Workstream 4: Health, safety and wellbeing

Good health and safety practices are critical to a successful construction industry. This workstream aims to achieve a better health and safety culture in the sector and is being delivered by CHASNZ under an Accord funding agreement. CHASNZ will deliver a new leadership framework, a pre-qualification framework and a new Health and Safety by Design initiative.

Achievements and activities in this workstream include:

• Support for Mates in Construction Suicide Prevention Programme
• Tōtika(external link) health and safety pre-qualification scheme launched with CHASNZ. As of
• 1 December 2021 there were 34 clients and 1063 contractors engaged. Tōtika has also been
• updated for COVID-19 vaccination certifications.
• Client Leadership Framework Tool(external link) in place to assist construction clients review their own organisations and identify areas for potential future improvement. Interactive webinars are planned for 2022.
• Produced Construction Leading Health, Safety and Well-being Indicators to assist businesses create meaningful suites of measures for their workplaces.

The Accord and MATES in Construction

During 2020 and 2021 the Accord funded MATES in Construction (MATES), the construction sector suicide prevention organisation. The Accord supported MATES to expand its mental health support programmes to reach more sites.

In October 2021 Mates released new research showing that construction workers are more than twice as likely to die by suicide than the rest of the workforce. MATES says the research indicates that construction suicide may have been undercounted in the past (because relevant occupational categories were excluded) and the research will assist targeting of support. It was funded by BRANZ and carried out by Otago University. 

MATES releases new research(external link) — MATES in Construction