Nearly seven in 10 builders have suspected a colleague is seriously depressed yet have felt it was ‘too difficult’ to talk to them about it, a poll has argued.

The survey of 500 construction workers by St John Ambulance found 71% admitted to giving their employer a different reason for taking time off work, such as a physical illness, rather than because of mental ill health.

Nearly four in 10 builders, 39%, said they would rather quit their job than tell someone at work that they were struggling.

The health charity has used the research to launch a new mental health first aid course aimed specifically at the sector.

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It has also created a number of limited-edition ‘Hi Vis Stress Vests’, which it is sharing with construction companies. The back of each jacket features a statement, such as ‘My debt keeps me awake at night’, to express some of the invisible mental distress that many builders don’t feel able to talk about.

The poll found that nearly a third, 31%, described their current state as “struggling”, “overwhelmed” or even “suicidal”. A total of 82% said they had suffered with a mental health challenge at some point in their career in the trade.

Nearly a tenth, 8% had left their job as a result of mental health challenges, while 28% had considered leaving.

More than a fifth, 21%, had taken more than five sick days for the same reason. Nearly half, 48%, said their current levels of stress and anxiety were having a negative impact on their work.

Although nearly two-thirds of respondents, 65%, agreed it was healthier to share struggles about stress, anxiety or depression, nearly half (48%) also worried doing so would cause them to lose the trust and respect of their colleagues because of not just ‘putting on a brave face’.

More than a fifth, 22%, believed opening up about mental ill health would be akin to ‘letting the team down’. A fifth said they would be too embarrassed and 14% worried they would simply be laughed at.

However, more than half, 54%, said they would be more likely to share their problems if they had a trained mental health first aider on site. Six in 10, 60%, said they would like to see their employer do more to support mental health in their workplace.

According to a separate survey of HR directors, also commissioned by St John Ambulance, mental health education is firmly on the business leader agenda.

Nearly all, 90%, of employers agreed that having mental health first aiders in the workplace would reduce absenteeism, with 85% agreeing that it would reduce staff turnover to some extent.

However, 44% admitted they currently allocated less than 6% of their budget to employee mental health and wellbeing.

Lisa Sharman, national head of education and commercial training at St John Ambulance, said: “While the construction industry has made progress in recognising mental health challenges, our research shows there is still a long way to go before the crisis truly eases.

“A key step forward is for HR leaders to invest in proactive initiatives – particularly face-to-face training – that empower employees to speak openly and confidently about their mental health.

“Our findings highlight that organisations integrating mental health first aid into their core training not only foster a healthier, more supportive work environment but also see tangible benefits in employee retention and reduced sickness rates.”

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