INDUSTRY INSIGHT: Workers’ Overall Wellness

For over 30 years, ABC has helped contractors protect the physical safety of their employees on the jobsite through the STEP Safety Management System. Now the association is expanding on STEP with the introduction of the Total Human Health Initiative, or THHI. THHI “encompasses actions, initiatives and policies that emphasize the health, well-being and livelihoods of workers … [it incorporates] a wholeperson approach to engage a person’s body, mind, heart and soul.”

THHI grew out of the construction industry’s recognition of the high rate of suicide among its workers. “Construction workers are five times more likely to die by suicide than they are from any work-related accident,” said Frank Trujillo, vice president of risk management at Miller & Long Co., Inc. and chair of ABC’s national Health and Safety Committee.

While safety professionals have always been focused on preventing people from getting hurt at work, they are now paying more attention to the other types of problems that workers may be dealing with at home and on the job. They understand that when workers do not get the necessary help with these issues, the results can be tragic. “Many industry professionals either know someone who died by suicide or had to get help to prevent that from happening,” said Trujillo.

ABC’s Health and Safety Committee appointed a subcommittee dedicated specifically to addressing suicide prevention. But as the subcommittee members began their work, they realized that they needed to broaden their assignment and address total human health. “The subcommittee members went from an awareness of suicide to a deep dive into mental health to a focus on overall human wellness. It was a cascading issue,” Trujillo said.

Toolkit Provides Roadmap To Wellness

The people who developed THHI included construction industry and safety professionals and mental health professionals. The committee members referenced resources like the National Institutes of Health’s Emotional Wellness Toolkit, and information from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

The results of their efforts can be found on ABC’s Total Human Health Initiative (abc.org/Safety/Total-Human-Health) resources page. The page has links to materials that companies can use during Suicide Prevention Month in September, such as posters, social medial toolkits and toolbox talks. The page also provides links to articles and resources that companies can share with their workers.

In the Total Human Health Resources for Leadership section, companies will find a comprehensive toolkit developed specifically for this program as well as an assessment they can use to determine where they are on the road to promoting total human health.

The toolkit covers the four categories of THHI:

• Heart, which includes emotional and social wellness;

• Body, which covers physical wellness;

• Soul, which relates to spiritual and community wellness; and

• Mind, which includes intellectual, occupational, mental and environmental wellness.

The toolkit contains suggested activities that companies can use to encourage conversations about each area with small groups of employees or with the entire company. It provides detailed, step-bystep instructions for toolbox talks, workshops and helping employees create their own personal wellness toolkits.

The Total Human Health Assessment provides a way for contractors to measure how far they have progressed (or need to progress) in each of THHI’s four categories. It lists questions that companies should ask themselves, and provides four scoring categories: “Not on our radar,” “Planning phase,” Under construction,” and “Fully integrated.” It also provides specific steps that companies can take to improve their performance and move up the scale.

Integral To Step

ABC has introduced THHI in its STEP safety self-assessment this year so that members can familiarize themselves with the program and evaluate where they need to improve. ABC will not count THHI scores toward a rating of Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Bronze or Participant this year, but starting in 2024 the association will count them in the STEP scoring.

Getting the word out at ABC Central Florida about Total Human Health (THH)

May 22-25, 2023, ABC Central Florida held our first Total Human Health Week. Programs offered included:

• Vital Cog: Train the Trainer for Suicide Prevention

• A Total Human Health panel and demonstrations on creating a company culture encompassing a THH employee program

• The traveling ABC National Safety Academy that is designed to help members on their journey towards world-class safety programs.

ABC Central Florida Successfully Organized And Executed A Total Human Health Week

May 22-26, 2023

May 22 – Suicide Prevention Awareness class
Taught by Joe Xavier, ABC National

This 90-minute training gave participants the skills and tools to appreciate the critical need for suicide prevention while creating a forum for dialogue and critical thinking about workplace mental health challenges, and promoted help-seeking and helpgiving. Each participant received a certification.

May 23 – Total Human Health Panel & Interactive Demonstrations (in partnership with NAWIC Greater Orlando)

Discussed creating a company culture encompassing a total human health employee program.

Panel: Michele Daugherty (ABC Central Florida), John Smalley (Hensel Phelps), Debbie Rodriguez (Competitive Edge Partners & Consulting), Chris Evans (Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC)

Discussion Highlights: How are you and your company combating the issues with mental health and dealing with your employees?

Interactive Demonstrations: Body Stretch Preps-Desk to Jobsite: Heidi Goff, E3 Safety Squad

Intro to Yoga: Tara Salmon, Kula Yoga

May 24-May 25 – Safety Academy Training
Taught by Joe Xavier & Greg Sizemore, ABC National

The Academy is designed to help attendees understand the importance of leadership commitment, cultural transformation, and the safety management processes in achieving a world class safety culture.