Hard to believe, but the benchmark in Annus Horriblis – certainly as far as our much-lamented Queen Elizabeth was concerned – occurred exactly three decades ago in 1992. The terminology may have been unfamiliar, but we all got where she was coming from when a flurry of royal scandals exposed the family to unwanted headlines and threatened to undermine its very existence. Thirty years on and, ironically, it was her own sad recent passing in no small part that suggests the rule book on memorably horrible years will need rewriting. Putting aside the fact that Christmas for millions of people will undoubtedly never be quite the same without her honestly insightful and inspiring Yuletide address, the deeply destabilising and momentous events at both home and abroad have massively negatively impacted everyday life during 2022.
We won’t go into all of them here, of course, but for those running a small business, there are all the additional daily stresses that heap worry upon worry on a daily basis. After months of early mornings and late evenings, labour, and material shortages – all wrapped up in 60-70 hour working week – most tradespeople will certainly appreciate the chance to spend some quality time at home and recharge some pretty well worn-down batteries, even if those smart meters are in danger of blowing a fuse! For the vast majority, those two weeks of R&R will be sufficient one hopes to hit the ground running come the start of the New year – and all the inevitable challenges 2023 will present.
Unfortunately, there are a small but growing number of those employed in construction for whom the pressures of everyday life, exacerbated at this time of year by the pressures that the festivities invariably bring on, simply decide to retreat into themselves or, in worst case scenarios, end their lives completely. Cold, dank days coupled with money worries, family issues, feelings of isolation and loneliness can all prove to be a toxic cocktail in the minds of those already on the edge of depression. A fact borne out by the Samaritans, who receive by far and away their highest number of calls and cries for help during a period which, in theory, should be amongst the most joyous.
Tragically, almost 5,000 people take their own lives in England each year and suicide is now firmly established as the leading cause of death of men under the age of forty-two. And, with its male dominated demographic, construction is now at the forefront of what many observers are calling an epidemic. In fact, young male labourers are more than three times more likely to take their own lives than the national average. Right now, it’s estimated that a staggering one in six workers in the UK is currently suffering from the effects of debilitating depression or stress and that was before the prospect of potentially the worst cost of living crisis in living memory.
The biggest tragedy, of course, is that many of these young people go to their untimely deaths without those closest to them even aware there was a serious problem. Heavy workloads, long working hours, travel, family separation and job insecurity are all playing a part in a palpable deterioration of metal health, but such is the stigma attached to this illness, especially in a macho charged environment like building that, rather than seek help, some in desperation are choosing to end their lives.
And, of course, the tragic consequences of lives cut short are not just confined to the UK. You may be currently enjoying the unprecedented spectacle of a World Cup played out in the sand dunes and England’s successful progression (or not) to the final. Mind bogglingly impressive or not, nothing can ever surely compensate for what is conservatively estimated at more than 7,000 construction workers reported to have lost their lives during the stadium building process. Around 10 per cent of these are allegedly the result of suicide and whilst one would shudder to compare the extreme conditions endured by the migrant workers with those experienced on sites closer to home, it is a microcosm of the consequences of putting profits before people.
In this season of goodwill to all men and, of course, women, it is surely time for the construction industry across the global spectrum to take collective responsibility for its actions and ask what more can be done to improve the mental and physical status of its employees. Important lessons need to be learnt quickly if more lives are not to be lost through blatant mismanagement and causal indifference. It’s a stark reminder that it’s not only in Qatar where the sands of time have already run out for far too many construction workers already.
