Mental health

Industry charity campaign encourages mental health conversations

Talk-to-Us-Lighthouse-Club-300x200.jpg

Construction industry charity the Lighthouse Club is encouraging workers to talk to colleagues about their problems as part of a month-long campaign to tackle mental health issues. The charity’s ‘Talk to Us’ initiative, which will run throughout July, asks construction workers to open up and share their struggles with friends,…

Mental health safeguards are just as important as physical ones

Mark-Gordon-web-300x200.jpg

Mark Gordon is health, safety & environmental director at Durkan Nowadays, it is highly likely that there are more mental health issues on construction sites than there are physical accidents. In an industry that is so focused on managing and mitigating safety risk, that is really not a surprising statement,…

Mental health issues are no joke

Chris-Hallam_CMS-law-300x200.jpg

Chris Hallam is a partner at CMS “UK builders go woke,” announced the Mail on Sunday last week. “Forget the stereotype that builders are wolf-whistling white-van men devouring greasy-spoon breakfasts and discussing sport as radios blare out inane pop music,” it proclaimed – simultaneously expressing surprise that builders are actually ordinary people while nevertheless…

One in three construction workers avoid taking time off despite stress

Mental-Health_index-300x200.jpg

A third of construction workers have struggled with stress and mental health in the last two years, but avoided taking time off, a Construction News survey reveals. Data from CN’s 2022 Mind Matters survey, which will be published in next month’s magazine edition, found that 36 per cent of 1,230 workers…

Financial pressure main cause of construction workers’ mental health issues

Mental-Health_index-300x200.jpg

Financial concerns are the main reason construction workers struggle with mental health, according to a survey by materials supplier Ironmongery. A third of the workers who reported mental health issues said that concern over money was the reason for their difficulties. The firm’s report into the construction industry also found…

We cannot afford to ignore our industry’s mental health epidemic

Paul Williams, ECA

Paul Williams is health, safety and environment services manager for the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) No one is immune to the impact of poor mental health. It can ruin businesses, affect productivity and damage relationships. It also increases physical health and safety incidents. As an industry, construction continues to suffer…

We need every company to take a positive approach to mental health

Dawn-Moore-300x200.jpg

Dawn Moore is group people director at Murphy Group. One in four people worldwide experiences poor mental health – a statistic that is well known to many. Everyone has some risk of developing a mental health disorder, no matter their age, gender, job or background, which is why so much…

CN launches 2022 mental health survey

Mental-Health_index-300x200.jpg

Construction News has launched a survey to investigate the mental health of the industry’s workforce. As part of CN’s award-winning mental health campaign, Mind Matters, an anonymous survey has been opened to get a picture of the mental health of UK construction workers and find out what has changed in recent years. Statistics…

Text HARDHAT: mental health message helpline launched

Modern-slavery-construction-worker-silhouette_660-300x200.jpg

A new mental health helpline that construction workers can access via text message has been launched Construction workers and their families and friends can now text HARDHAT to 85258 to access anonymous and confidential help immediately via text. This helpline has been launched today (1 February) by the Lighthouse Construction…

‘Hidden crisis’ of workers’ anxiety levels revealed

Mental health report puts spotlight on construction

A survey has found that one in three construction workers who are self-employed or work in a small firm live with “elevated levels” of anxiety every day. The stigma of mental illness also prevents them from being honest with family and close friends. These were the early findings from a…