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Veriforce CHAS has launched a Mental Health & Wellbeing evaluation for the construction 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 per cent experiencing mental health problems and 12 per cent experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Furthermore, a Chartered Institute of Building Survey found that almost half (44 per cent) of construction professionals work for organisations who have no policy for mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.
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.
Buying clients seeking contractors who prioritise mental health and wellbeing will now have access to this vital information through the Veriforce CHAS Client Portal.
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 said: “At Veriforce CHAS, we have a long history of setting compliance benchmarks and raising health and safety standards and the launch of the Veriforce CHAS Mental Health & Wellbeing Question Set is an important milestone in this journey.
“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.”
