{"id":161894,"date":"2026-05-12T08:52:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-12T07:52:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/?p=161894"},"modified":"2026-05-12T08:52:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T07:52:15","slug":"citb-funding-helps-launch-suicide-prevention-in-construction-programme","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pbctoday.co.uk\/news\/health-safety-news\/citb-funding-helps-launch-suicide-prevention-in-construction-programme\/161894\/","title":{"rendered":"CITB funding helps launch suicide prevention in construction programme"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new suicide prevention training programme aims to prevent further loss of life within the construction industry<\/h2>\n

\u00a0<\/em>The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), Barratt and David Wilson Homes North Scotland and Scottish Action for Mental Health (SAMH) have joined forces to create a new suicide prevention in construction programme tailored to the Scottish construction industry.<\/p>\n

The project, \u2018Suicide Prevention in Construction Training\u2019<\/a>, has been made possible by \u00a3239,000 in funding awarded by CITB\u2019s Industry Impact Fund (IIF).<\/p>\n

Vanessa Freeman, CITB head of grant & funding products, said: \u201cThe industry still has a lot of stigma and too often people in construction feel like they can\u2019t talk about their mental health issues.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s imperative we improve the poor understanding of mental health in the industry because suicide prevention isn\u2019t just a wellbeing issue \u2013 it\u2019s an industry responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

Construction industry four times more likely to experience suicide<\/h3>\n

Initiatives like this are more important than ever, with statistics showing that construction workers are four times more likely to die by suicide than any other profession.<\/p>\n

Participant feedback during development has been consistently positive, with an average satisfaction rating of 96%, demonstrating that the training is relevant, high-quality, and delivers meaningful impact across the construction sector<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Suicide Prevention in Construction Training is designed specifically for the unique pressures faced by construction workers, equipping companies and individuals with the tools necessary to identify colleagues facing mental health challenges and provide meaningful support.<\/p>\n

Breaking stigma to help advance suicide prevention in construction<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s currently available to individuals and companies across Scotland, and overall, the project has made a strong start, with a clear pathway for continued growth and impact as it embeds itself in a wider cultural shift towards improving mental health and wellbeing in construction.<\/p>\n

Kevin Urquhart, construction director at Barrett and David Wilson Homes, commented: \u201cEveryone involved in the project believes this to be an important step towards breaking down the long-standing stigma<\/a> around this issue across the industry.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can all say that we want to progress things, but without funding and without the support of someone like CITB within the industry, I don’t think the project would have got off the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n

The initiative includes practical role\u2011specific training and resources tailored to the realities of construction work. Focusing specifically on:<\/p>\n