The association’s January event in the Welsh parliament was the latest in a series spreading the word about supporting mental health awareness in construction.
APS has been ramping up its UK-wide campaign to promote mental health and wellbeing within the construction industry, by taking its campaign to Westminster and the devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales.
The association has vigorously campaigned across both its 4,000-strong UK membership and the wider built environment for greater awareness and understanding on the range of issues impacting an industry where there are an estimated 16,000 construction workers in Britain suffering from work-related stress, depression, or anxiety. Together, these account for 24% of all ill health in the construction sector.
In January the message was taken to the Welsh parliament (Senedd Cymru) in Cardiff. This followed the launch event in November to promote construction industry mental health awareness held at the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh.
Speaking at the Holyrood event, host and mental awareness campaigner Sue Webber MSP, a Conservative shadow cabinet secretary, spoke of the need for employers and individuals to prioritise mental health awareness and provide support where it is needed.
Construction-related suicides
She commented: “There are two construction-related suicides every day, according to recent construction statistics in the UK published by HSC.
“Working in construction comes with intense pressure, tight contracts, long hours, time away from family and managing extremely tight budgets, so it’s little wonder workers in the sector are really feeling the strain.”
In Cardiff, an invited audience made up of APS members in South Wales, local construction companies, cross-party MS members from the Welsh parliament and representatives from local mental health charities gathered to hear the event’s host, senior former Labour minister John Griffiths MS, from the Welsh Labour group, speak of the need for employers and individuals to prioritise mental health awareness and provide support where it is needed.
Stigma of poor mental health
He commented: “Addressing the stigma of poor mental health and promoting positive mental wellbeing across workplaces has never been more important. We need to focus on the great work carried out by APS and its focus on construction. In doing so, we can work towards a mindset change needed to improve workplace mental health.”
The event also heard from guest speaker Dylan Skelhorn – a former solid fuel heating engineer who sustained life-changing injuries following a fall from height nearly 15 years ago. Since his slow mental and physical health recovery, Skelhorn has been a motivational safety speaker, sharing his story to try and prevent others having life-changing accidents.
APS CEO Andrew Leslie believes the construction industry is sitting on a mental-health time-bomb.
“There were often no ‘warning signs’ that employees are suffering from mental health issues until, sadly, it may be too late. This is why we have taken the campaign to Holyrood, the Senedd and Westminster,” he said.
“Our politicians will recognise just how important this issue is and the need to address the fact that everyone affected has their own unique challenges.”
APS plans to hold its next event at the Palace of Westminster in early summer.
