MENTAL HEALTH
WORKPLACE, HEALTH & SAFETY
Mental health in the construction industry:
Addressing adverse work conditions Helen Lingard RMIT Distinguished Professor School of Property, Construction and Project Management RMIT University, Melbourne
T
he incidence of mental ill-health is recognised to be a significant national problem in Australia, prompting a comprehensive inquiry by the Australian Government Productivity Commission and the publication of a draft report in October 2019. This draft report noted that “almost half of all Australian adults will meet the diagnostic criteria for a mental illness at some point in their lives, and one-in-five Australians will meet the criteria in a given year” (Productivity Commission, 2019, p. 4). The Productivity Commission draft report also identified strong links between employment and mental health, acknowledging that employment can improve mental health by providing people with: • a sense of identity and providing regular interaction and shared experiences with people outside of one’s immediate family • a sense of collective effort and achievement, and Issue Three | July-September 2020 | MBA NSW
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