Mental health pack for passive fire protection professionals launched by ASFP

The ASFP’s new pack provides strategies to support well-being and, importantly, encourages businesses to view mental health as a core element of workplace culture, not just an afterthought.

The initiative comes at a critical time. Across the wider construction industry, mental health remains a pressing concern. One of the key aims of the ASFP’s resource is to foster open and stigma-free environments.

In 2019, just 33% of construction workers felt comfortable discussing mental health issues with their colleagues. By 2022, this figure had risen to 53%. The ASFP hopes its new guidance will continue to build on this momentum.

The pack outlines practical measures that employers in the passive fire protection sector can take, including ensuring proper rest facilities, offering Employee Assistance Programmes and providing access to trained mental health First Aiders. It also recommends embedding mental health into toolbox talks, inductions and risk assessments such that the subject is treated with the same priority as physical safety.

Cultural change

Beyond immediate support, the ASFP stresses the need for long-term cultural change. Leadership buy-in is critical, with managers encouraged to model behaviours that normalise conversations about well-being and promote work-life balance.

As Daniel Gibson, chair of the ASFP’s Young Leaders Group, explained: “Supporting mental health in construction isn’t just compassionate. It’s also an investment in long-term success and innovation”.

The pack signposts key organisations such as Mates in Mind, the Lighthouse Club and Building Mental Health, which provide training, helplines and resources specifically tailored to construction sector workers.

Clear message

Adam Shipstone, head of training and a qualified mental health First Aider, observed: “Only collectively can we do something to combat this issue and make people realise that it’s OK not to be OK. I’m so happy to see more and more businesses recognising the need to support mental well-being in the workplace, and I’m even happier to see the ASFP going further in supporting its members.”

By launching this mental health pack, the ASFP is sending a clear message: the well-being of those individuals working in the passive fire protection sector must be protected as carefully as their physical safety. Only by tackling stigma, providing resources and committing to cultural change can the industry ensure a healthier and more sustainable future for its workforce.

*The ASFP’s new mental health guide is available to Association members and accessible through the Member Hub

**Further information is available online at www.asfp.org.uk