UK
Ireland
Scotland
London
Construction News
18/01/2022
Skanska To Make Mental Health First Aiders More Visible
Skanska has launched a new initiative on its highways projects to make Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA) more visible.
All employees who have undertaken MHFA England's Mental Health First Aid course, will now be able to display a Mental Health First Aider sticker on their construction hard hat.
MHFA England, a social enterprise that offers expert guidance and training to support mental health has been working with Skanska since 2016. More than 55 per cent of Skanska employees have been trained in the MHFA England Mental Health Aware course or as Mental Health First Aiders since that time.
The launch of this simple signposting initiative further supports Skanska’s commitment to increasing awareness around mental health and removing the stigma surrounding it.
The initiative has been rolled out across our £255 million M42 Junction 6 Improvement Scheme for National Highways. Out of the hundred or so people currently working on the project, eight are Mental Health First Aiders. From today they will proudly display their qualification sticker on their safety helmets. This means that everyone on site, no matter their role, will know who they can talk to, should they need support.
Speaking about the challenges faced by people in the construction sector, Tricia O'Neill, Skanska’s Head of Health Risk Management said: "As a contractor, you are starting new jobs all the time and having to drop into new places and sites without a network. It’s difficult to build communities. You will often spend long periods away from your family, friends, and your GP. If you’re only there for a few months, people may not get to know you, meaning recognising if someone is struggling and offering the right support and signposting becomes more difficult."
Ken Reid, M42 Junction 6 Health, Safety and Wellbeing Manager, who came up with the sticker idea, is a trained Mental Health First Aider. He said: "Having our Mental Health First Aiders visible on site is helping to normalise conversations around mental ill health and remove the stigma surrounding it. The sticker easily identifies those who are trained and can provide support. People know who to speak to quickly, and if necessary, discreetly, so that they can get the help they need."
All employees who have undertaken MHFA England's Mental Health First Aid course, will now be able to display a Mental Health First Aider sticker on their construction hard hat.
MHFA England, a social enterprise that offers expert guidance and training to support mental health has been working with Skanska since 2016. More than 55 per cent of Skanska employees have been trained in the MHFA England Mental Health Aware course or as Mental Health First Aiders since that time.
The launch of this simple signposting initiative further supports Skanska’s commitment to increasing awareness around mental health and removing the stigma surrounding it.
-- Advertisement --
The initiative has been rolled out across our £255 million M42 Junction 6 Improvement Scheme for National Highways. Out of the hundred or so people currently working on the project, eight are Mental Health First Aiders. From today they will proudly display their qualification sticker on their safety helmets. This means that everyone on site, no matter their role, will know who they can talk to, should they need support.
Speaking about the challenges faced by people in the construction sector, Tricia O'Neill, Skanska’s Head of Health Risk Management said: "As a contractor, you are starting new jobs all the time and having to drop into new places and sites without a network. It’s difficult to build communities. You will often spend long periods away from your family, friends, and your GP. If you’re only there for a few months, people may not get to know you, meaning recognising if someone is struggling and offering the right support and signposting becomes more difficult."
Ken Reid, M42 Junction 6 Health, Safety and Wellbeing Manager, who came up with the sticker idea, is a trained Mental Health First Aider. He said: "Having our Mental Health First Aiders visible on site is helping to normalise conversations around mental ill health and remove the stigma surrounding it. The sticker easily identifies those who are trained and can provide support. People know who to speak to quickly, and if necessary, discreetly, so that they can get the help they need."
Latest Construction News
05/02/2025
Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) and ECF, a joint venture between Homes England, Legal & General, and Muse, have selected Vinci as the preferred contractor for Phase 1 of Stockport 8, a £350 million residential development west of Stockport town centre.
The decision follows a competi
05/02/2025
Vistry Group has finalised contracts for a significant housing development in Hinckley, Leicestershire, securing outline planning permission to deliver 475 new homes in the area.
The development, located east of Stoke Road and north of Normandy Way in the town's northern region, has a projected val
05/02/2025
Wilten Construction has been awarded a second Design and Build contract at Gateway 14 by client Gateway 14 Ltd and Jaynic.
The project involves the development of a state-of-the-art, three-storey Skills and Innovation Centre spanning 35,000 sq ft in the heart of Gateway 14. Designed to achieve BREE
05/02/2025
Knowsley Council has approved a major housing development in Kirkby, giving the green light to 800 new energy-efficient homes in the town's centre.
The decision also secures £7.7 million in Section 106 contributions from developer Barratt David Wilson Homes, further boosting local investment.
The
05/02/2025
Keepmoat Homes has announced plans to invest over £50 million in three new housing developments across Calderdale, aiming to deliver more than 200 new homes.
The developments, undertaken in partnership with Calderdale Council, form part of the North Halifax Transformation Programme, a local authori
05/02/2025
Essential renewal work at Skerne Road level crossing in Driffield has been completed. Over a six-day period, engineers replaced decades-old equipment, installing a state-of-the-art operating system, replacing the level crossing deck, and resurfacing the road.
The newly installed operating system is
05/02/2025
Construction firm GRAHAM is currently carrying out essential restoration work at the National Railway Museum in York, replacing the Grade II listed roof structure at Station Hall.
Originally built between 1875 and 1877 as a goods station, Station Hall now houses the museum’s six royal carriages.
05/02/2025
Mezzanine floors are commonly associated with additional storage or expanded floor space, but did you know they can also have a profound impact on employee productivity and morale? At Doity Engineering, we specialise in designing and installing mezzanine floors for
05/02/2025
Construction work is commencing on a new solar array at Weeton Barracks in Lancashire that will generate over one third of the site’s energy needs.
The work has been funded under the British Army’s Project Prometheus, a scheme that is increasing renewable energy across the army estate through inst
05/02/2025
The regeneration of Hartlepool's waterfront has reached a significant milestone with a £631,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The funding will support the development phase of the 'Tides of Change' project, aimed at transforming the visitor experience at the Museum of Hartlepool a
