Work-related suicides go uncounted

Employee suicides are still largely treated as an individual mental health problem that has no direct relevance for work or the workplace, according to a new report by University of Leeds professor Sarah Waters and FACK families against corporate killers and Hazards campaigner Hilda Palmer.

The report, Work-related suicide: a qualitative analysis of recent cases with recommendations for reform, is based on a Research-England funded study. It points out that, while an employer is legally obliged to report the fracture of an arm or leg at work for investigation, a suicide that takes place in the workplace or is related to work does not need to be reported to any public agency. And in the aftermath of a suicide, employers are not obliged to assess workplace risks or make any changes to policies or practices and there is no official investigation. The researchers found employers had carried out an investigation after a suicide in only a third of cases they examined. They also say the type of workplace bullying that can lead to suicide is not unlawful under UK legislation.

A key recommendation is to include suicide in the list of work-related deaths that must be reported to the HSE for investigation. The report also calls for explicit and enforceable legal requirements that oblige employers to take responsibility for suicide prevention.

https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/languages/news/article/1866/work-related-suicides-are-uncounted