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Content warning: This newsletter discusses suicide and psychological harm in the workplace. If you or someone you know is affected, support is available at Lifeline at 13 11 14 or Emergency Services 000.
* Coroner ruled workplace stressors primary cause of death
* Return to work risks
* Controls to consider
* This case predates industrial manslaughter legislation but an improvement notice was issued in 2020
Facts about this 'preventable' workplace suicide
In August 2019, Karla Lee Jordan, a 50-year-old accountant at Ballarat Base Hospital (now part of Grampians Health), died by suicide. A coronial inquest has concluded that her death was linked to long-term workplace stress and a poor organisational culture. The coroner did not identify any other probable suicide stressors.
Key findings:
* Ms Jordan experienced prolonged psychological stress linked to toxic management and workplace culture.
* Ms Jordan had recently returned to work and was assigned a complex task with limited support.
* Despite known mental health concerns, her workload was not moderated.
* Grampians Health acknowledged the culture was “suboptimal, if not toxic.”
* The case predates industrial manslaughter legislation and no charges have yet been laid. WorkSafe issued an Improvement Notice in January 2020.
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Risk assessing a restructure
While annual psychosocial assessments are now common, significant events like restructures may create foreseeable risks. In such cases, WorkSafe is likely to expect a new assessment. It is concerning that no updated assessment was done for three years, despite significant organisational change.
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Return to work risks
Return-to-work periods can introduce significant psychosocial risks if not managed properly. These include:
* Overload or unclear expectations upon re-entry
* Lack of coordination between HR, management, and health providers
* Missed signs of distress or changes in behaviour
* Inadequate monitoring of early workload transitions
Controls to consider
Examples of controls you might consider in your return to work policies and procedures include:
* Staged return to work plans with clear task limits
* Suitability reviews of tasks assigned during reintegration
* Confidential escalation pathways for psychological safety concerns
* Proactive psychosocial hazard assessments, particularly in high-pressure teams
What happens next
* Grampians Health has accepted the coroner’s findings and claims to have taken remedial action following the 2020 WorkSafe notice.
* Industrial manslaughter is not applicable as the incident predates that legislation.
* WorkSafe may still take further regulatory action.
* Broader sector awareness is increasing, particularly around cultural risk and return-to-work exposures in high-risk environments.
Thank you for reading and as always, we hope you found this useful.
We would also like to extend our condolences and love to Ms Jordan's family and friends. We hope that they are managing as best as they can.
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