ESG in Construction

Unlocking ESG for Builders: A Practical Guide to Compliance, Profitability and Brand Value

  • Health, Safety, and Compliance
Builders and manufacturers are moving forward with ESG to meet regulatory and financial requirements and reap clear benefits. A roadmap for the building sector simplifies the process

Despite political resistance to environment, social and governance (ESG) practices and reporting in the United States, many builders and manufacturers are finding unexpected value.

“Companies realize that ESG principles are common sense and reduce risk and costs while enhancing brand reputation and loyalty,” said Sara Gutterman, CEO of Green Builder Media. “Financial benefits and regulatory pressures are also pushing the building industry to adopt ESG, making it more mainstream.”

Three main elements drive ESG. “First is the environmental reality—we’ve already hit 1.5°C of warming globally,” Gutterman said. Second is the social reality of climate anxiety, “especially among younger generations, who think humanity is doomed because of climate change.” Third is investor demand, making ESG and climate technology the fastest growing portion of venture capital.

To a large extent, ESG builds on the tenets that firms already follow to manage environmental and societal risks and operate ethically. More than ever, lenders are requiring ESG strategies and full reports when companies seek financing. Also, in March 2024 the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted rules requiring disclosures about climate-related risks that impact business strategy, operational results or finances in SEC filings beginning year-end 2025. Plus, stakeholders and shareholders often prefer companies with strong ESG performance, which can ease access to new markets and opportunities.

This article takes a closer look at the benefits of ESG reporting for all construction firms and manufacturers—not just publicly traded ones—along with the new SEC and European Union (EU) rules, material metrics for ESG, and a roadmap to get started.

The advantages of adopting ESG

ESG creates value in various ways, from making borrowing easier to creating a positive work culture:

  • Streamlined access to capital: ESG reporting demonstrates a commitment to environmental and social responsibility, which can translate into better terms when securing financing. “Investor demand and greater access to capital can drive ESG adoption for builders, while manufacturers often see more leadership commitment to sustainability and ESG at the executive and board levels,” Gutterman said.
  • Minimized operational risks: Construction firms can protect their financial performance and reputation by identifying and mitigating risks before they become public issues and implementing effective risk management systems and strong internal controls.
  • Enhanced operational efficiency and cost reduction: Acting in a sustainable manner can slash operating expenses and increase profits by up to 60%, according to McKinsey. For instance, energy-efficient equipment and techniques can lower power bills and circular design principles help reduce waste.
  • Increased consumer trust and improved brand reputation: Consumers are using their purchasing power to drive change toward a sustainable future. McKinsey research found that more than 70% of consumers surveyed on purchases in multiple industries, including building, said they would pay an additional 5% for a green product if it met the same performance standards as a nongreen alternative.
  • Improved talent acquisition and retention: The social component of ESG encourages an inclusive and safe work environment, where prospective employees—especially the younger demographic—want to work and current employees want to remain.

Moving from SEC regulations to EU alignment

A growing number of construction companies are embracing ESG practices, procuring carbon offsets and enhancing the transparency and strength of their sustainability commitments, Victoria Muharsky wrote in an article for Green Builder Media. In fact, the majority of national home builders report on ESG metrics, whatever they call them, although small companies lag on adoption.

The passage of the SEC climate-related disclosure rules in March 2024 signaled increasing investor demand for corporate sustainability. The SEC requires reporting on Scope 1 and 2 emissions—direct emissions from sources companies own or control and indirect emissions from the production of energy they purchase. Corporations with 75 million or more publicly traded shares must meet even more rigorous requirements, including disclosing costs of severe weather events and other natural disasters, as well as actual and potential material impacts of climate-related risks.

The United States often follows Europe’s regulatory direction—slowly. Most recently, the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) mandated disclosures starting in 2025 for the 2024 financial year. In time, the SEC will likely align with these requirements.

ESG drivers and metrics for construction

Determining the most pressing ESG risks and opportunities usually starts with an internal audit as well as benchmarking against peers. Here are metrics that Gutterman said firms in the building sector most often report.

Environment: Energy efficiency, GHG emissions, site selection, supply chain management and water management.

Social: Employee retention and satisfaction, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and universal design principles for accessible housing.

Governance: Board composition and oversight, environmental, health and safety management, risk management, code of ethics, supplier code of conduct and shareholder agreements.

Selecting the path forward

One look at the alphabet soup of ESG organizations, frameworks and acronyms can stall a company’s best intentions.

Consider the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), two of the best-known standards for disclosure, which recently consolidated into the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Sustainability Disclosure Standards from the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB).

If that’s not muddled enough, throw in the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

To get through this maze, it helps to follow guidelines developed specifically for the building sector. One possibility is the comprehensive guide that Green Builder Media developed with the help of the ESG for Building Working Group, a consortium of more than 60 builders, architects, manufacturers, nonprofit participants, energy consultants and developers. ESG for Building: Defining Principles for the Building Industry focuses mainly on residential and community development, but it lets readers choose the path that works best for them as they implement ESG practices and streamline reporting. The shift toward ESG practices and reporting doesn’t upend how builders and manufacturers operate today. Rather, it fine-tunes in a way that can make companies more sustainable, profitable and resilient.

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Mental Health Rudolph & Sletten

Breaking the Stigma: Construction’s Battle to Rally Awareness, Support Around Mental Health

  • Health, Safety, and Compliance, People & Project Spotlights
With one of the highest rates of suicide, the construction industry is starting to tackle mental health challenges by raising awareness, breaking stigmas and creating a culture of support

Like many people, Lea Rummel learned just how serious a problem mental health can be through personal experience.

After struggling with anxiety and depression while in college and being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after her mother unexpectedly died in 2017, Rummel learned firsthand the mental and physical toll such illnesses can bring.

Many mental health problems are as serious, sometimes more so, as many medical or physical maladies. They can not only prevent people from showing up and doing their jobs, but, in the most severe cases, keep them from meeting basic human needs like sleeping and eating.

Construction’s acute problem

Even though workers in all industries face mental health challenges, construction workers appear to be struggling more than most.

The construction industry has one of the highest rates of suicide at 53.3 per 100,000 US workers, according to a 2020 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  This rate is four times greater than the national average and five times greater than that of all other construction-related fatalities combined.

“We spend so much time on physical safety and health in construction,” said Rummel, who works as an electrical estimator at general contractor Rudolph & Sletten. “We need to be making a similar effort around mental health and safety.”

There are many reasons construction tends to be more troubled by mental health challenges compared to other industries. Most of its jobs come with an immense physical toll on field workers, who also endure pressure-packed workdays and long commutes from jobsite to jobsite. Layoffs are common and uncertainty abounds.

Moreover, physical injuries suffered on jobsites can lead to drug use and abuse, particularly with potent pain killers and other doctor-prescribed medications, as workers fear missing a shift because of injury will put their job or financial security at risk.

Men in focus

One major risk factor, however, hangs above these stressors that makes the problem especially profound.

“One of the primary risk factors that we have in the construction industry is that it’s still very male-dominated,” Rummel said. “And, unfortunately, toxic masculinity still plays a big role in this industry. Toxic masculinity is a danger to women, to be sure, but it’s a danger to men as well.”

This leads to stigma around men getting help when they need it for possible mental health challenges, Rummel said, leading some to turn to suicide. Although women are statistically more likely than men to have a mental illness, men are far more likely to die by suicide. “Women are more likely to reach for those coping strategies that they need vs. men who are suffering in silence,” Rummel said.

Lea Rummel at Rudolph & Sletten’s office.

The problem of suicide in construction again became personal for Rummel when one of her former colleagues at a previous job, who she also considered a friend, died by suicide. And like many cases, the signs that he was struggling mentally were evident in hindsight but hard to discern beforehand.

“There was one day a few months before he passed where he called me and he was telling me he was having a lot of struggles and really going through it, and he really seemed like he was going through a hard time,” Rummel recalled. “But then at the end of the phone call he said, ‘But you know me, I’ll be fine.’”

“Part of the problem for those that do spot these warning signs and symptoms in someone, the vast majority of people have no idea how to approach someone or what to do,” Rummel added.

Proactively tackling the problem

The construction industry in recent years has started to be more proactive in solving its mental health problem. While the topic of mental health has by and large shaken a lot of its stigma in society as more people talk openly and seek help when needed, so has construction.

This includes contractors taking direct action by investing in benefits and programs internally that address mental health. Rudolph & Sletten is one such contractor.

Even before Rummel joined the company in 2023, Rudolph & Sletten had initiated efforts to encourage dialogue and support around mental health among employees. But Rummel, in addition to her skills as an estimator, brought a fresh sense of intent and passion around the subject.

Rudolph & Sletten had established a committee to oversee the company’s mental health programs before Rummel’s arrival, establishing small-yet-powerful efforts like planning for  a 988 hardhat sticker to raise workers’ awareness of the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Jobsite stickers featuring a QR code with more detailed mental health awareness information were also distributed.

Rummel, for her part, has started writing a regular mental health column that appears in the company’s quarterly newsletter; the upcoming article will feature a list of book recommendations to help colleagues continue to explore positive mental health practices outside of work.

Rummel has also been selected to speak to internal and external industry groups about mental health awareness in construction. She also has lended her voice to internal video communications that are distributed to employees, reminding them of crucial mental health practices and concerns.

“At this point in my career, I’m very comfortable talking about mental health and suicide awareness,” Rummel said. “For me, it’s easy, so I don’t mind being the voice to speak up because I know how challenging it can be, and I hope that by me speaking up that helps others feel better or more comfortable speaking about it as well.”

A continuous effort

Most companies in construction that offer employee health insurance and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) already have mental health benefits included in those offerings, Rummel said. Simply making employees aware that their benefit covers, say, access to therapy, counseling or other mental health treatments is a powerful action they can take.

But besides making workers aware that their benefits cover mental health, construction companies also need to continue to create a positive culture of openness around the issue. Continuing to drive awareness both on jobsites and in the office will go a long way toward destigmatizing mental health, especially among the many men who still may be suffering in silence.

Rummel said there isn’t much industry data yet showing the degree to which mental health awareness efforts are paying off, though she mentioned some anecdotal studies that have suggested suicide rates have started to drop in some cases.

Still, even though the hard data doesn’t yet exist, Rummel said the return on investment construction companies get by investing in mental health awareness and other supporting efforts is an invaluable and worthy pursuit. 

“What’s the return on investment?” Rummel said. “It’s saving people’s lives. And that is more than worth pursuing.”

If you need support, please visit the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

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hot construction summer

Tips to Survive a Hot Construction Summer on a Jobsite

  • Health, Safety, and Compliance
The summer heat can pose severe danger to construction workers. Here’s how to beat the heat and stay cool and productive over the next few months (from 2022)

For most people, the promise of a hot summer day after a frigid winter and a fickle spring brings thoughts of beaches, lemonades and short shorts. But if you’re a construction worker, summer can look like swamp butt, heat exhaustion and the dreaded thigh chafing. So, how do you survive a hot construction summer?

Clothes

Simply put, overexposure to heat, while doing laborious work, can lead to decreased productivity, illness or even death. Even acclimatized workers who are “used to” extremely hot temperatures in places like Las Vegas or Dubai still suffer deteriorating motor skills necessary for construction activities. Since buildings are constructed year-round, there’s got to be some tried-and-true ways to beat the heat.

There’s not a lot of cutoff shorts and tank tops on jobsites, so tradespeople wear the next best thing—lightweight fabric. New technology has made more air-permeable clothing that is 10% to 20% lighter than its predecessors while still being an effective barrier to workplace hazards. There’s also moisture-wicking socks and summer boots that are more breathable and lightweight than their winter counterparts. You can even put a cooling skull cap under your hardhat to stay dry.

While protective gear is essential for construction safety, the summer sun makes it tempting to skip it. But what you should not skip is a good SPF protection. Many safety gear suppliers now sell clothes with SPF protection of 50+, detachable UV protection hard hat brims and anti-fog UV protection safety glasses. Pair this with a good UV protective sunscreen and lip balm, and your skin will be as smooth as your cement.

Water

No amount of external protection can override your internal cooling system. Here’s where good old water comes in. While your morning cup of coffee or after work beer can be a lifesaver, both beverages are diuretics that make you dehydrated.

Dehydration on a construction site is so dangerous—known to reduce cognitive function and impair decision-making—that some worksites in Australia conduct hydration testing during the summer months to make sure employees arrive hydrated and ready to work.

To combat the sun, drink 300 ml, or 10 oz., of water, sports drinks and electrolyte juices like cherry watermelon and orange every 15 minutes. Then find a bathroom. It’s better to drink frequently throughout the day than large quantities occasionally. Remember, by the time you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated.

In addition to liquids, low-salt snacks, like fruits and veggies, can also boost hydration. If broccoli’s not your thing, try specialty electrolyte replenishing freeze pops. These are good for hydration and getting in touch with your inner child.

Thigh Rub and Worksites

OK, so you’re dressed in light clothes, you’re hydrated, but ouch—there’s a rash on your legs. Welcome to thigh rub. Even the most seasoned professional can still succumb to a summer heat-induced chafing on thighs, legs, chest and/or back. To combat it, you can wear compression or tight-fitting athletic shorts. You can also try some medicated powder or chafing crème. In a pinch, you can use some regular cornstarch-based baby powder, petroleum jelly or lip balm.

Construction Jobsite Contamination

Heat isn’t the only thing workers have to worry about. Here are the hidden dangers posed by jobsite contamination.

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Fire Safety Planning Bluebeam

Revolutionizing Fire Safety Planning with Bluebeam Revu, Naviate Bimfire

  • Health, Safety, and Compliance
The two digital construction tools are transforming fire safety planning from outdated paper-based methods to advanced digital workflows, ensuring higher efficiency, accuracy and compliance across the industry

In construction, the transition from analog to digital workflows has significantly enhanced efficiency and accuracy. One such transformation is happening in the fire safety sector, spearheaded by tools like Bluebeam Revu and Naviate Bimfire.

Historically, fire safety planning has been a 2D-focused, paper-based process. Fire safety engineers often relied on hand-drawn symbols and annotations on paper plans, which were prone to errors and inefficiencies. The need for a more streamlined and accurate approach became evident as fire safety requirements grew more complex.

Enter Bluebeam Revu, a PDF-based software widely used in the construction industry, and Naviate Bimfire, a 3D plugin for Revit. These digital tools offer a comprehensive solution for fire safety planning, enabling a seamless transition from 2D to 3D workflows. Together, they provide a powerful platform for fire safety engineers to work more effectively.

The Role of Bluebeam Revu

Bluebeam Revu is often dubbed the “Excel of the construction industry” due to its widespread use and versatility. It allows users to create, edit, mark up and collaborate on PDF documents, making it an ideal tool for fire safety planning. David Sjöquist, a seasoned Bluebeam professional and business development manager at technology services firm Symetri, has spent a lot of time building custom Revu profiles for fire engineering and safety professionals.

Custom fire planning icons in the Bluebeam Tool Chest

The real game-changer, Sjöquist said, lies in the standardized profiles and workflows in Revu developed for fire safety engineers. These profiles incorporate local standards and best practices, ensuring consistency and compliance across projects. For instance, in Sweden, specific color codes and symbols are used to denote different fire safety elements, such as fire doors, compartmentations and escape routes. These standardized profiles make it easy for engineers to create accurate and compliant fire safety plans quickly.

Collaboration with Naviate Bimfire

While Bluebeam Revu excels in 2D workflows, Naviate Bimfire brings the power of 3D modeling to fire safety planning. This plugin for Revit allows engineers to integrate fire safety elements into building information modeling (BIM) models. The collaboration between Bluebeam Revu and Naviate Bimfire enables a comprehensive approach to fire safety, covering both 2D and 3D aspects.

One of the key advantages of this integration is the ability to transition seamlessly between 2D and 3D workflows, according to Sjöquist. Fire safety engineers can use Bluebeam Revu for initial planning and markups, then switch to Naviate Bimfire for more detailed 3D modeling. This flexibility ensures that all aspects of fire safety are covered, from site inspections to detailed evacuation plans.

Addressing Industry Challenges

The fire safety industry faces unique challenges that make digital transformation particularly important, Sjöquist said. One of the main drivers is the increasing demand for BIM compliance across Europe. Many countries are now mandating that fire safety processes be integrated into BIM models, pushing the industry toward digitalization.

More custom fire planning icons in the Bluebeam Tool Chest

The journey to digitalization involves several steps. Initially, many fire safety engineers still work with pen and paper or basic PDF tools. However, the integration of Bluebeam Revu and Naviate Bimfire allows for a more sophisticated approach, combining the precision of 3D modeling with the ease of use of PDF-based workflows.

Practical Applications

The practical applications of Bluebeam Revu and Naviate Bimfire in fire safety planning are vast. These tools cover every aspect of the fire safety journey, from site inspections to creating detailed fire attack plans. For instance, engineers can use Bluebeam Revu to mark up site plans, indicating the placement of sprinkler heads, fire doors and emergency lighting. They can also create evacuation plans, complete with standardized symbols and color codes.

In Naviate Bimfire, these elements can be modeled in 3D, providing a more comprehensive view of the fire safety plan. This 3D integration is particularly useful for complex projects where spatial relationships and interactions between different elements need to be visualized accurately.

The Future of Fire Safety Planning

The transition to digital workflows in fire safety planning is not just a technological shift but represents a fundamental change in how the industry operates, according to Sjöquist. By adopting tools like Bluebeam Revu and Naviate Bimfire, fire safety engineers can work more efficiently, accurately and collaboratively. This digital transformation is crucial for meeting the increasing demands of modern construction projects and ensuring the highest standards of fire safety.

The integration of Bluebeam Revu and Naviate Bimfire is revolutionizing fire safety planning. These tools provide a comprehensive solution that combines the best of 2D and 3D workflows, addressing the unique challenges of the fire safety industry. As the demand for BIM compliance grows, the adoption of these digital tools will become increasingly essential, paving the way for a safer and more efficient construction industry.

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Unraveling Construction Workplace Risks: Beyond the Obvious Dangers 

  • Health, Safety, and Compliance
Explore the underlying risks and hazards in the construction industry beyond the obvious ones. Learn about potential health risks, including cancer, and discover crucial safety measures to keep your workers protected on the job site.

The most significant risks of a fatality or life changing event on a construction worksite may seem obvious, however, a series of other underlying events may cost your people their health and wellbeing – or ultimately their lives. 

Hazards across working at heights or injury through the use of vehicles or in using plant and equipment have an immediate impact on your people and your worksite.  However, there are underlying aspects of construction industry that means your workers – and subcontractors interact with diverse and often more insidious risks than those across other industries.  

Common risks in the construction industry 

While the risks around working at height, with machinery and equipment and heavy vehicles are responsible for injuries, exposure to hazardous substances run the potential of causing lifelong health issues that as cancer. 

Asbestos, paints, chemicals, dusts, fumes and gases are often evident in many construction sites, as are high noise levels. 

Excessive vibration levels also present a hazard to workers – potentially disrupting the flow of oxygen levels in the body, leading to headaches or back pain and in the longer term causing nerve damage to fingers, hands and arms, leading to headaches or back pain. 

Construction workers also have a high risk of developing occupational disease as a result of a range of factors including: 

  • Construction work exists across varied environments, including sites that may include health risks such as the existence of asbestos. 
  • Sites are constantly changing as projects progress with different tasks that pose a danger to people’s health. 
  • Workers generally are not aware of health risks, with the consequences of exposure not viewed as significant as it can take many years for serious ill health conditions to develop. 
  • Often with many subcontractors or casual staff, job site turnover can make it difficult to ensure all staff have the information they need to do their jobs safely. 

Health risks are as important as safety risks 

Risks of poor health outcomes as a result of the work environment can be managed by following some simple steps – beginning by following the same process in identifying and mitigating health risks as safety ones – through following Assess, Control and Review steps. 

Failing to manage health risks within your business may result in a range of significant costs: 

  • Human cost: Each case of occupational disease means someone is needlessly suffering. It may also affect friends and loved ones. 
  • Financial cost: Failing to manage workplace health and safety can be costly as a result of lost time in productivity, the loss of key staff and potentially liability for a worker’s injury or illness. 
  • Reputational cost: If your business has been found to be negligent in workplace health and safety management, aside from sanctions, you will be less attractive to potential clients, workforce and business partners. 

Cancer risk in the construction industry 

According to the Cancer Council Australia, five common areas of cancer risk are faced by tradies every day on the job: 

1. Diesel engine exhaust (DEE) emissions 

More than 1.2 million Australian workers are exposed to diesel engine exhaust every year – increasing their risk of developing lung cancer, bladder cancer or other health conditions. 

2. Silica dust 

Silica is naturally occurring and is found in sand, stone, rock, gravel, and clay. It is used in materials like artificial stone, bricks, tiles and concrete. Cutting, grinding, drilling, or polishing generate silica dust. This dust is harmful when inhaled, and can lead to the development of silicosis, kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer. Tradies in the mining and construction industries are among those who have the greatest exposure to silica dust. 

3. Asbestos 

Tradies including plumbers, carpenters and electricians who work in the building and construction industry are likely to encounter asbestos at some stage. Although asbestos was banned in Australia in 2003, it can still be found in millions of homes and public and commercial buildings built prior to 2003. Breathing in asbestos fibres can increase your risk of lung cancer, mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other diseases. Always check if asbestos is present before you begin work! 

4. Welding 

Welding arcs emit intense ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) radiation, which can cause serious eye injuries, including arc eye, cataracts, or permanent vision loss. Exposure to toxic fumes such nickel, chromium, and lead can lung diseases and cancer. Other workplace safety risks include electric shock, fire and explosion and noise exposure. 

5. Wood dust 

Wood dust is produced via woodworking activities including the manufacture of wood products, machine operations, and hand or machine sanding. Tradies who work with pressed wood products such as plywood, particleboard, and MDF also run the risk of formaldehyde exposure when can cause cancer of the nasal cavity, sinuses and nasopharynx, as well as leukaemia. According to the Cancer Council Australia about 16% of cancers of the nose and nasal sinuses in men could be due to wood dust exposure. 

Managing risks 

Managing risks in construction is an important part of keeping people safe in a dangerous environment.   

This includes:  

  • working through the hierarchy of control measures   
  • creating an emergency plan and   
  • completing and implementing a safe work management plan (SWMS) for any high-risk construction.  

A person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must apply risk control measures, starting with trying to eliminate the risk first.   

The hierarchy of control 

A step-by-step approach to reduce or eliminate risks in the workplace, the hierarchy of control ranks risk controls from the highest level of protection and reliability through to the lowest and least reliable protection. 

  1. Eliminate hazards and risks: highest level of protection and most effective control  
    • Eliminating the hazard and the risk it creates is the most effective control measure. 
  1. Reduce the risk: Reduce the risk with one or more of the following controls: 
    • Substitute the risks with lesser risks 
    • Isolate people from the risks 
    • Engineering: Reduce the risks through engineering changes or changes to systems of work. 
  1. Administrative controls: Low level of protection and less reliable control 
    • Use administrative actions to minimise exposure to hazards and to reduce the level of harm. 
  1. Personal protective equipment: Lowest level of protection and least reliable control. 
    • Use personal protective equipment to protect people from harm. PPE may include items such as ear muffs and earplugs, goggles, respirators, face masks, hard hats, safety harnesses, high-visibility clothing, protective eyewear and safety footwear. 

Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS)  

Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) are documents that outline the procedures and hazards associated with a particular task or worksite. They are used to communicate and manage risk within a workplace by providing workers with a clear understanding of the risks and safety measures that need to be implemented to perform the task in a safe and controlled manner. 

Offering a structured and systematic approach to managing safety risks associated with a specific task or worksite, a SWMS aims to identify hazards and the controls that need to be implemented to ensure that workers can carry out work safely. This is particularly important for high-risk tasks such as working at heights, in confined spaces or with hazardous substances. 

SWMS can also be used to satisfy work health and safety regulatory requirements, as they demonstrate an organisation’s commitment to providing a safe workplace. They are often required by regulatory authorities, clients or principal contractors as part of their work health and safety management system. 

Including a detailed assessment of the risks and hazards associated with the task or worksite, the SWMS outlines control measures that have been implemented to manage those risks, and detail the roles and responsibilities of those involved in the task. 

A SWMS should also identify the laws, standards and regulations that apply to the task or worksite and should be reviewed and updated regularly to ensure that it remains accurate and effective in managing risks associated with the task or worksite. 

SWMS can be developed by following a straightforward process: 

  1. Identify the task or worksite that requires a SWMS to be developed. 
  1. Consult with workers and any relevant stakeholders to identify hazards and potential risks. 
  1. Determine the control measures that need to be implemented to manage those risks. 
  1. Document the SWMS, providing clear and concise instructions and information to workers. 
  1. Implement the SWMS and monitor its effectiveness.. 

In case of emergency 

According to Safe Work Australia, all workplaces are legally requires to have an emergency plan in place. Types of emergencies to plan for may include fire, explosion, medical emergency, rescues, incidents with hazardous chemicals, bomb threats, armed confrontations and natural disasters.  

The emergency plan must include:  

  • an effective response to an emergency  
  • evacuation procedures  
  • notifying emergency services   
  • medical treatment and help   
  • effective communication   
  • testing emergency procedures  
  • information, training and instruction to relevant workers about doing the emergency procedures.  

Workers at all levels of the organisations should be trained in emergency procedures and be aware of what their roles and responsibilities are in the event of an emergency. Regular reviews of emergency plans as well as training including practising evacuations, identifying assembly points, location of emergency equipment, first aid arrangements and how to safely shut down machinery are critical in ensuring preparedness.  

Ensure your staff are safe before stepping on site 

Any person who plans to work in construction is also legally required to secure a White Card. 

The White Card is evidence that a worker has undertaken basic training in relation to how to keep themselves and others safe on a construction site. 

To get a white card, a worker must do the training course ‘Prepare to work safely in the construction industry’. This is also known as ‘white card’ training. The Australian Skills Quality Authority provides a list of training providers who currently offer white card training. White cards are recognised Australia-wide.  

Final words 

Health and safety in the construction industry is complex – and critical. Keeping your people safe keeps your business safe, and it all begins with planning at the front end. For smaller businesses where it may not be feasible to employ a dedicated health and safety manager, invest in an independent consultant to ensure you are fulfilling your legal obligations. Consider safety champions across different aspects of the business who are empowered to ask questions and raise issues – safety is everyone’s business.   

For help in building a safer workplace, Safe Work Australia – and its various state and territory counterparts – offers a range of helpful resources to help businesses of all sizes meet their obligations.  

Mental Health in construction

Why Building Resilience Is the Key to Mental Health in Construction 

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Working At Heights

Working Safely At Heights

  • Health, Safety, and Compliance
Learn about the critical importance of height safety in Australian workplaces. Discover key regulations, expert insights, and recommended safety measures for businesses and workers operating at various heights.

Falling from heights is firmly fixed as one of the most common causes of injury and death among Australian workers. 

Across the nation, about 30 people die each and every year as a result of falls occurring in the workplace – with half of these falls at three metres or less. Meanwhile, every single day, more than 20 Australian workers make workplace injury claims as a result of a fall. 

Working at height – any height - is considered to be a high-risk activity, and a leading cause of death and serious injury in Australia.  

Business owners and managers play a central role in ensuring workplaces and team members are as safe as possible across all aspects of their jobs – including working at heights. 

According to Safe Work Australia, business owners and managers as a PCBU (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking) must seek to eliminate or minimise risks to health and safety so far as reasonably practicable.  They are responsible for ensuring job sites reduce and manage associated risks when tasks are above ground.  

Where possible, work should be carried out on the ground or a solid construction. In cases where work is not able to be undertaken in these locations, work sites at height should use control measures, which may include: 

  • fall prevention infrastructure such as guardrails, walkways, stairs, ladders, scaffolding, or elevating work platforms; 
  • a work positioning system such as static lines or anchors,  
  • a fall arrest system – for example, rigid rail, anchors, fall arrest lanyards, a safety net or catch platform.  

Construction work that features a risk of falling more than 2 metres is considered to be high risk – meaning your workers need to complete a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) before beginning work. 

Building safely at heights is a specialist field, and for new construction as well as at-height maintenance, getting the right advice at the right time is critical.  

“A lot of the problem – in particular when it comes to working on existing structures – is the client’s lack of understanding of Height Safety systems’ rules and regulations,” Anchored Height Safety managing director Mark Anderson said.  

“We find that three in four businesses that come to us really don’t have a strong idea of what is needed to be compliant, or whether their usage requirements are being met through the safety measures they have in place. 

“Often businesses come to us thinking they have a small certification issue – that they just need to have an inspection – however they underestimate what is actually required for an appropriate, safe and compliant safety system.” 

Anchored Height Safety designs, installs and certifies permanent anchor points, static lines, walkways, platforms, roof ladders, guardrails, and hatches for high safety purposes. 

Trusted to deliver safety solutions for a range of commercial and public infrastructure projects, height safety specialists Anchored Height Safety also offers full design analysis, roof anchor testing and audits of height safety equipment.  

As an organisation focused on ensuring safety, the business nominated the challenge of demonstrating “return on investment” as a key impediment to businesses investing in safety measures. 

“Balancing risk management and the investment required is often a key area of discussion.   While price is obviously a very important factor, it is also critical to understand the intended use of the safety system to ensure compliance and the safety of those who will ultimately use the system.” Mark said.  

“The bottom line is that if you want to ensure your business is protected in the event of an accident you have a responsibility to ensure safety compliance.  This may change over time with changes to the building, plant and usage, meaning height access and safety equipment may need to be updated.  

“Safety mechanisms are like any other infrastructure, they need maintenance, repair and replacement as they age.” 

Recognising the evolution of safety, as well as the increasing complexity of buildings under construction as well as in delivering key maintenance works, the Working at Height Association of Australia (WAHA) was established in 2009. 

The peak body offers information, guidance and support for businesses needing to address working at height issues. Within its range of functions, WAHA also develops submissions and provide informed and evidence-based review and advice to Australian Government departments, Regulatory Authorities and other organisations on matters concerning work-at-height and confined space health, safety and training. 

“The actual risk of working at height is often misunderstood,” WAHA CEO, Scott Barber, said. 

“The reality is that most falls   – including workplace injuries and those in the general community – occur from heights of less than three metres. A fall may happen from one elevated level to another level, from an elevated level to the ground, or even from the ground into a below-ground level via an opening,” he said.  

“People often forget that fall risks also exist at ground-level, not just from above it. Falls through a penetration in a building into a pit or sewer or other form of below-ground cavity also represents a significant risk of personal injury and is included in the broader definition of falls from height.” 

Despite significant regulatory support, resources and education, falls from height are still a major contributor to deaths and serious injury in Australian workplaces. 

Both Mark and Scott warn that complacency across industry is most prevalent in cases where people are working at low heights. 

“It is often difficult to manage risks at low heights,” Mark said. 

“This is where passive height safety such as guard rails play an important role. Remember – even if you only fall half a metre onto a protrusion, plant or other uneven surface you can still really hurt yourself.” 

“Don’t assume because height safety was ticked on a box when you took over the building that the system will be safe for the use you are intending,” Mark said. 

“It’s critical to get independent professional advice and support – people who can look at the building, the safety mechanisms you have in place, and who are qualified to determine whether they are fit for the purpose you are seeking to use them.” 

Other actions workplaces can take to build safety include: 

  • Ensuring new team members are properly trained, supported and supervised; 
  • Partner workers together – never leave a person working at height alone; 
  • Always assess a site and its requirements, alongside risk mitigation in relation to accidents and falls through a Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS); 
  • Use work platforms and guardrails when suitable; 
  • At increasing levels of height use anchors, restraints and ropes;  
  • At considerable heights increase safety mechanism to include safety nets, catch platforms and harness-based fall-arrest used with lifelines or individual anchors. 

How Anchored Height Safety Streamlined Documentation and Boosted Efficiency with Bluebeam 

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Mental Health in Construction

How Construction Can Build Hope Amid Industry’s Mental Health Challenges

  • Health, Safety, and Compliance
Construction has one of the highest suicide rates among all occupations, according to recent data, but the industry has made tremendous progress in tackling mental health on jobsites

In her decades-long career as a clinical psychologist focusing on suicide prevention and workplace wellness, Sally Spencer-Thomas has collaborated with any number of employers in a variety of industries all grappling with their workers’ mental health.

But one industry stands out in its efforts to take action, Spencer-Thomas said. With one of the highest suicide rates among occupations, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the construction sector, compared to others she’s worked with, is moving quickly to tackle the problem, she said.

Among her many collaborations within the industry, Spencer-Thomas helped start Construction Working Minds, the nation’s first suicide prevention initiative for construction. And, with unions and construction companies in New York and Colorado, she’s been testing H.O.P.E. Certification, a new program that promotes employee mental health and suicide prevention.

“The construction industry is a problem-solving industry, and I’m so grateful for them just to be all in,” Spencer-Thomas said.

There’s work to be done, for sure. But the industry is taking action to support its workers through awareness, training and research, and it’s making a difference.

“Even if only 30% [of the industry gets] there, we will save thousands of lives,” she said. “This is a big, big, big population. And, of course, it’s not just the lives that were saved and that were impacted, but all of their loved ones. So that’s what gets me up and running every day. This is a tsunami of hope coming at us.”

Culture of toughness

Spencer-Thomas said her brother’s 2004 death by suicide was a wake-up call. While she was already working in the mental health field for 16 years, the tragedy hammered home two realities. There aren’t enough mental health providers adequately trained to help those at risk, and people are falling through the cracks.

At the time, fear and confusion were preventing workplaces from addressing mental health and wellness issues, she said. But we know much more about suicide than we did back then. In 2016, the CDC published its first industry-specific suicide numbers, which found that the construction industry has one of the highest suicide rates.

The industry ranks high in other mental health challenges as well. According to a 2023 report from the Center for Construction Research and Training, 14,200 construction workers died from drug overdoses in 2020 alone.

“It’s quickly becoming clear to a lot of people that we need to do something at work because work is the place that the people most at risk for suicide death are most likely to show up at,” Spencer-Thomas said.

In many ways, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the construction workforce is suffering. Middle-age white males, who dominate today’s construction workforce, have the highest  suicide rates. And those in construction face extreme stressors on the job.

In a study that Spencer-Thomas conducted for the National Association of Home Builders and North Carolina Home Builders Association, pressure from deadlines, uncertainty of future work, long hours and fear of making mistakes were among the top stressors for respondents.

What’s more, Spencer-Thomas said, construction workers are often away from their family and friends for months at a time, possibly using drugs and alcohol to cope and constantly worrying about the next job or contract and stressing over finances. A culture of toughness and continuing stigma about mental health doesn’t help either.

“A lot of people over-medicalize suicide and say, ‘It’s a brain issue. If they just get treatment or get on the right medication, everything will be fine,’” she said. “But there’s a lot more to it.”

Culture of care

To support workers, awareness and training is important. Talking about suicide and mental health challenges, along with substance abuse and financial well-being are critical. But one-off toolbox talks aren’t enough, Spencer-Thomas said.

Building a “culture of care,” she said, requires a comprehensive strategy. Mental health awareness must be baked into the discussions employers have about health and wellness. Starting that journey requires actions like these.

Bold and vocal leadership

Company leaders lead culture shifts, and they must act boldly and vocally as they support their workforce, she said. That includes connecting their employees’ mental health to the company’s mission and sharing their own lived experience.

“It’s not like all leaders have to rip open their deepest, darkest secrets,” Spencer-Thomas said. “Just say, ‘Yeah, I’ve been impacted by this; who hasn’t?’ Normalize and validate people’s experiences around this.”

Focus on the work environment

In discussions around mental health, we often talk about “broken people,” Spencer-Thomas said. Get out of that narrative and start looking for what’s broken within the work environment. Is there bullying, hazing, harassment and discrimination on jobsites? Are there other parts of the job that make it difficult for people to thrive?

Spencer-Thomas also recommends conducting a mental health resource audit. Assign a group of employees to test your mental health benefits to find out if your employee assistance program actually has helpful resources or if your insurance covers enough local therapists. “That’s a very concrete, tangible thing that they can do that really will improve helping people get to the right resource,” she said.

Real stories

Research shows that when you have personal connections with people who have a stigmatizing condition, such as mental health challenges, you start to see the issue in a new light, Spencer-Thomas said. It can reduce the stigma as more people see individuals just like them who are struggling—and recovering. And it also can help the storyteller in their own journey, she said.

“When you have enough storytellers out there, and now they are coming forward, you start to see that people do recover, which is the norm,” she said. “People recover way more than they die … millions of people live through these things all the time.”

And that, she said, is empowering—and life-changing information—for all.

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources.

Read more stories about mental health in construction.

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mental health in construction

Prioritising Mental Health in the Construction Industry

  • Health, Safety, and Compliance
Explore the critical issue of mental health in the Australian construction industry. Discover the staggering costs, both human and financial, and learn about initiatives and strategies aimed at supporting the mental wellbeing of workers. From training programs to workplace culture, find out how the industry is coming together to create safer, more resilient environments.

Stress, anxiety and other mental health issues costs Australian businesses $11 billion each year, with one in five Australians experiencing mental ill-health each year.

Untreated mental health conditions cost Australian workplaces $4.7 billion in absenteeism, $6.1 billion in presenteeism and $146 million in compensation claims, a PwC and Beyond Blue report on mental health in the workplace has revealed.

In 2022, the National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing found that 43.7 per cent (8.6 million) of Australians aged between 16 and 85 have experienced a mental disorder at some time in their life.

Meanwhile, every second day in Australia a construction worker’s mental health will result in their death, with workers face several challenges within the workplace that increase the risk of mental health issues.

High pressure, a lack of job certainty, conflicting demands and exhaustion are driving mental health struggles among Australia’s construction industry workforce.

Dr Andrew Arena – Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the Black Dog Institute – confirmed that the construction industry faced double the risk of suicide in comparison to other sectors across Australia.

 “When a worker’s role is ambiguous, or conflicts with another work role they have, it adds considerable complexity and mental strain to their daily work life,” Dr Arena said.

“Also, when a worker doesn’t feel like they have control over how they work and the decisions that affect them, they’re likely to feel unmotivated and depleted. Over time, these challenges can contribute to stress, burnout, and mental ill-health—especially when coupled with the high job demands of the construction industry,” he said.

Mental Health Week

Mental Health Week – which includes World Mental Health Day – is an annual event in October and aims to improve community awareness and understanding of mental health and wellbeing.

While building a mentally healthy workplace is good business sense, identifying and mitigating psychological health and safety risks is also a legal requirement.

A mentally healthy workplace is one that promotes workplace practices that support positive mental health, eliminates and minimises psychological health and safety risks through the identification and assessment of psychosocial hazards and builds the knowledge, skills and capabilities of workers to be resilient and thrive at work. It should be free of stigma and discrimination and support the recovery of workers returning after a physical or psychological injury.

Businesses that invest in evidence-based mental health training that upskill managers to better support the mental health needs of their staff can result in leaders who are more confident and engage in more mentally healthy workplace practices such as initiating conversations with staff about their mental health, and promoting early help-seeking. They are also better placed to manage work-related mental health risk factors for their staff such as job demands and working with staff to provide a greater sense of job control. Employees who have more supportive supervisors have also been found to have lower rates of work-related sickness absence.

Benefits of Supporting Mental Wellbeing in Workplace

Investing in your workforce’s mental health and wellbeing is an investment in your business – and is also your legal responsibility – under the model Work Health and Safety laws, a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU), such as an employer, must manage psychosocial risks such as risks to mental health at work.

Safe Work Australia’s Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work Code of Practice confirms that psychological injuries often cost more and take longer to resolve – meaning there is also a business benefit to putting people first.

 Supporting the mental wellbeing of your people will deliver the following results:

  1. Improved workplace attendance and productivity

Workers stress leave means less boots on the ground getting the job done – which also means more stress for everyone on site. When people are feeling mentally supported they are more likely to identify and manage their health when problems arise, are better focused and are less likely to take time off work.

  • Staff attraction and retention

Happy and supported workers who know they are valued and have the tools they need to manage their stress and anxiety are more likely to recommend your workplace to peers and to build a future with your business.

  • Improve the business bottom line

Through reducing staff turnover and absenteeism and improving productivity and accuracy, your construction business will deliver more projects on time and within scope – enhancing your profitability and your reputation with existing and potential clients and partners.

Ways To Build Workforce Mental Wellbeing

Mental health training for managers is one of the most effective interventions in terms of return-on-investment. The Black Dog Institute’s research shows returns of up to 10:1 for every dollar invested in training through increased productivity and reduced mental health-related workers compensation claims.

The Black Dog Institute reveals that there are five factors that contribute to workplace health and wellbeing, including job design, team factors, organisational factors, home and work conflict and individual factors. Considering each of these groups of factors and identifying ways to address these will reduce the risk of mental health stress and anxiety in the workplace.

The Institute recommends:

Work design:

  • Establish flexible working hours where possible.
  • Address workplace culture of when, where and how people work – including building diverse and supportive teams and enabling people on the ground to learn new skills and apply their strengths in the job at hand.
  • Use planning meetings, toolbox start-ups and staff workshops to involve your people in deciding how work is undertaken.
  • Monitor staff workloads – ensure there is a balance across your business and that tools down time is sufficient for your team members.
  • Ensure your physical work environment is safe and encouraging.

2. Building personal resilience:

  • Ensure that your high-risk workers have the right training – including for stress management and resilience training.
  • Encourage an active workforce – consider forming after hours sports teams to strengthen teams and general health.
  • Encourage mentoring and coaching – a buddy system not only provides the opportunity to share and build skills, it creates a sense of trust and belonging.
  • Building better work cultures:
  • Encourage people to look out for each other – and model an environment where people openly talk and share.
  • Provide mental health education to you whole team and ensure team leaders and managers have the tools and knowledge they need to help promote a safe workplace.
  • Implement a mental health policy including zero tolerance of bullying and discrimination.

4. Increasing awareness of mental health

  • Make sure your business offers easy access to mental health information and to support systems or organisations who can help.
  • Take part in opportunities to raise awareness such as World Mental Health Day and RU OK? Day.
  • Invite mental health organisations such as MATES in Construction to speak at your business.

5. Supporting staff recovery from mental illness

  • Provide supervisor training on how to support workers recovering from mental illness and stressful life events.
  • Ensure that your business adapts a worker’s tasks and working hours when appropriate.
  • Provide a supportive environment and ensure no discrimination or bullying occurs.

Mental Health Training is a central plank to building health and wellbeing into your workplace. In addition to team leaders and managers, key team members who are trusted by others would be well placed to ensure they have the skills to provide mental wellbeing support.

According to recruitment specialists Hays, improving health and wellbeing begins at the top: “Role model the behaviour you want to see: Another way leaders can offer their support is to act as a role model and be open about their own mental health challenges – if they feel comfortable doing so. After all, their privacy must be respected, too.”

“Leaders have a responsibility to champion good mental health in the workplace,” Hays advises. “By showing that they are committed to creating a culture that is both understanding and supportive of their employees, they help break the stigma of being open about mental health issues at work and set the tone for the rest of the organisation.”

Beyond Blue and the Australian Government’s Mentally Healthy Workplaces online platforms also offer a range of training modules, tools and resources to help businesses protect themselves against risks to their peoples mental health and to promote health and wellbeing.

Specialist Construction Industry Support

MATES in Construction – an industry intervention program that aims to raise awareness of suicide as a preventable problem, build stronger and more resilient workers and connect workers to the best available help and support – has partnered in research to determine the extent and drivers of mental health and wellbeing issues in the construction sector.

According to MATES, men in the construction industry are 53% more likely to take their own lives than other employed men across the country – and are eight times more likely to die from suicide rather than an accident at work. 

With a model that is focused on “help offering over help seeking” in male suicide prevention MATES offers an industry-focused suicide prevention program that is available Australia-wide. As of September 2023, MATES has trained almost 256,000 construction workers in General Awareness Training and has been recognised by the World Health Organisation as an example of best practice in suicide prevention models.

MATES deploys field staff to deliver training in the workplace to improve mental health and suicide prevention literacy, increase help seeking and help offering and engage the workforce in creating a mentally healthy workplace.

Volunteer Connectors and ASIST (Applies Suicide Intervention Skills Training) workers are also trained to identify, support and connect workers to help and support. Field Officers support workplace volunteers to create on-site networks supporting each other and the worksite in preventing suicide and becoming mentally healthier.

The organisation also offers a support line and case management to workers who need help and support.

“When MATES was started in 2008, suicide was seen almost entirely as a health problem requiring health responses. Program such as MATES have shown that we achieve much more when we engage all of the community,” MATES national CEO Chris Lockwood said.

“We know that construction workers are prepared to make a difference with more than 230,000 workers participating and more than 22,000 volunteer Connectors engaged across more than 1,000 sites.

“A five-year review of MATES conducted in 2016 showed that suicide rates in the industry had fallen by almost 8% after the introduction of MATES in Construction. It was also shown that Governments saved $4.6 for every dollar invested in MATES.”

While not all mental ill-health is caused at work, employers have responsibilities under work health and safety laws to ensure that work mental health hazards (also called psychosocial hazards) are effectively managed.

Getting Help

Access free support through:

• Lifeline Australia – 13 11 14

• Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636

• MensLine Australia – 1300 78 99 78

• Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467

• NSW Health Mental Health Line – 1800 011 511

• Kids Helpline (for under 25s) – 1800 55 1800

• Mates in Construction – 1300 642 111

• SafeWork NSW “Speak Up Save Lives” app – to report unsafe work

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