Site Policy & Management · Mandatory · Pre-Construction

Work-Related Stress Risk Assessment

A risk assessment for work-related stress using the HSE Management Standards framework covering six domains: demands, control, support, relationships, role, and change. Addresses construction-specific stressors including programme pressure, long hours, isolation, and financial insecurity. Construction has the highest suicide rate of any UK industry. Includes provisions for Mental Health First Aiders and EAP access.

Last reviewed: 29 March 2026 — This guide reflects UK law as of this date. MHSWR 1999 / HSWA 1974 remains current with no amendments enacted as of 29 March 2026. Next scheduled review: 29 March 2027.

Legal basis	Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 + HSWA 1974
Industry context	Construction has the highest suicide rate of any UK industry
Key statistic	Male construction workers are 3.7x more likely to die by suicide than the male national average
HSE framework	HSE Management Standards — 6 domains: Demands, Control, Support, Relationships, Role, Change
Legal duty	Employers must assess and manage work-related stress as they would any other workplace hazard
Enforcing authority	Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

1. Work-Related Stress — Construction's Silent Crisis

Behind the statistics are real people. Site managers working 70-hour weeks under relentless programme pressure. Self-employed subcontractors with no sick pay, no holiday pay, and no financial safety net. Workers isolated on remote sites hundreds of miles from home, living in temporary accommodation, separated from family and support networks. Young apprentices navigating a culture that has historically discouraged vulnerability. The construction industry loses more people to suicide than to falls from height, and the scale of the crisis demands that employers treat work-related stress with the same rigour as any physical hazard.

The legal duty is clear. Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers must carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to health and safety of their employees — and this includes the risk of work-related stress. HSWA 1974 requires employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees. Mental health is health. The HSE Management Standards provide a practical framework for assessing and managing the six key domains of work-related stress.

Appoint Mental Health First Aiders on site

Appoint Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAs) on site — construction-specific training is available from MHFA England and the Lighthouse Club. MHFAs are trained to recognise the signs of mental ill-health, provide initial support, and guide individuals to appropriate professional help. Their presence on site normalises conversations about mental health and creates a visible point of contact for workers who are struggling.

2. HSE Management Standards — The Six Domains

The HSE Management Standards define six domains of work design that, if not properly managed, are associated with poor health, lower productivity, and increased sickness absence. The risk assessment should evaluate each domain against the specific conditions found on construction projects.

Domain	Description	Construction-specific considerations
Demands	Workload, work patterns, and work environment	Long working hours, weekend working, physical demands, programme pressure, adverse weather conditions, production targets
Control	How much say the person has in the way they do their work	Limited autonomy for operatives, piecework pressure, rigid programme constraints, changes imposed without consultation
Support	Encouragement, sponsorship and resources provided by the organisation and colleagues	Working away from home, limited access to HR or welfare support, self-employment status removing employer support obligations
Relationships	Promoting positive working and avoiding conflict and bullying	Aggressive management culture, bullying, harassment, competitive subcontractor relationships, language barriers in diverse workforce
Role	Whether people understand their role and whether the organisation ensures they do not have conflicting roles	Unclear reporting lines across multiple subcontractors, role ambiguity on complex projects, dual responsibilities (e.g. working foreman)
Change	How organisational change is managed and communicated	Job insecurity, project-based employment, redundancy at project end, frequent site transfers, changes to working patterns at short notice

Field	Detail
High-risk groups	Site managers, self-employed workers, workers living away from home, young workers, workers returning from injury or illness, workers facing redundancy
Controls summary	Reasonable working hours, adequate rest breaks, access to mental health support, MHFA provision, anti-bullying policy, clear communication of changes, return-to-work support, signposting to external helplines
Review date	At least annually, or following any significant change in working conditions, organisational structure, or following a stress-related incident
Assessor	Named competent person who carried out or coordinated the stress risk assessment

3. Common Mistakes

Treating the assessment as a paper exercise without action

A stress risk assessment that identifies risks but results in no meaningful action is worse than no assessment at all — it demonstrates that the employer was aware of the risks and chose not to act. The assessment must lead to an action plan with specific, measurable controls, assigned responsibilities, and review dates. Actions might include reducing excessive working hours, providing mental health training for managers, appointing MHFAs, or improving communication about job security and project changes.

Not including construction-specific stressors

Generic office-based stress risk assessments do not capture the unique stressors of construction work. The assessment must address construction-specific factors including long and unpredictable working hours, working away from home, physical demands, weather exposure, job insecurity, self-employment pressures, aggressive site culture, and the particular vulnerability of workers who are isolated, young, or returning from injury. Without these construction-specific factors, the assessment fails to identify the real risks.

4. Frequently Asked Questions

Where can construction workers get mental health support?▾

Several organisations provide free, confidential support specifically for construction workers. The Lighthouse Club Construction Industry Helpline is available on 0345 605 1956 and provides emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing support. MATES in Mind works across the construction sector to improve mental health awareness and provide training. The Samaritans are available 24/7 on 116 123 for anyone who needs to talk. CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) provides support on 0800 58 58 58. These numbers should be displayed prominently on site welfare notice boards.

Is a stress risk assessment a legal requirement?▾

Yes. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of their employees — and work-related stress is a recognised health risk. The HSE has issued enforcement notices and prosecuted employers who have failed to manage work-related stress. The HSE Management Standards provide the recognised framework for carrying out the assessment.

How does self-employment affect stress risk assessment duties?▾

Self-employed workers are not employees, so the employer's duty to assess their stress risks is more limited. However, under HSWA 1974, duty holders must ensure that their activities do not expose others to risks to their health — and this includes self-employed people working on their sites. Principal contractors should consider self-employed workers in their site-wide stress risk assessment, particularly as self-employed workers often face additional stressors including financial insecurity, lack of sick pay, and absence of employer support structures.

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