Driver health isn’t only about physical wellbeing, it also encompasses mental health and improving mental health and wellbeing, right across industry, right across Australia is needed now more than ever.
Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds (HHTS) is an initiative by industry for industry, that exists to address and help industry leaders, managers, business owners and workers tackle industry specific challenges regarding mental health and wellbeing. Your membership, contributes to driving that positive change, now and into the future. Becoming a member truly does support the cause that supports you.
With the support of industry and a strong national mental health and wellbeing strategy, HHTS aims to increase the number of people trained in mental health at transport and logistics facilities, standardise policies and regulation at these facilities, and help everyone in in the industry be healthier from a diet and mental health perspective.
The Healthy Heads in Trucks and Sheds Foundation is an initiative between road transport, warehousing and logistics operators to support drivers and logistics workers with issues relating to mental health and physical wellbeing.
Healthy Heads’ aim is to help make thriving workplaces for everyone in the industry as part of a national strategy across the sector. The overarching objective of Healthy Heads is the creation of a single national mental health plan for truck drivers, distribution and warehouse staff with the participation of smaller operators funded by the larger founding industry members.
The priorities for Healthy Heads are:
- An increase in the number of people trained in mental health at transport and logistics facilities
- Standardisation of policies and regulation at transport and logistics facilities
- Helping the individual be healthier from a diet and mental health perspective
Mental Health is a significant issue for the Australian road transport and logistics sector. Factors such as long hours, workplace isolation, pressure to meet delivery schedules and the need for continual alertness while operating heavy machinery all contribute to making drivers and warehouse workers extremely vulnerable to mental health issues.
The impact of mental health and poor individual wellbeing amongst truck drivers and warehouse workers has not only significant impact at the individual level for those affected, but also company and economy wide with billions in lost productivity and associated medical costs.
Conversely, it can be demonstrated that companies that do invest in good mental health initiatives will receive positive returns such as improved productivity, reduced sick leave and overall healthier long serving employees.
Not all businesses are able to make that investment, but now Healthy Heads reckons it will be able to provide this support to drivers and warehouse workers regardless of circumstances.
In the absence of a collective national approach to tackle ‘driver and shed’ mental health and wellbeing, Woolworths Group, Coles, Linfox, Toll, Qube and Ron Finemore Transport have all combined as corporate partners of the Foundation. Combining this with support from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) and the Federal Government has enabled the inception and development of the Healthy Heads in Trucks and Sheds Foundation.
Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds is a registered standalone Not for Profit entity for the benefit of the broader road transport and logistics industry with an independent industry and skills-based board.
Support the cause that supports you. Become a member today at healthyheads.org.au
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