Construction Safety Week: Look After Your Mental Health

Construction business coach and managing director of award-winning Bhangals Construction Consultants is urging industry workers to look after their mental health as part of Construction Safety Week (3-6 May 2022).

One of the key themes of the awareness week for 2022 is mental health and connecting with others so Parm Bhangal is encouraging construction workers to talk to colleagues and friends about how they are feeling and share any stress they are experiencing at work.

He said: “It’s so important to talk to each other. You can solve a lot of problems and avoid a lot of stress just by having a conversation. In our business we have a weekly meeting for each area of the business so we can talk to each other about what’s going on and how to manage it. That gives people the opportunity to bring their stresses to you as well.”

Parm believes that in his experience of the construction industry it is impossible to totally eliminate stressful situations but there are a number of ways in which these can be managed and alleviated.

“Being in the industry, I understand the stresses of construction,” he said. “One of the things that’s really helped me to reduce my stress over the years is preparation. Prepare for your day, for your week, and work out where the crunch points might be. That way you can look to solve any potential problems before they happen.”

Parm has previously focussed on his physical health in order to keep his body in prime shape for work, but the onset of the pandemic changed his outlook entirely.

He said: “Before Covid I put all my focus on going to the gym and getting fit. You can be as fit as you want to be though but if your mind isn’t in the right place, it is emotionally and physically damaging to your health.

“I think people underestimate how important the mental health side of things is. Alleviating stress and being aware of mental health issues is so important.

“It is vital to have a thorough understanding of yourself and an awareness of how to manage your feelings, your anxiety and potential stress triggers. Having a support network to talk to and share with is really important too. When you’re in your own head you blow problems up and they often get worse. If you talk about it you can solve problems quicker and someone can help.”For more information about Bhangals Construction Services visit www.bhangals.co.uk or call 01604 871806.