Mental health in construction | World Mental Health Day
Mental health in the construction industry is getting increasingly worse. Suicide is listed as the biggest killer of men under 50, and male construction site workers are up to three times more likely to take their own lives than the average male in the UK.
Data released by the Office for National Statistics in 2017 showed that between 2011 and 2015, more than 1400 construction workers committed suicide. This put the number of suicide rates in the industry higher than any other profession within that time frame.
The Statistics
Broken down, the numbers are alarming.
Out of over 13,000 in-work suicides reported by the ONS, 13.2% of these were from construction and building trade workers.
Only 10 out of the 1419 people who took their own lives between 2011 and 2015 in the construction industry were women.
Over 1300 people were surveyed between 2017 and 2018 to gather their thoughts on if the industry has changed in that time. The results showed 30% of respondents have taken time off due to mental health or stress. 63% did not tell their employer the reasons why. This highlights the need to uphold a certain image when working within the industry.
Terry Rigby, Director at Forward For Life, a business providing suicide prevention training to businesses, said, “A lot of it is around identity. A lot of men have found themselves unemployable.”
Mr Rigby claims this inability to find new work and worry about where the next paycheck has come from is a leading cause into low mental health in men in construction.
“Blokes don’t talk”, he added.
What’s more, 24% of those surveyed had considered taking their own life. This number rose to 32% of those working in companies who employ fewer than 100 staff.
The Cause
Long working hours, often working away from home and families and project completion pressures with strict deadlines seem to be main causes for the high numbers. As well as this, job security seems to be a rising factor in 2018 after the fall of Carillion.
However, it is not only job-related factors which cause such high numbers. Construction industry stigma, such as the need to portray a “tough guy” or “macho” image, has a huge effect also.
The Industry
Officials within the industry have voiced their concerns.
Brian Van Campenhout, head of EHS at Lendlease, says: “Having adopted the Building Mental Health Charter, Lendlease is working collaboratively across the whole of the construction industry to eradicate the stigma and impact associated with poor mental health that continues to blight many people’s lives. It’s great news that Building Mental Health now had the CITY and Lighthouse as key industry partners supporting the framework.
“It is vitally important that, collectively, we all do something to improve the mental health and wellbeing of everyone that works in this great industry. Let’s shoulder this moral responsibility and start making a difference today.”
Mates In Mind are a charity dedicated to raising awareness and addressing the stigma of poor mental health in the construction industry. They also aim to improve positive mental wellbeing.
They have said, “Right now, one in six workers in the UK is experiencing depression, anxiety or stress. In a construction population of 2.1m representing 6% of the UK workforce, that suggests 350,000 people in construction at any one time are suffering.
“Life in construction offers jobs and careers full of energy with a unique mix of diversity, skills setts, opportunity and life experience. It offers workers across the UK a chance to change the face of the world we live in, both for themselves and for others. Because of this, every single person in Construction deserves the chance of positive mental health. We know that together, we’ll get construction talking.”
Contracts manager at construction company Jehu, Vince Alm, has said, “We all like to think we’re macho but we all suffer the same problems. There is help out there and things do get better.”
Others have been tweeting their support for World Mental Health Day on October 10th.
Resources:
If you need help, get in touch with any of the below resources.
Call Samaritans for free on their 24/7 phone line at 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org.
Community Advice and Listening Line for Wales offers free confidential support and help to find local mental health services. Get in touch on 0800 132 737 or text “Help” to 81066.
Mental health charity Mind provide support and advice to anyone. Contact them on 0300 123 3393.
You can reach the Construction Industry Helpline on 0345 605 1956. This is managed by the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity.