News 29 April 2024

Veriforce CHAS launches UK’s first mental health and wellbeing question set

Asian foreman and African engineer in safety hat giving high five and smiling at each other, working at site, listing problem on clipboard to discuss, inspect plan for build a building at warehouse

In a landmark move to address the pressing issue of mental health within construction, Veriforce CHAS has launched the first Mental Health & Wellbeing evaluation for the sector. The question set is integrated as a voluntary module within the core Veriforce CHAS assessment and marks a significant step towards embedding a culture of mental health and wellbeing practices across construction businesses in the UK.

Studies reveal alarming rates of mental health issues within the UK construction industry. A survey of 1,400 on-site construction workers by Causeway Technologies found 56% experiencing mental health problems and 12% experiencing suicidal thoughts. Furthermore, a Chartered Institute of Building Survey found that almost half (44%) of construction professionals work for organisations who have no policy for mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

The new Mental Health & Wellbeing Question Set underscores Veriforce CHAS’s commitment to encouraging the industry to embed best practices address the issue of mental health and empower contractors and buyers to demonstrate their dedication to wellbeing initiatives within their organisations and their supply chains.

By completing the Mental Health & Wellbeing Question Set, contractors can showcase their proactive approach to fostering a supportive environment for their workforce, evidenced by documented mental health and flexible work policies, training initiatives addressing mental health concerns and examples of the support provided to staff experiencing mental health problems.

Smiling engineers construction workers meeting at construction site

Buying clients seeking contractors who prioritise mental health and wellbeing will now have access to this vital information through the Veriforce CHAS Client Portal. This transparency empowers organisations to make informed decisions aligned with their values and objectives, thereby driving positive change throughout the industry.

The launch of the Mental Health & Wellbeing Question Set follows Veriforce CHAS’s collaboration with Causeway Technologies, which has focussed on elevating the profile of mental health in the construction industry via the launch of a mental health pledge. Veriforce CHAS has also been working alongside Causeway Technologies to advocate for the prioritisation of mental health and wellbeing assessment in procurement processes in an effort to catalyse positive changes throughout the construction sector.

Commenting on the launch of the assessment, Ian McKinnon, Managing Director of Veriforce CHAS says: “At Veriforce CHAS, we have a long history of setting compliance benchmarks and raising health & safety standards and the launch of the Veriforce CHAS Mental Health & Wellbeing Question Set is an important milestone in this journey.”

Ian adds: “We hope that this heralds a new era where mental health and wellbeing are prioritised alongside traditional safety measures and mental health and wellbeing assessment becomes a standard element of the prequalification process.”

If you are an existing CHAS member, you can access and complete the free Mental Health & Wellbeing Question Set by simply logging into your existing My CHAS account and following the instructions on-line.

If you are struggling with mental health, the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity provides emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support to the construction community and their families, offering a range of free pro-active resources to support the industry including a 24/7 helpline, text support services, self-support app and local support groups. Find out more here: www.lighthouseclub.org/

Veriforce CHAS launches UK’s first mental health and wellbeing question set

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