A poignant new video has been released to highlight the issue of suicides in the UK and Ireland construction sector.
Almost 500 construction workers take their own lives every year. To raise awareness and provide guidance for anyone affected, the wordless video has been released ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10.
Filmmakers AKT Productions worked with Ambanja Films to create the piece, which depicts a man ‘on the edge’ and thinking of taking his life.
Contractor BAM provided a construction site in Whitechapel, London as the location, and the project is supported by the Lighthouse Club charity, which provides emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support to construction workers and their families.
The result is a short film called ‘On the Edge’, which aims to enable and encourage those affected to find a way to talk about what they are feeling. The resource is free for anyone and everyone to use across the industries, and wider.
BAM’s Ewen Hunter approached AKT and said, “It was just a ‘good timing’ moment because AKT had the skillset, ideas and same desire to raise this powerful but sensitive subject, so we were more than happy to help them develop the script and provide the film location.
“Although the film and subject are sensitive and distressing, our industry has one of the highest death rates so to be able to be involved in creating this film matters a great deal to many people. Thousands of people in our workforce alone will be viewing it and I know it will prompt some very valuable conversations. It may even save lives.”
The video can be viewed here: https://vimeo.com/597358738
