, commended APS Managing Director, Terence Breen on their leadership and commitment to creating a mentally healthy workplace for the staff at APS, through Breen expressing interest in joining the project.
The CCF received a large number of applications for involvement in the project and said to have selected APS to join a group of leading companies that have demonstrated a genuine concern and curiosity to actively participate in their project.
As a founding partner, APS will support CCF in the development of a suite of tools that will ultimately result in APS becoming one of the first civil construction businesses in Victoria to develop a mental health action plan.
Breen spoke on their decision to commit to the project, with acknowledgment of the number of males who have lost their lives to suicide in Geelong.
“I recently lost a male friend to suicide and my sons mates have lost 3 fathers to suicide, all from the Geelong region,” Breen said.
“I want to ensure we are doing all we can for our staff and industry to prevent and support our workers mental health and create a healthier, positive workplace”
The CCF reports that the civil construction industry has high rates of suicide and mental health problems, with environmental risks such as; work instability, limited job control and a highly masculine culture.
A 1/3 of all new WorkCover claims over the next 10 years will be mental health-related and the CCF aims to work with the industry and the industries that support the civil construction industry to address these issues.