Ark Fire Protection has announced a collaboration with leading contractor Bowmer + Kirkland to tackle one of the construction industry’s most pressing issues: mental health and suicide prevention.

Coinciding with World Suicide Prevention Day, Ark Fire Protection rolled out high-visibility jackets across its sites featuring powerful messages such as “Struggling doesn’t make you weak”. The initiative highlights the importance of creating open conversations around mental health and serves as a visual reminder that behind the tools are real people with real struggles.

The construction industry faces a mental health crisis, with statistics showing that men in construction are three times more likely to die by suicide than the national average. Ark Fire Protection and Bowmer + Kirkland are determined to break the silence, reduce stigma, and encourage workers to seek help.

“This campaign is about reminding people that awareness shouldn’t just be for one day a year, it should be every day,” said Howard Hudson, Managing Director at Ark Fire Protection. “By making our sites more open to openness, by asking our mates ‘How are you? … Really?’, and by recognising that mental health is a site safety issue too, we can help create a safer, healthier industry.”

The initiative also supports the Lighthouse Charity, which provides vital emotional, physical, and financial wellbeing support to construction workers and their families.

Ark Fire Protection confirmed that this marks just the first step in its collaboration with Bowmer + Kirkland, with a larger initiative planned for winter 2025. More details will be announced in the coming months.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please remember you are not alone.
📞 Call the Lighthouse Charity Helpline on 0345 605 1956 for free and confidential support.

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