Welcome to Part 2 of the IASP Suicide and the Workplace Special Interest Group Episode. Hosts Jorgen Gullestrup and Dr. Sally Spencer Thomas continue their deep dive into workplace mental health and suicide prevention with Tim Irving from OSHA and Dr. John Fitzgerald from WorkSafe New Zealand. The episode uncovers critical insights into how occupational safety and health administrations are evolving to address mental health and psychosocial risks more comprehensively. Tim Irving shares OSHA's recent initiatives, which include embedding mental health information in mandatory training and a renewed commitment to suicide prevention, particularly in high-risk sectors like construction. Dr. John Fitzgerald adds an international perspective, discussing the importance of managing psychosocial risks and the pivotal role regulators play in suicide prevention by leveraging the three levers: engage, educate, and enforce.
The guests discuss the significance of small conversations, frequent check-ins, and cross-sector partnerships in engendering a culture of mental well-being. Dr. Fitzgerald emphasizes the need to broaden our understanding of mental health and proactively involve various societal sectors, including justice agencies and media, in framing workplace safety. Jorgen Gullestrup brings the conversation full circle by highlighting the importance of a holistic, all-of-government, and all-of-community approach to mental health and suicide prevention. The episode encapsulates a shared optimism and relentless drive towards creating psychologically safe workplaces worldwide, emphasizing the progressive steps already being taken and the collective effort required for sustained impact.
Hosted by the IASP Suicide and the Workplace Special Interest Group. Discussions of suicide can be overwhelming; if you are struggling and would like to seek further support, we encourage you to visit Find A Helpline, where you can connect to helpline support near you.
This is Part 2. Visit this link to listen to Part 1.
Tim Irving is the Acting Director for the Directorate of Construction in the OSHA National Office. Recently he completed the Federal Leadership training at the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Virgina. Prior to this appointment as acting Director/Deputy, Tim was the Assistant Regional Administrator for the Cooperative State Programs in the Region 1 OSHA Office in Boston, Compliance Assistance Specialist (CAS), since 2005, and Compliance Safety and Health Officer, since 2001, in the Braintree Area Office on the construction strategic team. Prior to joining OSHA in 2001 he worked as a safety coordinator on some of the largest building projects in Boston. As a safety coordinator with Clark Construction he worked on the Joseph Moakley Courthouse on Fan Pier and as a safety manager with Bovis Lend Lease he worked on the 40 story Millennium Place towers, the 20 story 10 Saint James office Building and the Boston Research Center for Merck Pharmaceutical.
Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health (ACCOSH) Mr. Irving is currently an Alternate Designated Federal Official for ACCOSH.
Specialties: Tim holds both journeyman and master electrician licenses and before making the transition into the safety field he ran his own electrical contracting firm in Boston.
He has his degree in management from the University of Massachusetts and has earned professional designations in risk management, (ARM) construction safety (CHST) and is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP).
John is the Lead for Mentally Healthy Work at Worksafe New Zealand Mahi Haumaru Aotearoa and a Registered Clinical Psychologist with experience in a range of clinical practice, as an Adjunct Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at Massey University, and an ongoing commitment towards improving the quality of work across Aotearoa.