Written by LDCA Staff, image by ChatGPT

The local ICI construction industry is the engine of our economy and the most significant community builders both on and off site Beneath the safety vests and hard hats there s a growing, silent crisis. The traditional culture of "toughness", the extreme pressures of deadlines, long hours, and physical strain are taking a toll on our workforce.

The good news? The crisis is not going unnoticed. Construction leaders are starting to dismantle the stigma, driven by compelling statistics that prove mental well-being is a critical safety issue.

The Stark Reality: One in Three Report Poor Mental Health

The data from Statistics Canada is clear and sobering:

• 33% of men in the Canadian construction industry report having poor mental health. This figure is alarmingly high and indicates that a significant portion of the workforce is struggling every single day.

• More broadly, an analysis by the Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan (CIRP) found that 83% of construction workers have experienced a mental health issue (ranging from moderate to severe).
  

These statistics highlight persistent issues like anxiety, depression, and burnout; all of which fundamentally affect safety, productivity, and, most importantly, quality of life. All of this data underscores the urgent need for intervention.

The Call for Change: Workers looking for More Support
While the industry has started to recognize the impact of mental heal the on site, workers feel there is a gap between what's needed and what's provided. The workforce itself is leading the call for more resources and employer engagement.

According to Statistics Canada, 64% of construction workers want their employers to do more to support their mental health.

This overwhelming desire for increased support indicates workers want wellness embedding on the job so that mental health to be treated with the same priority as physical safety. This means:

• Training: Equipping supervisors and crew leaders with training to recognize the signs of distress (like The Working Mind for the Trades).

• Encouraging Open Communication: Normalizing the conversation by making mental health a regular topic in Toolbox Talks, challenging the traditional  cultural norms.

• Access to Assistance: Ensuring every site, regardless of size, has accessible information related to crisis services, peer support, and any available Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs).

Off-Site: Leadership and Culture
Support must extend beyond the jobsite and be driven by leadership that sets a culture of responsiveness through:

• Destigmatizing Help: Leading by example by having senior leaders and managers openly advocate for mental wellness and utilize available resources themselves.

• Better Benefits: Increasing the scope of Extended Health Benefits (EHBs) to provide adequate coverage for therapy, counselling, and addiction services, which often only cover a handful of sessions.

• Flexible Work/Life Balance: Recognizing that long hours, out of town, remote work, and constantly changing schedules can wear on mental well-being.
  

Local Opportunities: Resources in Ontario
For local construction workers and employers, support is available and accessible. Taking the first step, whether for yourself or a co-worker, is the hardest, but the most important.

Are you a Health and Safety leader or  an HR team ember for your LDCA member company, looking to implement a mental health strategy for your workers? LDCA can help. You can register for Mental Health Matters: Constructions’ Silent Struggle, a three-part series presented for professionals  in the construction industry. FIND OUT MORE

Guest Blogger:
Andrea Barnes, CHRL, NCSO, P.GSC
Manager, Health & Safety
Elgin Contracting and Restoration Ltd.

As a Construction Safety Professional with over 20 years, I have seen a positive shift in the way Health & Safety is focused and prioritized in the workplace. In addition to traditional safety topics such as hazards, controls, planning and the usual suspects like heights, electricity and moving machines, a focus has now been placed on mental health and wellbeing. These must be considered the foundation for a truly safe and healthy work environment. 

Mental Health and wellbeing go beyond what we seem to think of as only drug, alcohol, or other dependency concerns and professional or Dr. Google diagnosis. Many people are experiencing more stressors such as financial issues, family, and health issues. These may be short or long term and are often difficult to leave at the door when arriving at work.  In addition to workplace demands of schedules, budgets and daily tasks, workers can become overwhelmed and inadvertently put themselves or others in a compromised safety sensitive position.

As an employer and colleague, we should all consider everyone has life outside of work and most are truly trying to do their best. 

Some considerations for a Healthy Workplace can include:

• Open and honest communication with Management and Workers.  Providing positive feedback more and constructive feedback when required.
• A solid Violence and Harassment Program.
• A well-managed Fit for Work Program.
• A collaborative Return to Work Program.
• An inclusive environment where people can openly and readily share ideas and opinions.
• An Employee Assistance Program.
• Participation in Management Workshops to learn how to identify signs and symptoms of workers in distress, dependency issues and techniques to aid them.

While most Safety and HR professionals are not qualified therapists, it is important for us all to be aware of our workers and their behaviours. Seeking out resources such as CCOHS, IHSA, CMHA, Unions, Company Management and community sources may provide some assistance for our workers.

To truly invest in health and safety in the workplace is to truly be invested in the workers, their mental wellbeing as much as their physical being.

Tomorrow is Day five of National Construction Safety Week: Building a Culture of Safety 

Mental Health in Construction Resources:
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)
Government of Canada 
Mental Health Crisis Service.
IHSA Took kits to support mental health in the construction industry
Order Naloxone kits for your workplace
IHSA Safety Podcast: Workplace Mental Health