Mental health

Ringfenced project bank accounts (PBAs) should be extended throughout the construction supply chain to “eliminate” payment-related mental health issues, a white paper has argued. A two-tier PBA system would offer not only financial but also psychological protection to small and medium-sized construction businesses that are the backbone of the industry,…

A new British Standard has called on employers to appoint a dedicated senior leader responsible for suicide prevention, as part of wide-ranging measures to reduce the risk of suicide in the workplace. The guidance, BS 30480:2025 Suicide and the workplace – Intervention, prevention and support for people affected by suicide,…

Dozens of tier one contractors are backing former England footballer Trevor Steven in his bid to tackle mental health in the construction sector. Since launching a new mental health charter to address suicide rates and psychological ill-health in the industry last month, more than 50 firms have come forward to…

Ex-Everton and England footballer Trevor Steven has launched a new mental health charter to address suicide rates and psychological ill-health in the construction industry. The Mindflow Charter, unveiled in Liverpool yesterday (29 September), aims to put psychological safety on equal footing with physical safety. It introduces ten measurable principles designed…

The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has launched an industry-wide consultation to address the root causes of poor mental health across the construction sector. Its initiative follows a series of focus groups held by the CLC in partnership with mental health charity Mates in Mind and the University of Warwick. The…

Caroline Roodhouse is a writer, speaker and communications consultant specialising in suicide prevention, postvention and compassionate workplace culture. She is the author of the best-selling book, Daddy Blackbird: the true story of a family surviving and thriving after loss by suicide It’s World Suicide Prevention Day today (10 September), an…

Steve Willis is a manager at SunDemolition Mental health is one of the biggest hidden challenges in construction and demolition, especially for men. Blokes often leave home at 5am, spend all day knee-deep in high-pressure work, then come back through the door at 7pm or 8pm. They're expected to be…

The Lighthouse construction industry charity has reported a small profit, despite spending more than it earned in 2024. The Ipswich-based organisation, which tackles mental health in the construction industry, spent £4.6m in the year ended 31 December 2024, with £1.8m spent on “welfare and benevolence” for charity users and £1.25m…

A suicide awareness campaign backed by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and NHS Wales has been launched across construction sites in Wales. The initiative, developed in partnership with the NHS Wales Suicide Prevention and Self Harm Programme, includes a poster campaign and a series of toolbox talks aimed at…

A major union has called for mandatory sexual harassment training after a third of women said they suffered sexual assault at work. A survey by Unite the union found that 31 per cent of women working in construction had been sexually assaulted at work, with a further 17 per cent…