The suicide rate among construction workers is three times higher than the national average for men. It accounts for more deaths in the industry than work-related accidents; two construction workers commit suicide every single working day. It’s the leading cause of death for men aged under 50. As a young male working in construction myself, it’s good to see the industry is increasingly giving mental health issues in construction the attention and priority they deserve. 

It’s not hard to see why tackling mental health issues in a male-dominated industry is a massive challenge; people are working on site for long hours, in often unforgiving conditions and engaging in high-risk activities. Often we are struggling with a poor work-life balance and some turn to coping mechanisms such as smoking or drinking alcohol. It’s a generalisation but there’s a truth to it: men don’t like talking about this stuff. For those who have come from other countries, it can be even harder. They might be working in the UK on a project with their family living elsewhere – some might not have anyone they can share their concerns with.

We need to focus on educating our workforce about the effect mental health problems can have on someone, as well as how to broach the subject

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