Page 66 - OHS, July/August 2022

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY
Evolution of Safety on Construction Sites—Physical and Mental
The meaning of safety in construction has started to evolve.
BY PAUL GOREN
When we think of safety on a construction site, we often think about hazards and safety policies to prevent accidents. But in the last couple of years, the meaning of safety in construction has started to evolve. The most innovative site managers are integrating employee mental and physical health programs into their safety strategies.
In 2018 alone, there were 1,008 construction fatalities but more than 5,200 suicides by construction workers.1 This suicide rate equates to 45.3 deaths per 100,000, or nearly twice the average male suicide rate of 27.4 per 100,000. Mental health is as serious (if not more serious) on the job site as physical health. Both are crucial factors in an employee’s ability to perform their job safely, effectively and efficiently.
When employees are experiencing physical or mental health challenges, the effect on their job performance and productivity can be just as dangerous as common construction site hazards. The concept of safety in construction is now expanding from a focus on liability to a focus on workforce health and wellness— and for good reason.
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Shifting from Reactionary
to Preventive Care
While physical health has long been a top priority for construction leaders, it’s often addressed through reactionary care following an incident. Today, this is no longer the case. Recently, a switch is being flipped with greater investment being placed in injury prevention through proactive care. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the most common non-fatal workplace injuries resulting in days away from work in 2020 were strains, sprains and tears–all injuries that can be prevented if addressed early.2
Still, there is a barrier to that early care in construction with many workers reluctant to report pain and brushing it off as insignificant when they should be going to a care provider for evaluation. The reluctance surrounding prevention is an ongoing and unfortunate reality in the space. To combat that, more construction leaders are investing in modern onsite medical teams dedicated to preventive care to help catch these injuries before they potentially get worse and more costly. Today’s onsite clinicians can check in with workers about what’s hurting them through non-descriptive
assessments. Some construction sites are even providing programs including micro-sessions, wellness carts, hydration stations and competitive challenges.
Further, onsite medical teams can help workers physically prepare for each project phase and task through tailored stretches and exercises. Because of the highly skilled and physical nature of construction, workers actually need the same level of physical and mental preparation as professional athletes. In fact, the tasks completed by construction workers require just as much, if not more, physical strain as those of professional sports players. To limit on-the-job injuries and reduce time away from work, construction leaders are putting more emphasis on preventive care. And not just when it comes to physical health either.
Addressing and Reducing
the Mental Health Stigma
Mental health is highly stigmatized in the construction industry. Despite national and global increased focus on mental health and wellness, the construction industry has been slower to adapt. In a 2021 poll conducted by the American Psychiatry Association (APA), only 18 percent of construction workers agreed that they would openly discuss mental health with co-workers and only 17 percent said they would discuss mental health with their supervisors. Seventy- eight percent said that one of the top reasons was shame and stigma.3
While the stigma persists today, more and more construction leaders are addressing it in their workforces by increasing access to mental health and behavioral health services. In that same APA survey, 77 percent of construction leadership indicated that addressing mental health was prioritized by their business. Mental health in construction is moving away from just a “check the box” approach and is becoming embedded in the worksite and company culture.
To get there requires starting from a base level—reducing the stigma surrounding mental health worksite.
62 Occupational Health & Safety | JULY/AUGUST 2022
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