Clive Johnson of the U.K., who helped establish the Health in Construction Leadership Group which brings large construction companies, unions and safety organizations together to address health issues states that, “national statistics show that two people per week in construction had taken their lives. It was very unacceptable and frankly, shaming on the industry.”1
Under the HCLG banner, chief executives of 150 top companies met last year to tackle occupational health, including mental health. Five companies, Wilmont Dixon, Balfour Beatty, Careys, Heathrow and Tideway are now trailing a version of the Australian Mates in Mind Programme that tackles stigma on building sites, which includes a 45-minute session on mental health wellbeing for individuals. Supervisors get 3.5 hours of coaching and managers attend a two-day mental health first aid course.1