The representative body for the UK’s infrastructure sector, the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA), has announced it is to partner with Cancer Research UK and industry charity Mates in Mind to deliver the 2020 ‘Stop. Make a Change’ campaign ‘SMAC-20.’
‘Stop. Make a Change’ is the only campaign of its sort in the UK construction sector, in which sites, offices and production facilities down tools to focus on working together to build a healthier, safer industry. This year the campaign is to run between 10-23 October, to coincide with World Mental Health Day and the European Week for Safety & Health.
SMAC-20 will entail employees from across the industry engage in conversations, focussing on specific topics with relevance to individual health, enabling those working in UK construction to re-engage with their own health, safety and wellbeing, and to ask themselves what needs to be changed, along with how they might go about making that change.
Among the key areas for discussion will be respiratory health; people/plant interface; mental health and workplace stress; and cancer. Other topics to be for discussion include issues regarding access/egress; electrical installations; hand injuries; lifting operations; office safety; slips, trips, & falls; and working at height.
Commenting, CECA Chief Executive Alasdair Reisner said: “Last year, more than 200,000 people took part in Stop. Make a Change, and given the nation’s experience of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has never been a better time to re-engage with our personal health, safety, and wellbeing.
“CECA is proud to support this important initiative, which will drive positive change, encourage conversation, and enable industry to work together to make sure we address the key health, safety and wellbeing risks our industry faces.”
Coral Jones, Head of New Partnerships at Cancer Research UK, commented: “Cancer Research UK is delighted to be involved in this year’s ‘Stop. Make a Change’ campaign.
“In the UK, 4 in 10 cancers could be prevented largely by stopping smoking, drinking less alcohol, being safe in the sun, and keeping a healthy weight. In the construction industry smoking rates, alcohol consumption, and sun exposure are higher than average, which could be putting workers at a higher risk of cancer.
“Through this campaign we are hoping to raise awareness of preventable cancer risk factors and help workers stack the odds in their favour. We are excited to work together with the construction industry to help beat cancer.”
James Rudoni, Managing Director of Mates in Mind, said: “We are proud to once again be a part of the Stop. Make a Change campaign, bringing organisations together in a commitment for positive, long lasting change.
“This year especially, the importance of positive mental health cannot be underestimated. As the entire globe battles with an issue of immense scale and unprecedented human impact, the after effects of COVID on the mental health of individuals is yet to be seen.
“The Stop. Make a change campaign is an opportunity for communities to reach out and start a conversation around mental health. This year, we will be encouraging everyone to talk and connect with one another, while encouraging organisations to reinforce the support systems within their workplaces.”
If companies would like to highlight what they are doing during SMAC-20, they are invited use the social media hashtag #StopMakeAChange.
To register your interest in SMAC-20, please e-mail SMAC-20@ceca.co.uk.
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Notes to Editors
1. The Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) represents over 300 contractors of all sizes, covering approximately 80% of the civil engineering market in Great Britain. Our members build infrastructure that provides the basis for economic sustainability and quality of life in communities across the country.
2. About Cancer Research UK:
- Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research.
- Cancer Research UK’s pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives.
- Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival in the UK double in the last 40 years.
- Today, 2 in 4 people survive their cancer for at least 10 years. Cancer Research UK’s ambition is to accelerate progress so that by 2034, 3 in 4 people will survive their cancer for at least 10 years.
- Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses.
- Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK’s vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.
For further information about Cancer Research UK’s work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1022 or visit www.cancerresearchuk.org. Follow them on Twitter and Facebook.
3. Mates in Mind is a registered charity that works in partnership with the construction industry and leading mental health organisations. It aims to:
- Raise awareness and understanding of mental health and mental ill-health.
- Help people to understand how, when and where to get support.
- Break the silence and stigma through promoting cultures of positive wellbeing throughout the industry.
Mates in Mind recognises that every organisation has its own culture and way of working, so aims to support employers in creating their own approach through support, education, training, awareness-raising materials and a programme of research. For more information click here.
