According to the latest Health and Safety at Work Report, the current rate of work-related ill health is still higher than the levels seen pre-Covid – a level that had previously been broadly consistent without rising
As per the report, this means more days are currently lost per worker due to work-related issues than before the pandemic – and more staff suffering from issues like work-related stress, depression or anxiety.
Previously – using figures that combined absenteeism, presenteeism (employees being physically present at work but unable to perform their duties) and staff turnover – Deloitte had shown a 25% rise in mental health-related costs since the start of the pandemic. The figures suggested that the costs to UK employers could be as high as £53bn-£56bn a year.
Suicide rates 3.7 times higher than the national average
Whether the direction of travel returns to pre-Covid levels or not, the figures represent very real people and families – and with the construction industry infamously having suicide rates 3.7 times higher than the national average, lives are being destroyed up and down the country.
It should be concerning then that a recent Mates in Mind survey, with results tracked between 2019 and 2024, found:
- Fewer than 10% of respondents said that their line managers “know how to undertake stress risk assessments and understand when they may be necessary”.
- Less than 20% have mental health policies in place.
- Less than 13% said they have provided all employees with general mental health awareness training in the last two years.
- 78% record the reason for absence from work being related to stress or common mental health conditions.
Clearly, the industry has a lot of proactive awareness campaigns and highlighting them, and maybe illuminating some of the success stories, can help lower the impact of poor worker mental health on not only the people involved but also the health of our economy.
Charities and initiatives like Mates in Mind, the Lighthouse Construction Charity, Mind, any number of mental-health-awareness awards and awareness weeks like the Mental Health Awareness Week (12-18 May) from the Mental Health Foundation and Mates in Mind’s Stress Awareness Month (April) are part of a proactive message that can really make a difference.
Still, employers have a general duty under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees. This duty is underpinned by the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999, which require employers to undertake “suitable and sufficient” risk assessments. But what does that look like?
What does an award-winning health and safety team look like?
The John J Hunt Group has won a number of health and safety awards over the last few years, including Health, Safety and Wellbeing Excellence at the CN Specialists Awards 2024.
To mark World Mental Health Day, the company shared details about its award winning workflow, which have been backed up by comments from judges.
Creating an environment where workers feel comfortable discussing mental health concerns, and feel empowered to intervene in unsafe situations, requires a number of steps:
Awareness for worker mental health in construction
1. Mental health education and training: Provide construction workers with training on mental health fundamentals like recognising warning signs.
2. Encouraging open communication: Foster a culture where workers feel comfortable discussing mental health issues without fear of stigma or judgment.
3. Support networks: Establish internal support networks, such as peer support groups or mental health champions, to provide informal assistance. Also clearly signpost support helplines like the Lighthouse Construction Charity and set up and promote an employee assistance programme.
“Whether the direction of travel returns to pre-Covid levels or not, the figures represent very real people and families – and with the construction industry infamously having suicide rates 3.7 times higher than the national average, lives are being destroyed up and down the country.“
4. Sign up to a Building Mental Health Charter: Promote commitment to mental health awareness and understanding by adopting a Building Mental Health Charter.
5. A mental health toolbox talk: Deliver an interactive talk to raise awareness about mental health – again on recognising warning signs in people who might need support and getting the conversation started.
Behavioural safety programmes
1. Identify and address unsafe behaviours: Implement behavioural safety programmes that focus on identifying and addressing unsafe behaviours and conditions.
2. Training on recognising and intervening: Train workers to recognise unsafe acts and conditions and to intervene appropriately, especially line managers and supervisors, so they know what to do when someone mentions a mental health issue.
3. Promote a culture of safety: Create a culture where safety is valued and where workers feel empowered to speak up about potential hazards – and train around one in every 100 employees or subcontractors as a certified mental health first aider.
4. Focus on worker wellbeing: Recognise that mental health is just as important as physical health and that a healthy workforce is a safe workforce.
5. Work-life balance: Help maintain and encourage a healthy work-life balance in your workforce.
If you are interested in more information and statistics on worker mental health in construction, you’re invited to visit the Re-flow mental health information page.
*Please note that this is a commercial profile.
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