PLANT, tool and equipment rental firm A-Plant is focusing on mental health in the workplace during its annual Safety Week.
The company’s ‘Are you A ok?’ awareness campaign, which features a series of mandatory briefings, digital presentations and activities, aims to remove the stigma around mental health while also providing A-Plant’s 3,600 employees with advice, guidance and general well-being tips.
Douglas McLuckie, director of risk management at A-Plant is hopeful the initiative will create a greater understanding and carry the conversation surrounding mental health into the workplace.
He said, “A-Plant’s commitment to health and safety extends to all areas of the business and this year’s Safety Week shines a light on a topic that isn’t as widely discussed as it should be.
“Our new ‘Are you A ok?’ campaign has been structured to help facilitate a discussion around mental health, eliminating any awkwardness, in the hope that one day having a chat about mental health will be as normal as discussing an individual having a cold.”
Douglas continued, “During the week-long initiative we will be distributing support leaflets, screening an emotive, specially filmed video that addresses the effects of mental health in the workplace and supplying service centres with a range of useful information.
“The company already has an excellent track record for its health and safety performance from a wide range of industry bodies and we are committed to continually setting new standards for our employers, partners and the industries in which we operate.”
A-Plant’s Safety Week is also featuring advice and expertise on how to prevent injuries amongst the teams carrying out the delivery and collection of the company’s core equipment, as well as encouraging people to consider driver loading/unloading safe practice.
The themes are to be reinforced throughout the year and complement A-Plant’s ongoing safety initiatives, including its Work Safe Home Safe campaign, which encourages teams to take personal responsibility for the way they work.
Douglas explained, “Our aim is to encourage our teams to not just look after their own health and safety, but also that of their colleagues, by offering support to those who need it and being aware of the impact any poor health and safety behaviour can have on the entire team and their families.”
