Electrical Contracting News (ECN) March 2017 | Page 18

KEY ISSUE

KEY ISSUE

MENTALLY AWARE

Clive Johnson is group head of health , safety and security at Land Securities and chairs the Health in Construction Leadership Group , set up in 2015 as a direct response to research presented at the 2015 Construction Industry Advisory Committee , which exposed the high number of occupational health deaths in the sector . Here , he highlights the effects of mental ill health in the workplace .

Mental ill health in the workplace is a growing issue with one in six working age adults experiencing depression , anxiety or stress related issues at any one time . Since it ’ s estimated that work related mental ill health costs UK employers £ 26bn annually through lost working days , staff turnover and lower productivity , it ’ s clear we need better wellbeing support for our workplaces .

The effect of mental health issues in the construction industry is well documented : Statistics show that 10 per cent of all suicides happen within the sector . While the industry has , rightly , worked to reduce fatalities from the hundreds to 35-42 deaths annually in the last 10 years , construction workers in the UK are 100 times more likely to die from an occupational illness than a workplace accident . These statistics reveal there is more work to be done if we ’ re going to treat health , particularly mental health , as we do safety .
This is why we need to commit to supporting workers ’ mental health in the construction industry . It ’ s a problem that isn ’ t going away and one that must be addressed . We want the industry to look after its workforce and to see talking about things as a strength rather than a weakness , and to stamp out the ‘ it ’ s not happening to me ’ mentality . Just as we all have physical health , so too do we have mental health .
When we set up Health in Construction Leadership Group , I spoke to businesses including Crossrail , Skanska and the Construction Clients Group regarding organising a summit to tackle the issue of occupational health in the construction industry head on – and the Health in Construction Leadership Group was a byproduct of the summit .
The summit saw over 150 key business leaders and industry influencers in the construction sector come together to make a pledge to address the growing number of occupational health deaths and debilitating or life changing health incidences . Mental ill health in the sector was also seen as part of the problem . The collaborative group , comprises contractors , clients , the Health and Safety Executive , professional bodies , trade associations and trade unions .
Invest in training
At Land Securities , we have started offering training in Mental Health First Aid to staff . For any employer of any size , investing in training of Mental Health First Aid is a tangible and important step towards supporting your employees ’ mental wellbeing .
Being trained in Mental Health First Aid gives people the skills and confidence to spot common signs and triggers of mental ill health – and teaches them how to best signpost someone to the support they need .
On 26th January , a year on from its first Health Summit , the Health in Construction Leadership Group brought the CEOs back to reflect on the progress we have made in our bid to eradicate ill health from our industry . A highlight of the event was the launch of a new mental health scheme for the industry called Mates in Mind .
Organisations signing up to the Mates in Mind programme will have all of their employees given some training in mental health awareness , while line managers will take part in a half day training session .
At Land Securities , our Occupational Health Customer Improvement Group agreed that all contractors , once the scheme was launched , must sign up to the Mates in Mind programme . We want to give staff and contractors the tools to proactively look out for the tell-tale signs of mental ill health . Training includes managers , as well as the general workforce .
Health in Construction Leadership Group is committed to its vision to make construction the leading industry for occupational health and disease prevention by 2025 , and achieve a cultural shift within the sector , so health is managed like safety .
There are a number of ways we can support health , including mental health , in the workplace . Mental Health First Aid is one of those ways , and one that allows us to take a proactive , rather than a reactive approach to employees ’ mental health .
For more guidance around how to approach and respond to a colleague who is experiencing a mental health issue download the free Line Managers Resource at https :// mhfaengland . org / linemanagers-resource /
Find out more about Mates in Mind on the Health in Construction Leadership Group ’ s website . To find out how employers can support the wellbeing of their staff and demonstrate their commitment to mental health , visit https :// mhfaengland . org / and download the free MHFA England Take 10 Together toolkit .
18 | March 2017