"placing his head under a....."

How one views something depends in great detail on their own personal experience with the topic. For instance, if someone brought up skydiving to the editors of the APSB. We would be like “no way”. But to someone who sky dived their opinion would be much different. With that said, what is your personal experience with suicide? No doubt you did not expect to see the word “suicide” at the Aluminium Plant Safety Blog. Here is a recent story emphasizing the importance of mental health:

A 33-year-old man, (name of deceased omitted), ended his life by placing his head under a pressing machinery at an aluminium vessel manufacturing unit in Indian state of Karnataka here on Sunday, October 11, 2020.

Police said the man, a relative of unit owner (name omitted), had gone there on Sunday, a holiday. He had opened the door with the key with him and had placed his head under the pressing machinery after switching it on and his head was crushed.

Four workers, who were staying in the upstairs of the unit, noticed the machinery running behind closed doors when they came down late in the evening. They managed to open it and found Balamurugan lying dead.

“The entire incident has been captured by the closed circuit television camera network,” local Inspector of Police said.

The deceased had left a note in which he claimed that the owner had not given him salary. The police are investigating into the incident.

Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline ‘104’ and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044 24640050.

We pray for the deceased worker’s family, friends, and coworkers. We are sadden immensely that worker thought that his only recourse was to take his own life. We pray that the police investigate the note that was left. If it is determined that the note was true that the owner of the aluminium plant was withholding his pay. The police and local government get the backpay and provide it to his family.

For the editors of the APSB the pain associated with suicide is personal. Two of our childhood friends committed suicide as young adults. Though it has been nearly 25 years not a week goes by that we do not think of our lost friends.

One of the APSB editors was speaking to a group of workers at an extrusion plant at the beginning of their shift. The safety topics discussed covered every department. Near the conclusion of the speech the topic transitioned to one’s life. To list a few of the greatest moments in one’s life: marriage, birth of child, promotion, etc. We then paused and said we would be remiss if we did not talk about the low points in one’s life. Including but not limited to depression, pain of losing a loved one, sickness, divorce, etc. While we were talking a woman in the second row started to weep. As the tears flowed down her face we were overcome by emotion and wanted to approach her. But, for fear of singling her out we finished our presentation. I ended that no matter who you are, nor your circumstance in life, everyone matters. You matter because you are loved and liked. Some might say “I matter because I bring home a paycheck.” That would be true, but nevertheless you matter to loved one in ways you simply are unaware of . So always follow your training, never skip steps, never make assumptions, and look out for each other.

As the hundred or so workers left the auditorium. The woman in the second row sat still in her metal folding chair. Tears cascaded down her cheeks falling on to her lap. As I sat next to her and the plant manager sat on the other side her. She wiped away her tears and said something that I will never forget “Mr. Alex I didn’t think I mattered, no one loves me.” I let her pain hang there for a moment and told her “you matter, and though I don’t know your name, I love you, and it would pain me greatly if anything every happened to you.” We sat there for a few minutes as she cried. I never asked her what was the reason for her pain. It didn’t matter at that moment. What she needed I and the plant manager, and human resources manager could provide. Afterwards the human resources department met with her. I never met her again but have specifically prayed for her over the years.

This story has been told not to illustrate our compassion to someone in need. In all honesty our compassion for a stranger is why we do this blog.

We told this story for one simple reason. Can you guess? Try? We told this story for the reader to understand that they matter. You matter. Read this outloud “I matter”. You do. No matter how bad you feel, whom you wrong, what you did, You matter. As I think about the pain and circumstance that this worker felt his only action was to kill himself I weep. That is not the solution. If he had a family, they will weep for him, every wedding anniversary, every holiday, every birthday. They simply will not forget.

We that in mind will reach to our contacts in India to find out if the deceased worker had a family. If he did have a family. We will see how we can help. At least we can try.  

If you are depression, please get help. Here is one service that can assist you now.

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