#27 Anthony Hegarty

Content warning: This episode discusses suicide, bereavement, trauma, and people reaching crisis point.

In this episode of The Construction Cogs Podcast, I speak with Anthony Hegarty from DSRM Risk & Crisis Management about Operation Crane, The Crane Report, and what may be missing from the way suicide in construction is currently understood.

Anthony is a former Scotland Yard detective who now works in risk, crisis management, investigation, and behavioural analysis. Through DSRM, his work includes complex investigations, death investigations, crisis response, and identifying patterns that may sit beneath the surface of serious incidents.

The familiar statistic is that around two construction workers a day die by suicide. But Anthony’s work asks whether the industry is looking closely enough at the lead-up, the wider pressures, the behaviour changes, and the individual circumstances behind those deaths.

This is not a conversation about dismissing mental health. It is about asking whether mental health is only one part of a much wider picture.

Anthony explains why he believes better investigation and pattern analysis are needed, why families can be left without clear answers, and why lived experience from people at site level is so important.

He also discusses the anonymous questionnaires linked to Operation Crane, which are designed for people who have come close to suicide and found a way back, as well as families and friends who have lost someone.

The aim is to understand what happens before crisis point, so signs can be recognised earlier and support can reach people before it is too late.

Anthony’s links:

Operation Crane and The Crane Report:

https://www.dsrmrisk.com/crane

Anonymous questionnaires:

https://www.dsrmrisk.com/investigation

Email: dsrm-uk@dsrmrisk.com

Support links:

If you are in immediate danger, call 999 or go to A&E.

Support services are listed here: https://constructioncogs.com/support/