A growing number of contractors are being urged to train managers to recognize mental health challenges among their employees, following the release of new statistics showing that over a quarter of workers have experienced suicidal thoughts.
A survey conducted by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), supported by the charity Mates in Mind, was unveiled today (12 May) to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week. The survey revealed that 27% of construction workers had considered suicide at least once over the past year.
The Main Stress Triggers
The survey identified key stressors within the industry, including “too much work” and “poor communication”, which were found to be the primary triggers for stress. Workers also cited additional sources of stress such as lack of privacy on site, inadequate toilet facilities, noise levels, and poor catering provisions.
The findings were part of a report that also served as a follow-up to a similar study conducted in 2020. The issue of mental health in construction has long been recognized, with the report referring to it as a “silent crisis.”
Suicide Figures Among Construction Workers
According to provisional data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 355 individuals working in skilled construction and building trades tragically died by suicide in 2024.
Daisie Barnett, Policy Development Manager at the CIOB and the report’s author, emphasized:
“In an ideal world, nobody working in the industry would face mental health challenges. While that vision might be difficult to achieve, we believe there is still much more that can be done by the industry and government to support construction workers.”
Recommendations for Contractors
The report includes several recommendations, particularly for contractors, urging them to train managers to recognize and manage mental health issues among their teams. It suggests implementing monthly one-on-one check-ins focused on mental wellbeing and creating fatigue-management plans to address these issues.
Some positive findings from the survey include that more than half of respondents reported having access to a mental health first aider at work.
Mental Health in Construction Contracts
For the broader built environment sector, the report advocates for mental health provisions to be integrated into construction contracts. These provisions would include training staff in mental health first aid and offering flexible working arrangements. It also recommends that the tendering process reward firms that take proactive steps to improve mental health within their workplaces.
Government Recommendations
The CIOB urges the government to include a dedicated section in the Men’s Health Strategy—introduced last November by Health Secretary Wes Streeting—that focuses on mental health in high-risk sectors like construction. The report calls for a tailored approach to address sector-specific challenges.
Normalizing Mental Health Conversations
Sam Downie, Managing Director of Mates in Mind, stressed the importance of educating employees and workers across the entire supply chain to spot the signs of mental ill-health, initiate conversations about it, and direct those in need to appropriate support. He highlighted that normalizing mental health discussions is essential to reducing stigma and encouraging open dialogue.
Government Support for Mental Health
A spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care commented:
“Through our Plan for Change, we are moving care out of hospitals and into communities. This includes investing in talking therapies to support an additional 380,000 patients, along with £26 million for new mental health crisis centers. Our goal is to ensure mental health receives the same level of focus as physical health.”
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