Offshore industry set for mental health support boost with workers 15x more likely to commit suicide than those onshore

The offshore industry is set to receive a mental health boost as online mental health platform SupportRoom partner with Precise Consultants to provide on-demand mental health services to offshore workers. This partnership comes amidst research finding that offshore workers are 15x more likely to commit suicide than those onshore.

In a report published by the International SOS Foundation, 40% of remote rotational workers were found to experience suicidal thoughts, while 29% met the benchmark for clinical depression. Offshore rotations, harsh working environments in sometimes hazardous conditions, a macho environment and long working hours combined with 65% of workers reporting that COVID has increased the demands of their job makes for a cocktail of extreme mental health challenges. Former soldier turned offshore derrickman Steve Beedie says:

“The biggest conversation in oil and gas is health and safety. But when you step onto a platform, the only part of that which is brought out is safety – hand and fingers injuries, slips, trips and falls. Am I the only person who realises that nobody is talking about mental health? How are things at home? How are you feeling? Mental health is the game-changer. That’s the difference between someone having a good day and having a disaster.” 

In response to the offshore mental health crisis, online mental health platform SupportRoom have partnered with Precise Consultants to provide offshore workers with dedicated therapists who they can talk to through text, voice notes and video call check-ins. Staff can also receive self-help tools and holistic health insights on their online platform. Ash Vipani, founder of SupportRoom, says:

“To work with a company like Precise Consultants is an honour for SupportRoom. Precise Consultants are taking strides to be one of the first in their industry to put employee mental wellbeing at the top of their priority list. As one of our first clients, we are glad that they have been on this journey with us from very early on. We are proud to have been able to provide support to their own employees and can now also provide their freelancers with mental health support whenever they need it”. 

A spokesperson for Precise Consultants has said:

“Figures tell us we still have a lot more work to do when it comes to mental health support in the offshore industry. Everyone who talks about mental health is helping to break down barriers. Having those conversations in the canteen, over coffee, in the drillers’ cabin – every chat is making you part of the solution. And we want to be part of the solution too. That is why we have partnered up with SupportRoom”.