Improving workers’ mental health a regulatory focus for construction sector in 2025

The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recently published the latest workplace health and safety statistics (12-page PDF/1.3MB) for Great Britain. The figures show that 1.7 million workers were suffering from work-related ill health in 2023-24. Around 46%, or 0.8 million, of these workers suffered from work-related stress, depression or anxiety. The rate is higher than the 2018-19 pre Covid 19 level.

In the construction sector, the HSE’s figures show that during 2023-24, there were approximately 14,000 workers suffering from work-related stress, depression and anxiety, accounting for 18% of all ill health in this sector. Shortly before publication of its latest statistics the HSE issued an eBulletin to the construction industry reminding employers of the legal duty to prevent work-related stress and support good mental health at work. It highlighted that risk assessments must consider workplace stress, depression and anxiety, commenting that “many people still don’t realise that”.

Risk assessment  is important. In addition, steps must then be taken to eradicate or at least mitigate identified risks. As the HSE has said, “prevention is better than cure, and understanding the risks is the first step to preventing them”.

Improving workplace mental health as well as safety is a central plank of the HSE’s current strategy to protecting people and places (2022-2032). As part of this, the HSE launched its Working Minds Campaign. The campaign was designed to help employers understand, and fulfil, their responsibilities in improving workplace mental health. More than 30 construction industry bodies and construction companies have joined the campaign, including the Scaffolding Association and Professional Lighting and Sound Association and the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association (ARCA). The regulator has committed to use its “collective resource to focus on this problem” and “deliver interventions that make a real difference”.

Psychosocial risk factors in the construction sector

The particular problem of construction industry work related mental health has been the subject of recent research, including in a joint review by authors from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge. Referring to the poor mental health in construction as a “significant challenge”, the authors noted that “the construction industry is one of the most stressful industries to be part of”, with almost 70% of construction workers said to be experiencing workplace stress, depression or anxiety. The review also said that the industry has the highest rate of suicide, with construction workers four times more likely to die by suicide than the national average. 

Particular psychosocial risk factors are found to exist in the construction industry which can adversely affect mental health outcomes. A recent report by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSH) points to the unique working conditions and nature of construction work that have contributed to the high stress levels and mental health risks of workers in the industry. These include the often high risk nature of construction work, the prevalence of temporary workplaces and exposure to extreme weather conditions. Other risk factors highlighted by the report include the high physical and psychological demands associated with many construction industry tasks, workload and time pressures, lack of job autonomy and control, lack of supervision, support and recognition and lack of participatory decision-making. 

Adding to these challenges, the report said, these risks are exacerbated by a perceived “macho” male culture, where mental health is downplayed with “stigmatised attitudes towards mental health issues and help-seeking behaviours, expectations about physical and psychological endurance, and acceptance of detrimental behavioural coping mechanisms such as substance misuse behaviours”.

But it is not all bad news. Being part of an industry which changes the built environment and is so central to the lives of the population instills sense of pride, while the camaraderie on site can foster a real sense of belonging.

Regulatory and political drive to further improvements

Many construction companies are already taking steps to address and improve their workers’ mental health. They are aware of the issues and the need to drive improvements, harnessing the good and mitigating the risks of the bad. These businesses understand that the success of their business depends on a reliable, skilled workforce, able to perform the tasks expected of them properly. The steps companies can take include reviewing workplace practices to reduce as far as possible risk factors, taking account of any known vulnerabilities, encouraging discussions on worker mental health through mental health and intervention training, ensuring accessibility of occupational health services and mental health first aiders, and provision of toolkits supporting workers to identify and address psychosocial risks.

However, more needs to be done by employers in general and those in the construction sector in particular. Improving worker mental health is not only a regulatory priority, but is also increasingly a political priority too. In its recent Get Britain Working White Paper, the government stated that “®reversing the increase in economic inactivity caused by ill health is a national priority”. Mental health conditions are amongst the most prevalent conditions in people who are economically inactive. 

In its most recent business plan, the HSE undertakes to carry out more inspections and to ensure those inspections will have “an increasing focus on health priorities to achieve reduced ill health”.

The UK government has also signalled that it intends to drive improvements through greater employer accountability. For example, a new legal duty has already been introduced requiring employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace, including harassment by third parties. Further changes are anticipated in the Employment Rights Bill, currently making its way through parliament. These changes include expanding the types of behaviours employers must take steps to prevent, requiring them to take all reasonable measures to do so.

With its perceived macho culture, the construction industry is likely to be a target for intervention by regulators keen to drive improvement. Risk assessment will be key for businesses in the sector to address the mental health challenges. The UK government has big plans for economic growth and a strong and sustainable construction sector will be essential for delivering those plans. The future success of the construction industry will be hinged on the availability of a skilled, competent, reliable and healthy workforce, able to meet the demands of the job.

Help is at hand for employers. The Working Minds Campaign contains some invaluable guidance. Charities, such as Mates in Mind, also provide sector specific advice designed to empower both employers and workers to understand and address mental health issues better. Initially aimed at the construction sector, Mates in Mind now offers advice and guidance for a range of industries. All of this adds to a growing body of guidelines in this area, including International Standard ISO45003 and World Health Organisation guidelines. The ISO45003 sets out internationally agreed guidelines and practical guidance for managing psychosocial risk within an occupational health and safety management system. The international standard aims to help organisations prevent work-related injury and ill health and promote wellbeing at work.

The New Year’s wish is that all workers go home healthy. As the HSE has said in the past, by shining a light on issues such as stress, depression and anxiety, we can help to drive improvements. The will is there and the construction sector is well placed to meet the challenge.