Mental health

The construction industry used to be regarded as a dangerous industry to work in. That is no longer the case. Significant progress has been made in reducing the number of accidents on buildings sites, with health and safety measures introduced many years ago now so commonplace they are taken for…

Last week I happened to catch the first episode of Paul Hollywood Eats Japan, a TV travelogue in which the noted celebrity baker toured Japan to sample such cross-cultural delights as bread sold in tins and a cup-noodle museum. One of the segments showcased a Tokyo restaurant set up for solo…

Coronavirus killed a construction worker two weeks ago. He did not die on an intensive care bed though, with a machine trying to breath for him. And he will not be included in the grim daily COVID-19 fatality statistics. This worker died in his family home. He took his own…

Industry mental health charity Lighthouse Club has launched a crisis appeal as it is set to lose around £700,000 due to the cancellation of fundraising events because of coronavirus. The charity is calling for donations to help keep its 24/7 helpline running and maintain its support services, including access to…

Coronavirus outbreaks on projects are being hidden from onsite staff and safety concerns are being ignored, Construction News can reveal. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, several scared workers said complaints have been brushed off or ignored by management. Operatives on sites, which have not been adhering to two-metre distancing…

Contractors are facing a public backlash as sites continue to operate following the national lockdown. Workers are being heckled from the street and are experiencing abuse on social media following national media coverage of active projects. There was confusion yesterday over whether jobs could run and comply with strict new…

Calls to the helpline dedicated to supporting construction industry workers in crisis have surged following the coronavirus outbreak. Speaking to Construction News yesterday, Bill Hill, chief executive of the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity, which runs the Construction Industry Helpline, said the industry’s large self-employed contingent had been hit by the…

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, office staff are advised to work from home. While we recognise that home-working is not possible for many in our industry, the Construction News team has put together some tips to make the experience as efficient and beneficial as possible for those who can do so

Today we sent issue number 7,593 of Construction News to the printers, completed in our 149th year of existence. I may be wrong, but I think this is the first in that long line of newspapers to have been compiled by a team working from home. We are connected together…

Industry mental health charity Lighthouse Club has said it experienced a 56 per cent increase in calls to its Construction Industry Helpline during 2019. In the past 12 months, a total of 2,616 families in the construction industry have asked the charity for wellbeing or financial support with £703,641 provided…