Mental ill health is a significant cause of suicide and disability worldwide. It has particularly affected the construction industry. The construction labor sectors in Australia and the United Kingdom have suicide rates 2 and 3.7 times higher, respectively, than their overall national averages, which has attracted the attention of researchers and the industry. However, few studies have examined the state of construction workers’ mental health. This paper systematically reviews the existing body of knowledge on mental health in the construction industry. In total, 16 journal articles met inclusion criteria, and 32 risk factors (RFs) were deduced. The foremost RFs were related to job demand and job control. A conceptual framework and checklist to aid in better understanding these RFs were developed. In assessing mental health, the primary tool used was the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale. The findings of this study help to deepen the understanding of professional mental health assessment scales and relevant RFs and protective factors as used in the construction industry. The study concludes that stronger methodologies are needed for studies into RFs and protective factors in the construction industry.

Purpose: The demanding nature of the construction industry poses strain that affects the health of construction personnel. Research shows that mental ill health in this industry is increasing. However, a review mapping the field to determine the extant of research is lacking. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to conduct a scientometric review of mental health (MH) research in the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 145 bibliographic records retrieved from Web of Science and Scopus database were analyzed using CiteSpace, to visualize MH research outputs in the industry. Findings: Top co-cited authors are Helen Lingard, Mei-yung Leung, Paul Bowen, Julitta S. Boschman, Peter E.D. Love, Martin Loosemore and Linda Goldenhar. Previous studies focused on healthy eating, work efficiency, occupational stress and workplace injury. Emerging research areas are centered around physiological health monitoring, work ability, and smart interventions to prevent and manage poor MH. Research limitations/implications: Result is influenced by the citations in retrieved articles. Practical implications: The study found that researchers in the construction industry have intensified efforts to leverage information technology in improving the health, well-being, and safety of construction personnel. Future research should focus on developing workplace interventions that incorporate organizational justice and flexible work systems. There is also a need to develop psychological self-reporting scales specific to the industry. Originality/value: This study enhances the understanding of researchers on existing collaboration networks and future research directions. It provides information on foundational documents and authors whose works should be consulted when researching into this field.

Increasing rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide in the construction industry have drawn the attention of researchers to consider mental health as an integral part of health and safety. However, prior research has focused mainly on determining the sources of work stress, with a paucity of studies related to measures to improve mental health. This study aims to fill this gap by evaluating the mix of measures within an integrated approach that can be adopted to promote good mental health. Surveys were collected from 62 construction experts based in 4 countries. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, structural equation modeling (SEM), and a post-survey interview. SEM showed that secondary intervention measures such as those focused on healthy coping and individual resilience do not necessarily mitigate mental health stressors; it also signals the importance of including primary intervention measures in a workplace mental health intervention. These findings highlight intervention measures that could be implemented to create a psychologically healthy workplace. These measures can guide policy-making to boost job satisfaction, mental health, safety, and performance. Furthermore, these results provide a compass for building construction organizations to determine which measures are yet to be implemented in their workplaces and need to be explored.

Industry 5.0 is expected to solve the issue of job insecurity and reluctance to adopt emerging technologies in Industry 4.0 through increased workforce participation. To achieve that, proactive training should be afforded to enable the workforce to co-work with new technologies. Drones are an emerging technology increasingly adopted in construction, which has enormous data collection and safety implications when operational skills are inadequate. Yet, current drone training programs appear to be generic, and their ability to equip operators for flying tasks is questioned. This study aims to answer this question by assessing the adequacy of existing drone training programs and proposing training needs and strategies for drone operators in the construction industry. Data collected using semi-structured interviews from 22 purposively selected respondents in Hong Kong and desk research of websites were subjected to inductive content and thematic analysis using MAXQDA Analytics Pro 2022 software and narrative review. It was deduced that drone training courses in Hong Kong were mostly generic (UAS Pilot Training—Level 1, FPV operation). Interviewees considered existing drone training/training courses as inadequate for four reasons, including “lack of context-fitting considerations”, “incompetence of drone operators”, and “lack of demand/interest”. Regarding the need for specialized drone training courses, two barriers and two training ecosystem themes emerged, with the high cost of specialized courses being a potential barrier to adoption since they could hamper enrolment. The training ecosystem themes were consistent with the “the training is inadequate” theme. This study proposes two drone operation training strategies: “competence-based training” and a “train-the-trainer” model. Drone training courses or programs under each training strategy should include (i) training content such as “safety training” and off-GPS training and (ii) knowledge and skill maintenance measures such as mandatory continuous professional development and retraining techniques. The proposed training strategies will equip operators to work efficiently and safely with drones. The study offers valuable references for training organizations and government authorities.

Employees’ mental health and well-being are a growing concern as countries grapple with heightened mental ill-health and suicide rates, with the construction industry ranking in the top five. Drawing from the context of a developing country, particularly Nigeria, data were collected using mixed methods (i.e., survey and postsurvey interview). The study investigated mental health among 382 construction personnel. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-2) scales were employed in assessing mental health. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. The prevalence rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation were 55.1%, 16%, 9.8% among supervisors, 72%, 36.9%, and 15.3%, respectively, among tradesmen. Univariate logistic regression revealed that years of experience and organizational structure influence mental health. Multiple logistic regression showed that risk factors for mental ill-health include nature of work, little relationship with colleagues, job insecurity, occupational injury, low income, and unsatisfactory living conditions. The findings from this study will assist in intervention building and policy-making within the construction industry of Nigeria and globally.