Changing the Mental Health Narrative for Outdoor Workers and Tradespeople

Ahead of World Suicide Prevention Day on 10th September, there are calls for a cultural shift across British job sites, moving away from silence and stigma toward active, open support, particularly for outdoor workers and tradespeople.

Spearheaded globally by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) alongside the World Health Organization (WHO), the theme for World Suicide Prevention Day, ‘Changing the Narrative on Suicide’, encourages individuals, businesses, and communities to normalise discussions around mental health and suicidal thoughts.

Changing the Mental Health Narrative

One of the most critical areas for change is within the UK’s trade, construction, and outdoor working environments. Research from health charity Mates in Mind indicates that male construction workers in the UK are 3.7 times more likely to die by suicide than the national average. Despite growing awareness across the wider business landscape, practical support on active job sites remains inconsistent.

Survey findings released by Monster-Mesh in partnership with peer-to-peer suicide prevention charity ANDYSMANCLUB expose a mental health crisis on British sites, driven by physical exhaustion, tight deadlines, and isolation.

The data reveals that around a third of outdoor workers have no access to employer-provided mental health support. Meanwhile, others remain unsure if support exists or choose not to engage with it. This results in only a quarter of the outdoor workforce actually utilising workplace mental health resources.

With 42% of workers saying that they do not feel comfortable speaking to a manager, colleague, or peer about stress and mental health and 39% believing mental health is still not taken as seriously as physical safety in their industry, there is more that employers can do to tackle this problem.

World Suicide Prevention Day

With outdoor and trade roles being predominantly male environments, talking about psychological distress can carry perceived social risks. Employers have a clear duty of care to change this dynamic, not only by providing accessible safety nets, but by embedding conversations into daily site routines.

To bring mental health resources directly onto active job sites, Monster-Mesh has launched exclusive #itsokaytotalk fence and barrier covers, featuring scannable QR codes that connect on-site workers directly to local support networks.

Lucas Whitehead, Head of Partnerships at Andy’s Man Club

Lucas Whitehead, Head of Partnerships at Andy’s Man Club told Monster-Mesh, “Encouraging open conversations whilst making the right support visible and accessible can help workers address stress earlier, preventing it from escalating into a more serious physical or mental health emergency. We face a crisis whereby a high proportion of men do not recognise stress and life crises as mental health challenges, and they are viewed merely as life challenges that we should all get through. Reaching out for help early is key to preventing this escalation.

“To hear that around three-quarters of outdoor workers report moderate to high stress at work is especially problematic, given the fact that outdoor work is more likely to feature an increased risk of danger. It is paramount that this issue is addressed and that the awareness of services like ours is heightened in the hope that people come forward early before issues develop.”

Resources

Below are four resources for those experiencing poor mental health at work:

• Andy’s Man Club

Peer-to-peer support groups for men over 18 going through storms in their lives, every Monday at 7pm, excluding bank holidays. Clubs are free to attend with no registration required. To find out more, email info@andysmanclub.co.uk or head to Andy’s Man Club.
Andy’s Man Club is a peer-led charity, so is not professional mental health support. If you need different support, please contact one of these alternate groups.

• Samaritans

If you need to talk to someone urgently, you can call the Samaritans free any time, from any phone, on 116 123.

• CALM

CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) run a free and confidential helpline and livechat – 7 hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone who needs to talk.

• Call 111

You can call 111 free of charge and select option 2 to be connected to a mental health professional.

If someone’s life is at immediate risk, please contact 999.

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