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As part of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½’s Mental Wellbeing season, Radio 5 Live has been focusing on the construction industry and the mental health of those working in it.

Construction workers are nearly four times more likely to die by suicide than the national average. In 2021, the last time the ONS released statistics broken down by industry sector, 507 construction workers took their own lives.

5 Live has spoken to people who are making efforts to change how mental wellbeing is viewed within the industry.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can find advice here.

'It's okay not to be okay'

Tracy Skerrett’s son, Eoin, took his own life in 2018 while working as a mechanical construction manager.

It was really important to me as a mother to let my other children see that it's okay not to be okay."

There were no ‘warning signs’ that Eoin was struggling, but Tracy believed if he had been able to talk to someone, “things may have been different.”

After Eoin’s death, the company he worked for set up a mental health support structure for employees. Each year it organises a football tournament in Eoin’s memory to raise money for the construction charity, Mates in Mind.

For Tracy, the tournament is an opportunity to get people talking: “Although it raises funds, it also creates conversations.”

“I think for all the people that take part in the day, if they go back to work the following day and they can talk about their mental health, it's doing something really positive,” she added.

When dealing with her own grief, Tracy said she found exercising helped her wellbeing.

“It was really important to me as a mother to let my other children see that it's okay not to be okay but let's try and do the best we can, and I think exercise helped me with that.”

‘Depression is something I’m still dealing with’

Fred Mills worked in construction and now runs a video channel about construction, architecture and engineering called ‘The B1M’.

Through his video channel, he founded the mental health initiative ‘Get Construction Talking’, after struggling with his own mental health.

“I’m trying to share my story with other people so that they can see it’s okay to talk about it and that things can get better.

“Depression is not something that you press a button, take a pill and cure. It’s something I’m still dealing with,” he added.

Contributing factors that impact mental wellbeing in the construction industry:

1. High-stress environments: Working under tight deadlines and budgets creates pressure and can lead to anxiety and depression.

2. Physical strain: Physically demanding work can cause chronic pain and injuries which can lead to wellbeing issues such as pain and disability.

3. Job insecurity: Workers are often employed on a project-to-project basis, leading to job insecurity and financial stability. This adds to stress.

4. Long hours: Construction frequently involves long hours, including weekends and nights. This makes it harder to maintain a healthy work-life balance, leading to emotional and mental strain.

5. Stigmatisation: The “tough guy” culture that often prevails can lead to stigma around discussing mental wellbeing issues, preventing some workers from seeking help.

Source: HSE Network (Health and Safety Executive)

‘There’s still that macho-ness'

Logan started working in construction when he was 17 and began struggling with his mental wellbeing after 18 months.

“I think that was a big part down to the transition from education into the workplace, being so young in such a mature environment.”

Speaking to ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ 5 Live, Logan said it’s still difficult to open up at work, because there are “so many people that don't necessarily get it.”

“I think there's still that ‘macho-ness’ of: ‘What time do you get up in the morning? How far was the drive?’ and it was almost like a game.”

'Going for a walk helped so much’

Like Fred, Steve Kerslake is trying to change things within the construction industry after his own personal experiences with mental health.

Steve said he didn’t share how he was feeling because in construction: “You leave your feelings at home, that’s the way it is.”

Steve organises walks to help coax others in the construction industry “in the same boat” to talk about their mental wellbeing.

“I realised that going for a walk helped so much, and since that day we said, ‘let's get out there and put more on’.”

He formed the charity, Construction Sport, who arrange sporting events to get workers together, get them active, and get them talking.

‘Create that openness culture’

Recheal Valderama is a supporter development manager from Mates in Mind, she advises companies how best to help their employees who struggle with their mental wellbeing.

“[Employees] have pressures that are there, they're not aware it's happening, they're trying to do their best they can, but then they reach a point of crisis.”

She added employers need to put education programmes in place and "create that openness culture so that individuals know what the signs are.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said:

“We want to ensure that every person gets the mental health support they need. That’s why we’re expanding mental health provision and have increased spending on mental health and suicide prevention services by £4.7 billion in cash terms since 2018/19.

“The Suicide Prevention Strategy for England, published in September, sets out over 100 actions that will reduce the suicide rate within two and a half years. It seeks to address common risk factors, some of which will be relevant to construction workers, to provide early intervention and tailored support.”

For Support and Advice...

If you've been affected by issues similar to this, there's a range of organisations and websites that can offer you advice and support. You can find them on the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s Action line website at

You can also go to bbc.co.uk/mentalwellbeing for more stories, information, inspiration and tips around mental wellbeing.