Mental Health Awareness Week

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A MESSAGE FROM CPI THIS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK

The coronavirus pandemic is proving to be a difficult time for us all, with someone we know or even ourselves finding we’re trying to do all we can to fight a battle we have never been faced with before.

This year’s Mental Health Awareness Week seems all the more significant; arriving at a time when many of us with or without previous mental health concerns are struggling. We’ve seen some of the strongest government enforcements in peacetime. The population has been asked to do things it’s never done before, for their own safety. It is, therefore, completely understandable that our mental health would have been impacted in some way.

Mental health in construction

In the construction industry, it is safe to say mental health has long been something of a taboo subject. Although the industry is welcoming gender diversity, the ‘strong and tough’ male stereotype still prevails to a degree. Men in particular are portrayed to be as tough as the boots they wear; as impenetrable and strong as the materials they work with. Although a real fit with old-school comic strips, these representations can prove to be a problem when translated to warm-blooded humans.

Statistics put these problematic stereotypes into sharp focus. According to a 2017 survey, 73% of construction workers felt their employers did not recognise the early signs of mental health. It seems contrived perceptions of masculinity can often distort a very different reality.  

Spotting the signs

Although symptoms can vary from one person to the other, there are signs which people can look out for. For instance, if you’re noticing a fellow colleague under stress or strain, be sure to keep an eye out for: unexplained absenteeism, detachment from peers, lack of self-confidence and decreased problem-solving ability. A combination of these factors might be present; alternatively, one or two might exist in isolation. Either way, recognising these signs earlier on may prevent a small issue from manifesting into a huge problem.  

An extra burden

The COVID-19 contagion is, undoubtedly, another unwanted pressure on the minds of many. All of us are preoccupied with how we can keep each other, our loved ones and communities safe.

It is why CPI EuroMix has decided to run a Mental Health Awareness scheme which is designed to bring kindness into your life at a time of great uncertainty. Each day, we intend to share with you some thoughts and ideas as to how you might consider adopting kindness into your life. Some ideas might sit well with you, others less so. But, we hope that throughout the week there will be opportunities and ideas for everyone to consider how to bring some kindness into your life:

• Monday: Friends and family
• Tuesday: Home
• Wednesday: Community
• Thursday: Work
• Friday: Yourself

At CPI EuroMix, we are aiming to overturn the negative view of mental illness and open-up discussion about its causes, symptoms and diagnoses. In our opinion, the construction industry should approach the welfare of its members with the same precision applied to a high-profile building or engineering project, which means paying as much attention to the interior, as well as the exterior details. Shifting awareness onto mental health seems even more important when the majority of us are either shut indoors, unwell, or struggling with the prospect of returning to work safely. CPI EuroMix wants to wish everyone the very best of mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic, and is here to pass on positivity to all. Stay safe, and alert.

For further information on the range of products available from CPI EuroMix, visit www.euromix.com

ENDS

For further information, please contact Amelia Spence at Fabrick:

Telephone:   01622 754295

Mobile:         07496 661464

Email:           amelia.spence@wearefabrick.com

Notes to editors

CPI Mortars is the market leader in dry mortar technology and has established a solid track record with many of the leading house builders, contractors, architects and consultants.

EuroMix is a range of mortars, renders and screeds, factory produced using dried sand, cement, lime if required, and other additives, delivered to site in a silo complete with mixing equipment. When delivered, the silo contains 16 tonnes of dry material, which produces about 10m³ of mortar. It can hold up to 35 tonnes when refilled by tanker.

Once power and water supplies are connected, a constant supply of high quality mortar or render is available at the push of a button.

Operating from nine sites throughout the UK the company provides a productive, efficient and cost effective solution to all construction site mortar and render requirements and the company’s distinctive red and white EuroMix silos have become a familiar feature on many building sites throughout the country.