The construction dashboard includes data on:
- Demographics of workers in the construction sector
- Suicide rate comparisons across work sectors
- Suicide rates of construction workers
- Alcohol consumption of workers
- Job quality
- Workplace stress and days lost due to workplace stress
We hope that this data will support national leaders and organisations to understand the mental health challenges and the risk of suicide people working in different industries face. By having a better understanding, they will be more able to:
- Help break the stigma surrounding suicide
- Provide better support within the workplace
- Develop action plans to help prevent people from dying by suicide.
Please note that the dashboards are not accessible on Internet Explorer so users are recommended to use an internet platform such as Chrome (all devices), Edge (all devices) or Safari (iPhone and iPads).
Please note that occupational suicide data is based on 2011 to 2015 death registrations and that occupational differences in suicide risk on the whole have been consistent across time.
This dashboard includes key data relating to suicide and risk factors for the construction sector. To better view the data and access further information included, click on the arrows at the bottom right of the boxes containing the charts and tables.
Our charts have been developed to include a drop down function, which can allow users to access data which has been recently released and data from previous years.
You can also hover over the chart and table data to see more information e.g. the value for charts and, where appropriate, our risk rating for the area based on the methodology developed in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation in 2020.
Construction occupations and sex
2018/19
Construction sector and age
2018/19
Construction sector and ethnicity
2018/19
Construction sector and sexuality
2018/19
Sector comparison of male suicide rates
2011-15
Sector comparison of female suicide rates
2011-15
Construction and suicide rates in males
2011-15
Sector comparison of alcohol consumption
2017
Construction sector and alcohol consumption
2017
Sector comparison of non quality work
2018
Construction sector and job quality
2018
Construction and quality job components
2018
Sector comparison of work related stress
2018-21
Construction and work related stress
2018-21
Construction and work days lost
2005-20
75%
Of completed suicides are made up by men
2x
Skilled trade workers are two times at greater risk of suicide than the average male
3x
Low skilled manual labourers are three times at greater risk of suicide than the average male
36%
The construction industry is unusual because of the high proportion of self employment in the sector - 36% in Q2 2019.
Why is this data important for suicide prevention work?
Evidence shows that the risk of suicide differs across employment sectors, with those in certain occupation groups having an increased risk of suicide compared to the general population. Multiple factors often work together to increase this risk, with job related features such low pay, poor job security or reported poor working conditions (Milner et al., 2013).
Risk in some sectors may also be higher because individuals may be influenced to go into certain jobs which are linked to easier access to certain methods of suicide (Roberts, Jaremin & Lloyd, 2013). For more information on occupation and suicide visit the Office for National Statistics website.
Understanding differences in risk across sectors is important as not only increases your awareness to be able to support a friend or colleague in the sector, but enables leaders to take action to support their workforce's mental health needs to prevent workers from dying by suicide.
Having access to this data is also vital also forms a starting point for action and can be used to monitor the broader impacts of intervention work, such as efforts to break the stigma around mental health and suicide, and support people's mental health.
Even though workforces across sectors are different and require overcoming different hurdles to prevent suicide, comparisons to other sectors are helpful to encourage shared learning.
Even small changes can improve a person’s mental health and wellbeing and reduce their risk of suicide.
What can I do next?
- Know what help is available - know where to signpost a friend or colleague if they need help and share this hub within your workplace.
- Explore our Suicide Prevention Resource Map - see rates of suicide in your local area and learn about some of the factors that may contribute. Read more about these in our Facts for Action series.
- Discover resources to support your organisation - find resources such as mental health first aid training courses, business guides and tool kits to help you create or develop your organisation's plan to prevent suicide within your workforce.
Case study library
Browse case study examples of best and innovative practice:
- Milner, A., Spittal, M. J., Pirkis, J., & LaMontagne, A. D. (2013). Suicide by occupation: systematic review and meta-analysis. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 203(6), 409-416.
- Roberts, S. E., Jaremin, B., & Lloyd, K. (2013). High-risk occupations for suicide. Psychological medicine, 43(6), 1231-1240.
- Statista (2019). Construction industry in the UK. https://www.statista.com/topics/3797/construction-industry-in-the-uk/
- BACP (2020). We welcome new report on mental health in the construction industry. Available at: https://www.bacp.co.uk/news/news-from-bacp/2020/12-may-one-in-four-construction-workers-consider-suicide/
- Samaritans (2020). Suicide facts and figures. Available at: https://www.samaritans.org/about-samaritans/research-policy/suicide-facts-and-figures/
- Connect Assist (2019). The danger of 'manning up'. Available at: https://connectassist.co.uk/the-danger-of-manning-up/
- Office for National Statistics (2019). Suicides in the UK: 2018. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/suicidesintheunitedkingdom/2018registrations
- GOV UK (2020). Employment by sector. Available at: https://www.ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk/work-pay-and-benefits/employment/employment-by-sector/latest
- Mental Health Foundation. (2021). Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities. Available at: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/b/black-asian-and-minority-ethnic-bame-communities
- Caplan, A., Aujla, A., Prosser, S., & Jackson, J. (2009). Race discrimination in the construction industry: A thematic review. Manchester: Equality and Human Rights Commission.
- National LGBT Health Education Centre. (2018). Suicide Risk and Prevention for LGBTQ People. Available at: https://www.lgbtqiahealtheducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Suicide-Risk-and-Prevention-for-LGBTQ-Patients-Brief.pdf
- New Civil Engineer. (2015). New Civil Engineer survey lifts lid on homophobia in this sector. Available at: https://www.newcivilengineer.com/archive/survey-lifts-lid-on-homophobia-in-the-sector-24-08-2015/search=https%3a%2f%2fwww.newcivilengineer.com%2fsearcharticles%3fparametrics%3d%26keywords%3dlgbt%26pagesize%3d10%26cmd%3dgotopage%26val%3d3%26sortorder%3d1
- Barnard, S., & Dainty, A. (2018). Coming out and staying in: how sexual orientation and gender identity matters in construction employment. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers-Municipal Engineer, 171(3), 141-148.
- Samaritans. (2014). Alcohol and suicide. Available at: https://www.samaritans.org/about-samaritans/research-policy/alcohol-suicide/
- National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health. (2019). National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health annual reports. Available at: https://nspa.org.uk/resource/national-confidential-inquiry-into-suicide-and-safety-in-mental-health-annual-reports-data-and-analysis/?cn-reloaded=1
- Alcohol Change UK (2020). Alcohol in the workplace. Available at: https://alcoholchange.org.uk/alcohol-facts/fact-sheets/alcohol-in-the-workplace accessed on 08/04/2021).
- Mental Health Foundation (2021). Suicide. Available at: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/s/suicide
- Health and Safety Executive (2020). Mental health conditions, work and the workplace. Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/mental-health.htm
- The Building Safety Group (2017). Work-related stress and mental illness is worse in construction. Available at: https://bsgltd.co.uk/work-related-stress-mental-illness-worse-construction/
- Labour Force Survey (2020). Work related stress, anxiety or depression in Great Britain, 2020. Available at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/stress.pdf