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Scaffolding Association partners with Mates in Mind to tackle mental health

The Scaffolding Association has agreed a partnership with Mates in Mind, the national mental health charity, to improve awareness and understanding of mental health across the access and scaffolding sector.

Recent surveys suggest that two-thirds of construction workers want better physical and mental wellbeing support from their employers. There have also been calls for construction to have a greater awareness of mental health and eradicate the stigma associated with it.

Robert Candy, chief executive of the Scaffolding Association, said: “We are very pleased to be partnering with Mates in Mind to highlight this important area of welfare to all our members. Such issues can go unrecognised and have impact on the business directly, so a change in culture must be activated for the benefit of both the worker and the employer.”

Mates in Mind will be engaging the Scaffolding Association’s members. Support will include the development of a tailored action plan, campaign materials, access to a suite of communication and advice, as well as a range of training opportunities and more, to enable organisations to drive long-lasting and meaningful change.

FIND OUT MORE Turn to page 24: The reality of mental health

People and products

Suicide kills more construction workers than falls do, and to help scaffolding contractors tackle this sensitive issue, the Scaffolding Association has teamed up with Mates in Mind (see page 3) to encourage the sector to boost awareness of mental health and eradicate the stigma associated with it.

Increasingly, we know how important it is to treat mental health as seriously as physical health. Early action can prevent employees reaching a desperate stage where some sufferers feel there is no other option.

Employers who recognise the challenge and take steps to provide support find that it not only helps their employees but can also improve the productivity of their businesses.

On page 24, read how one scaffolding business has been taking big steps to combat the issue. Pro Scaffolding (South West) should be congratulated for the important work they are doing.

Inside this issue (turn to page 18), we learn more about the importance of adhering to the correct standards when designing and erecting scaffolds. As structures become more sophisticated, contractors need to recognise the importance of selecting the right products to do the right job.

Commercial pressures are often a temptation to purchase look-a-likes or clones that just don’t perform as you would expect. Product test certification was introduced to give buyers confidence that the products they are buying had passed performance tests and meet the criteria stipulated.

Two years on from the Grenfell Tower disaster, clients and insurers want to know more about products being used on sites. Contractors look to manufacturers and distributors for an assurance in the quality of the products being used. But contractors must read test certificates provided with greater care, otherwise they could be putting themselves at risk.

Without a valid test certificate, buyers could use a product that might not be safe (turn to page 16). But how often do contractors inspect a test certificate and, if they do, do they understand what it means?

We exist in a world that increasingly tests the sectors to deliver a wider range of services. People and products are key to safer and more profitable performance.

Adrian JG Marsh Editor