Following a successful launch by CECA in 2017, the first UK-wide stand-down for the infrastructure sector is planned for to take place across a two-week period from 16-28 April. CECA is the representative organisation for the UK’s civil engineering contractors and they will be working with the Lighthouse Club Charity to help promote mental health and wellbeing.
Last April, more than 60,000 workers on more than 1000 sites took part in events to support Stop. Make a Change, an initiative focusing on working together to build a healthier, safer industry. Sites, offices and production facilities stopped work for discussions on four key issues – mental health, fatigue, plant safety and respiratory health.
This year will see Stop. Make a Change cover the whole construction sector rather than solely infrastructure and will focus on two key areas, mental health and plant safety.
Alasdair Reisner, Chief Executive of CECA said, “One in four people will suffer from mental health issues each year and more than 400,000 days are lost to work-related stress, anxiety and depression in construction. Tragically, in our sector, a worker is more likely to die of suicide than they are from a fall from height.
The construction industry has started to increase the amount of attention that it pays to mental health issues but to really make a difference we need to co-ordinate our efforts across the sector to raise awareness.
One of the ways that we can do this is by working with the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity, to promote their 24/7 Construction Industry Helpline. Last year, the helpline took 1500 calls from construction workers and their families who needed help with mental health issues, financial support due to illness, injury or bereavement and tax and legal issues.”
Bill Hill, CEO of the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity said, “CECA are encouraging everyone that participates in Stop. Make a Change to make sure they have one of our helpline packs. The packs include posters for sites and offices and helpline cards that can be distributed to their workforce so that workers know where to turn to if they need support. Our helpline provides a free of charge, confidential 24/7 helpline safety net for all construction workers and their families in the UK and Ireland”.
In addition to raising awareness about mental health, the Stop. Make a Change is also targeting plant safety. Of the 217 people killed in the construction industry over the last five years around 10 per cent were hit by moving vehicles and the campaign will ask companies to make a commitment to reducing the number of plant-related incidents on site.”
Stop. Make a Change has been supported by CITB’s Structured Fund as part of Infrastructure 21, a Civil Engineering Contractors Association-led project to help ensure that civils suppliers are primed ready for expected growth in the sector in the coming years.
To get involved, visit, www.stopmakeachange.co.uk or to get your construction industry helpline pack, visit www.constructionindustryhelpline.com/products
