Emma Ramell, director of external affairs at the HBF, discusses how the organisation and the industry are working together to tackle the mental health crisis in construction.
It is a heartbreaking reality that many of us will, at some point, know someone who has taken their own life, as suicide becomes an increasingly and devastatingly common occurrence.
In 2023, the latest year for which data is available, 6,069 suicides were registered in England and Wales. To put this into context, this is the equivalent of 11.4 deaths per 100,000 people, a 7.6% increase compared with 2022, and the highest rate seen since 1999.
Once you start drilling down into the specific demographics of those who have died by suicide, the numbers become even more shocking. While women are twice as likely to suffer from depression as men, it is men who are significantly more likely to take their own lives.
Indeed, in 2023 the suicide rate for males in England and Wales was 17.4 deaths per 100,000 people, more than three times the rate for females, which stood at 5.7 per 100,000. This number rose even further among men aged 45-49, with the equivalent of 25.5 deaths per 100,000 people.
As an industry that remains overwhelmingly male-dominated, construction, including homebuilding, is all too familiar with the mental health challenges facing its workforce. In fact, the scale of the issue is sobering, with research from Glasgow Caledonian University finding that suicide rates among construction workers rose from 26 to 34 per 100,000 people over the seven years leading up to 2021. That means construction workers are now nearly four times more likely to take their own lives than those in other sectors.
The reasons behind this crisis are complex and varied. For some, personal issues such as relationship breakdowns, financial pressures, or addiction can become overwhelming. For others, the nature of the job (tight deadlines, physical strain, and a long-standing ‘macho culture’ that discourages vulnerability), can create an environment where mental health struggles go unnoticed and unaddressed.
Whatever the cause, one thing is clear: tackling suicide in construction must start with breaking down the stigma around mental health and making it easier for people to seek help.
In response to this challenge, the HBF launched a Mental Health Awareness Campaign in 2019 to encourage members to support the mental wellbeing of their workforce. Developed in partnership with Lighthouse, the construction industry charity, the campaign has included a range of initiatives:
- Signing the Building Mental Health Charter. More than 50 HBF members have signed the Charter, committing them to improving mental health in the construction industry.
- Holding Toolbox Talks. To help overcome the stigma of talking about mental health problems by raising awareness of the issue in our industry, we have produced a Toolbox Talk to tackle the problem. Toolbox Talks are also a fantastic way to educate the workforce on how to spot that someone may be struggling and how to start conversation. Talks can encourage positive conversation and reach the site-based staff who, due to the nature of construction work, may not be aware of the support available.
- Offering mental health awareness training. These training days allow managers, foremen, supervisors and others to receive in-depth training about understanding mental health and identifying the warning signs of deteriorating health in employees and allowing pre-emptive measures to be taken. HBF has partnered with Lighthouse to offer free mental health awareness training to those working in SMEs and the supply chain.
- Training Mental Health First Aiders. A number of our members have committed to establishing and maintaining a healthy ratio of certified Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) to workers and contractors on site. MHFAs can play a vital role in helping to build a positive mental health culture and support network both at a site-level and within the company itself.
- Signposting support. Housebuilders are taking steps to ensure employees know how to access help, including through their company’s Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) and the confidential 24/7 construction industry helpline, run by Lighthouse which provides free emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support for construction workers and their families.
While progress is being made, we cannot be complacent if we are to address the mental health challenge we face and ultimately see a meaningful decline in the number of suicides among construction workers. Achieving this will require greater collaboration across all parts of the construction sector to ensure that the great work being done across the various sectors and initiatives is having maximum impact.
That said, the industry cannot tackle this issue alone, no matter how determined or well-intentioned. It is therefore encouraging that the government is currently consulting on its forthcoming Men’s Health Strategy, which will include a focus on improving outcomes in areas such as mental health and suicide prevention.
Ultimately, mental health is a complex and deeply personal issue, but it’s one that we cannot afford to ignore, especially in sectors like housebuilding where the risks are so stark. By continuing to raise awareness, challenge stigma, and provide practical support, we can help create a culture where mental health is treated with the same seriousness as physical health and, ultimately, save lives.
