The global pandemic is having a negative impact on people’s mental health in society, with those in the construction industry having faced a long lay-off being no exception. To help construction workers cope with these issues, the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity is launching a free and confidential 24/7 helpline and wellbeing app on 3 June, 2020.
Speaking about the helpline launch, Bill Hill, chief executive officer of the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity, said: “A large proportion of construction workers are either self employed or work for small businesses. They do not have access to an employee assistance programme (EAP) for support.
“One of the charity’s key objectives is to reduce suicides of those working in the construction sector. The 24/7 Construction Industry Helpline delivers an EAP to all workers and is complimented by a supporting helpline app. This app is available on both Android and Apple devices and is packed full of information, advice and guidance on mental, physical and financial wellbeing matters.
“By making all the services free and confidential, the charity aims to remove two of the key barriers to people seeking help. The final barrier to overcome is the stigma of using such services often inherent in stoic masculine belief.”
The Irish government’s Return to Work Safely Protocol recently advised companies to introduce services to support mental health and wellbeing.
The launch of the helpline and app will take place on 3 June at 16:00pm via a webinar, and the charity is working with the CIF to promulgate the helpline amongst its members.
Dermot Carey, director of safety and training at the Construction Industry Federation (CIF), said: “The global pandemic is having a negative impact on people’s mental health in society, with those in the construction industry having faced a long lay-off being no exception. To help construction workers cope with these issues, the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity is launching a free and confidential 24/7 helpline and wellbeing app on 3 June, 2020.”
“For the CIF, mental health is inseparable from safety because on sites we all depend on each other to keep safe especially at this time of COVID-19. In the construction industry, we want to mind our workers as they are our greatest resource. This EAP is a great resource for the Lighthouse Club to support workers over coming years.”
The webinar will also showcase the charity’s services and will see a panel discussion on the implications of the government’s Return to Work Safely Protocol.
The panel will consist of representation from The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity, the CIF, the Considerate Constructors Scheme and experts from the Irish Construction sector.
Bill added: “Our mission is to ensure that no construction worker or their family should be alone in a crisis. My biggest nightmare is that someone in our construction community needs our help and they don’t know we are there for them. I am delighted that we are standing shoulder to shoulder with the CIF to bring these urgent and much needed services to Ireland.”
www.constructionindustryhelpline.com
