It’s time to take mental health in construction as seriously as physical safety | Remark

Health and safety in the construction industry is an issue most often thought about in terms of physical wellbeing, such as the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE). Today, items such as high-vis outerwear, steel-capped boots, hard hats and goggles are expected on site at all times.

Despite this, the industry is still responsible for the majority of workplace fatalities and injuries in Britain. The latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive are telling: in 2023, 45 construction workers were killed on the job in Britain, which is more than double the number in any other sector.

The number of self-reported workplace injuries is also particularly high in the construction sector, with 2,640 reports per 100,000 workers, second only to agriculture, forestry and fishing – three sectors combined.

It’s worth bearing in mind that construction sites are inherently high-risk environments. While this means that accidents are more likely than in many other sectors, it also means that the industry must comply with numerous regulations, standards and reporting measures. Nevertheless, regardless of the context behind the numbers, the fact is that far too many people working in the construction industry are still being injured. And while advice on physical health and safety has become ingrained on construction sites – from regular toolbox talks to incident management procedures – there is less talk about mental health and, more specifically, how it contributes to injury prevention.

Construction workers are four times more likely to die by suicide than in any other industry

Tragically, workers in the construction industry are four times more likely to die by suicide than workers in any other industry. Shocking statistics from the Office for National Statistics show that 507 people in the sector died by suicide in 2021 – that’s two people every day. Stress, depression and anxiety were also the reasons for almost a quarter of ill-health reports in the sector between 2020-21 and 2022-23.

>> See also: Time to tackle mental health: what construction can learn from football

>> See also: Industry warned about Covid mental health crisis

Like any job, construction work comes with its own challenges and pressures, but these seem to be having a bigger impact than ever before. With challenging deadlines, unforeseen delays, the lack of flexible working and the risk of personal injury, construction can be a particularly stressful working environment. Mental health now needs to be talked about as much as physical health.

If not managed properly, the impact of poor mental health in the workforce can have an equally negative impact on other aspects of health and safety. Most accidents are the result of human error and a distracted, stressed employee is more likely to make mistakes that – in the worst case scenario – could cost someone else their life. Forget absenteeism and productivity; this should be by far the biggest concern – and the biggest driver for improving staff wellbeing.

Employers have a duty of care to ensure the well-being of their employees and colleagues, as do all of us as individuals. It is therefore imperative that these issues are not limited to written policies on company websites. They need to be talked about during inductions and toolbox talks, and become part of daily health and safety management.

Our role in providing construction safety services is to ensure that contractors take a holistic approach to health and safety management, including a focus on mental wellbeing alongside physical safety. This can take the form of initiatives such as employee assistance programs and the appointment of mental health first aiders. But just as important, you give people in your workforce the opportunity to shake off any worries or concerns in a safe space, by talking to someone they know will listen to you.

There is no silver bullet for dealing with this aspect of health and safety, and there is no personal protective equipment you can purchase to protect an employee’s mental health. In an industry still largely made up of male workers, who often have a ‘just get on with it’ attitude, finding the right ways to encourage people to open up and talk about mental health isn’t easy.

However, if management starts to consider mental health as important as physical health and safety, we can take a big step towards improving the wellbeing – as well as physical safety – of everyone within the industry.

Rob Bewick is a senior construction safety advisor at Thomas & Adamson. Last week (6 to 10 May) was construction safety week. This week (May 13-19) is Mental Health Awareness Week