Mental Health Week 2025: Employers Urged to Act
Mental Health Week 2025: Employers urged to act as 94% of hard hat workers report serious mental health struggles Industry research from Pirtek UK & Ireland reveals:
- 94% of hard hat industry workers have faced mental health challenges
- 75% experience regular stress, 62% report anxiety
- Mental health-related absence is over three times the national average
- 1 in 7 workers have felt suicidal
As the UK marks Mental Health Awareness Week on 12th May, employers across construction, engineering and other 'hard hat' industries are being urged to treat mental health as a critical safety issue and take proactive steps to support their workforce. Hydraulic hose specialist Pirtek is calling for urgent action following findings from their 'Under the Hard Hat' campaign research.
Based on a survey of 343 workers across engineering, manufacturing, waste, marine and construction sectors, the research exposes widespread mental health issues. The data reveals a silent crisis unfolding across the UK's hard hat industries, with 94% of workers reporting struggles such as stress, anxiety, depression or loneliness and 14% experiencing suicidal thoughts. Mental-health related absence is over three times higher than the national average, yet more than 40% of workers say their employer offers no mental health support - or they aren't aware if any exists.
Even among those who have opened up about their mental health, more than half said they felt uncomfortable doing so. "Professionals in these industries face visible physical risks every day, but the mental health risks are far less visible and arguably more dangerous," says Martyn Smart, Group QHSE Manager at Pirtek UK & Ireland. "Our research shows that mental health must now be considered a core aspect of health and safety strategies." Pirtek's campaign is supported by charities PIPS Suicide Prevention in Northern Ireland, Pieta in the Republic of Ireland, in addition to mental health charity partner Andy's Man Club.
Head of Marketing and Partnerships at Andy's Man Club, Lucas Whitehead, adds, "Mental health doesn't discriminate. The stigma surrounding it - particularly among male-dominated industries - must be broken. No one should suffer in silence."
Pirtek is calling for businesses in high-risk sectors to recognise that mental health is as much a safety issue as physical risk and to act accordingly. The company is urging employers to:
- Treat mental health as part of health and safety
Employers already assess physical risks and equally, mental health risks must be viewed through the same lens. The Health and Safety Executive recommends that mental health be factored into workplace assessments, with clear frameworks to reduce risks. Whether high-pressure workloads, lone working or fatigue, the risks presented are just as real as those that are physical.
- Make support visible, available and trusted
Pirtek's research highlights that many workers aren't aware of what support exists, or don't feel safe using it.
Employers must therefore ensure mental health resources are clearly signposted and easy to access, without fear of judgement. This can include on-site posters or intranet updates to toolbox talks and confidential helplines, but ultimately, visibility is key when it comes to effective communication.
- Change the culture through everyday conversations
Culture change starts with conversation, yet over half of workers feel uncomfortable discussing their mental health. Encouraging peer-to-peer discussions, equipping line managers to listen, and making mental wellbeing part of daily check-ins all help reduce stigma.
Mental health must be integrated into the way in which teams function, as opposed to a once-a-year initiative, in order to have real and lasting impact. Further information regarding Pirtek's 'Under the Hard Hat' campaign can be found here. For a powerful conversation on men's mental health in hard hat industries, featuring SAS: Who Dares Wins' Ollie Ollerton and Lucas Whitehead from Andy's Man Club, watch the special Under the Hard Hat podcast episode - now live on YouTube.
Watch here.
Mental Health Week 2025
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