Two people in the industry take their own lives every day. Employers must do more to address their workers’ mental wellbeing for the benefit of all, writes Thomas & Adamson’s Rob Bewick
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). These days, items including high-vis outerwear, steel-capped boots, hard hats and safety goggles are expected at all times on site as the bare minimum.
Yet, despite this, the industry still accounts for the majority of workplace fatalities and injuries in the UK. The most recent figures from the Health and Safety Executive are telling: in 2023, 45 construction workers in the UK were killed while at work, which is more than double the number in any other industry.
The rates of self-reported workplace injuries are also especially high in construction, with 2,640 reports per 100,000 workers, second only to agriculture, forestry and fishing – three sectors combined.
It is worth bearing in mind that construction sites are inherently higher-risk environments and, while that means accidents are more likely than in many other sectors, it also means that the industry has to comply with numerous regulations, standards and reporting measures. Nevertheless, whatever the context behind the numbers, the fact of the matter is that there are still far too many people who work in the construction sector getting hurt. And, while physical health and safety advice has become ingrained on construction sites – from regular toolbox talks to incident management procedures – what is less talked about is mental health and, more specifically, how that contributes to injury prevention.
Source: Frame
Rob Bewick is senior construction safety consultant at Thomas & Adamson
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