INTERVIEW
easier when employees are assured immediate action will be taken , but changing attitudes towards health and safety have also played a key role in recent policy innovations . “ People are more switched on . Managing health and safety risk has become much more a part of the day-to-day job for operational teams . Years ago , safety teams and professionals were tasked with looking after health and safety , whereas now the responsibility also lies with the people undertaking the work ,” Dodman explains .
Mental health in construction Moving forward , health and safety programmes will adapt to incorporate the needs of the workforce beyond just safety management . One of the key priorities already identified is that of mental wellbeing .
In a report published by the Office of National Statistics back in 2009 it was suggested that around one in six workers in England and Wales were suffering from some form of depression , anxiety or stress . Given the population of the UK construction industry , about 6 % of the UK workforce , this means around 350,000 workers in the sector suffer with some form of mental health issue .
Is mental health something that Dodman has noticed becoming a larger part of the conversation around health and safety in construction ? “ Absolutely ,” he says . “ Over the last 12 months there ’ s been a greater focus on it . At our annual conference this year , ‘ Mates in Mind ’ were there .”
Mates in Mind is a sector-wide programme launched by the Health in Construction Leadership Group
24 February 2018