Construction, Covid-19 and mental health

For those working in the construction industry, every day brings different challenges and successes, and the banter and camaraderie can create a strong sense of belonging and ‘family’. But it can also be high pressured and some days can feel unforgiving. It’s no surprise then, that people working in the construction industry can experience higher than average levels of mental health issues. In fact, according to Building Mental Health, every working day two construction workers take their own lives.

Building mental health

This is a stark figure and Building Mental Health is just one of the organisations raising awareness and offering support to employers and employees, so that mental health issues can be spotted early and people can get the help they need. And never was support for mental health needed more than it is now, when people find themselves in such unprecedented circumstances.

In the current pandemic, the mental health of the nation (in fact of the world) is being openly talked about, with celebrities and the medical profession offering advice and tips to help people manage their well-being at this incredibly difficult time. Talking openly like this is encouraged, and is proven to be helpful. It shows people that they are absolutely not alone, and it creates opportunities for people to find out what support is available to them.

With many in the construction industry being furloughed or temporarily laid off, those affected can find themselves frustrated by lack of work or daily routine; experiencing financial worries; worried about the future, or their health and that or their loved ones. These feelings are not uncommon; many people are experiencing them - in all walks of life. The country, and the sector, will recover, but in the meantime there are organisations out there who can help.

Support and Helpline

The following are some of the organisations that offer support. We hope you find the list useful. And please share it with anyone you think it might help.

The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity has been delivering welfare and support to the construction community since 1956. It provides financial and emotional support to the construction community (and their families) who have suffered an injury or long-term illness, or simply need a helping hand. You can contact them here https://www.lighthouseclub.org/about-us/

The Construction Industry Helpline is funded by The Lighthouse charity. It provides a 24/7 safety net for all construction workers and their families in the UK and Ireland. It offers confidential support. Call them on 0345 605 1956. Or, for more information, visit their website https://www.constructionindustryhelpline.com

Building Mental Health, who we mentioned earlier, is an initiative led by industry experts, providing support and advice to increase awareness of mental health. Their goal is to reduce the stigma attached to mental health in this industry, to get conversations started and to educate. If you’re an employer, they have tools and training to help you improve mental health awareness and support in your workplace. This might be something you want to have in place when the sector starts back up after the pandemic. https://www.buildingmentalhealth.net

The Samaritans have put together some brilliant resources on managing mental health and worries during the pandemic. They can be accessed online at https://www.samaritans.org. If you want to talk to someone, you can call them anytime on: 116 123.

MIND also have lots of advice on their Information Hub about coping during Covid-19 

https://www.mind.org.uk They have a helpline 0300 123 3393 Mon-Fri 9am - 6pm.

Let’s keep talking

At DART, we want to support you through this tricky time. As well as staying in touch with your work colleagues, it can help to link up on social media with groups of people who are from your wider industry. If you’d like to start a conversation on any of our social media platforms, please do. We’d like to offer them as a place for people to get together and keep in touch. 

We know it’s good to talk. So, let’s get talking. And if there’s anything we can do to support this, please let us know.