Aspen to support mental health in construction industry with ‘first of its kind’ London market product

Aspen has launched a construction wellbeing product to help support the mental health of employees working in the UK construction sector.

In a statement released today (14 November 2023), the specialty (re)insurer said the product was the “first of its kind” to be offered within the London market and would support “rising challenges” associated with mental health.

The proposition will do this by offering a range of features designed to provide holistic support to workers.

This includes three e-learning modules that provide guidance on stress awareness, mental health legislation as well as health and wellbeing, while several rehabilitation programmes will be provided.

These programmes will offer mental and physical therapy to aid recovery and overall wellbeing.

A 24-hour confidential helpline will also be available to provide support for workers wanting to discuss issues that can cause stress, anxiety or concern.

The proposition has been developed in partnership with BCarm, a business continuity and risk management specialist, and will be integrated into Aspen’s UK casualty and construction product offerings.

It will be available to both new and existing Aspen insureds and to those policyholders operating in the construction sector via Aspen’s broker partners.

Ryan Cushway, Aspen’s head of UK Liability and DUA, said: “This pioneering offering marks a significant step forward in supporting and promoting wellbeing within the construction sector.

“At Aspen, we are constantly looking for innovative ways to further enhance our products and so we are delighted to be the driving force behind this London market initiative.”

Data

This came after statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that suicides within construction were three times the national industry average between 2021 to 2022.

The figures showed that 507 construction workers died by suicide in 2021, equating to an average of two workers taking their own life every working day.

As part of Aspen and BCarm’s new partnership, the two firms will provide wider support to help policyholders within the construction sector develop their management systems to better identify and report on wellbeing issues in the workplace.

“Statistics highlight how important it is to raise awareness of mental health in the construction industry, not only to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental ill-health, but to promote effective change by educating, upskilling and building confidence amongst employers and their workforce through partnerships and initiatives like construction wellbeing,” Cushway added.

Samaritans can also be contacted for free 24/7 by calling 116123. More details can be found on its website.