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Build & Thrive
Build & Thrive is the podcast transforming occupational health and wellbeing in the construction industry. Hosted by Jennie Armstrong, founder of Construction Health & Wellbeing, each episode features inspiring conversations with experts and change-makers dedicated to creating a healthier, happier workforce.
Hear interviews with inspirational individuals and experts who are leading the way in tackling the industry’s toughest challenges, from staggering health statistics to skills shortages and talent retention. Did you know construction workers are nearly 4 times more likely to take their own lives through suicide than workers in other industries? Or that they’re 100 times more likely to die from work-related health issues than safety incidents?
It’s clear we need to do more. Built to Thrive is here to spark change, celebrate innovation, and inspire action for a brighter future in construction.
Join us for real stories, practical advice, and the latest in health and wellbeing strategies for the construction sector. Subscribe now on your favourite podcast platform, and follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube to stay updated. Together, we can make construction a place where everyone can thrive.
Build & Thrive
Beyond safety: Managing health risks the right way with Kevin Bampton
In this episode of Build & Thrive, Jennie Armstrong speaks with Kevin Bampton, Chief Executive of the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS), about one of construction’s most overlooked challenges - protecting workers from ill health caused by work itself.
They explore what occupational hygiene really means, why health has lagged behind safety in the industry, and how prevention-focused design can help create a construction sector that doesn’t just build structures - it sustains people. Kevin explains the role of BOHS in shaping standards, research, and advocacy across the UK, and shares why managing workplace health is both a moral duty and a major business advantage.
What we cover:
- Why safety dominates attention while health risks remain hidden
- How long-term illnesses like respiratory disease, asthma, and vibration injuries develop - and how to prevent them
- The economic cost of poor health management (including a 15% hit to labour costs)
- Why planning for health at design stage changes everything
- How construction can learn from other sectors and countries that treat their workforce like skilled athletes
- The future of occupational hygiene - from policy to practice
Kevin’s message is clear: no one should be made ill by their work. Real progress means moving beyond reactive care and embedding prevention at the heart of every project - because healthy workers build better, safer, and more sustainable futures.
If you’re serious about creating a construction industry that values people as much as projects, this episode is essential listening.
🎧 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2431164 (or search your podcast app)
📺 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEoibJLDuFnnT3qSQw37LKPG6xlyvCj7B
🔹 Thank you to our sponsor, GKR Scaffolding, for supporting this series and helping us share our mission of improving health and wellbeing in construction.
Episode Links:
Jennie Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniearmstrong/
Construction Health & Wellbeing: https://constructionhealth.co.uk/
Kevin Bampton:
- Website: https://www.bohs.org/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-bampton-6b55441a3/ │https://www.linkedin.com/company/bohs/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bohsworld
- X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/BOHSworld
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BOHSworld
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0pTnkODfIHad5s9dpuPrpw
- https://breathefreely.org.uk/
- https://www.bohs.org/app/uploads/2025/07/Mens-Health-Response-BOHS.pdf
GKR Scaffolding (sponsor): https://gkrscaffolding.co.uk/
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