Construcciones Yamaro: Guide to improving mental health and wellbeing in construction

With events like R U OK? Day in September and Mental Health Month in October, mental health is a focus across Australia, especially in construction. Yet for one in five working Australians, mental ill-health is a year-round challenge.

Luke Pedras, national manager for health, wellbeing and injury management at Coates, highlights that mental health affects various aspects of life, including workplace safety and wellbeing.

“For high-risk blue-collar professions – like tradies, truckies and farmers – a high stress load creates even greater risk of mental ill-health or injury at work,” says Pedras.

Consider these alarming statistics:

The Australian construction industry loses one worker to suicide every two days.
Males are three times more likely to take their own life and account for 88 per cent of the construction workforce.
Construction apprentices are 2.5 times more likely to commit suicide than other young men their age.

Mental ill-health also impacts business productivity. Safe Work Australia reports that on average, work-related psychological injuries have longer recovery times, higher costs, and require more time away from work.

What puts construction workers at risk?

A psychosocial hazard is anything that can cause psychological harm, which for construction workers can include high job demands, bullying, a perceived lack of support and exposure to traumatic events.

“You’ll often see people putting in long hours to meet high job demands and tight deadlines, or battling the insecurity of project-based work,” says Pedras. “Construction can also be physically demanding and require people to work within environments with little or no protection from the elements.”

“While most employers do their best to manage these issues, ongoing exposure can put people at physical and psychological risk.”

Employer responsibility

In April 2023, significant legislative changes designed to improve the health and safety of Australian workplaces took effect. The revised Commonwealth work health and safety laws strengthen the requirement for employers to proactively identify and manage psychosocial risks in the workplace. The Code of Practice for Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work offers guidance, and more information is available via Comcare.

Building mentally healthy workplaces

In any industry, there are pressures and conditions beyond workers’ control. Improving the mental health of construction workers, in spite of these challenges, requires an environment where people feel supported, valued and heard – even when demands and expectations are high.

“Employers must focus and talk openly and honestly about all aspects of employee health,” says Pedras. “To promote these conversations, the Coates Foundation is proud to partner with TIACS – a free, confidential and professional counselling support service for blue-collar workers and their loved ones, right around Australia.”

Supportive work culture

TIACS co-CEO Jason Banks emphasises that creating a safe space for employees to speak up is key. “Leading by example, with vulnerability, and talking about what you’re going through allows others to do the same,” he says. “This work culture also normalises the health-seeking behaviours that allow people to care for their mental and physical health.”

Listening

It’s normal to have the occasional bad day, but when patterns start forming it can suggest more is going on. “We spend almost a third of our time at work, so as colleagues we are well-placed to pick up on the early warning signs,” says Banks. “If you think someone is having a hard time, you can make a big difference just by asking how they are and listening to what they have to say. You can also point people towards support internally, through an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) or an external counselling service.”

Building relationships

To create mentally healthy workplaces, people need to feel connections with their managers and peers, but the project-based nature of construction can limit the ability to build these relationships. “There’s value in creating opportunities, inside and outside of work, for employees to bond,” says Pedras. “Coates often comes together to support charitable events, like the Perth Telethon and Mission Australia’s Christmas Appeal. These are great for building relationships at all levels and to have the conversations you can’t always have at work.”

Breaking down barriers to mental health

Blue-collar industries often have a culture of stoicism, making it harder to seek help. “We know how much courage and strength it takes to show vulnerability, so we work hard to remove these social barriers by raising awareness and making it OK for people to share their story,” says Banks. “Working long hours, or in remote locations can be physical barriers to getting support, and often people won’t seek help if it means driving to a GP and asking for a mental healthcare plan or talking face-to-face with a psych. Getting help from TIACS is just a text message or phone call away.”

Cost can also put professional help beyond reach, and providing an entirely free service is particularly important when financial stress is something that people are dealing with.

Helping yourself to help others

When people focus on their own physical health or the health of others, their mental health often gets put on the back burner. “It’s important to check in with your mates, but we also encourage people to check in with themselves,” says Banks. “Because we can’t help others to fill their cup up if our own cup has been drained.”

If you or someone close to you is experiencing a mental health emergency or is at immediate risk of harm, call triple zero (000).

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Construcciones Yamaro, by Armando Iachini