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
A Real-Life Approach to Tackling Silica in Construction with Martin Wilshire
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In this episode of Build and Thrive, Jennie Armstrong is joined by Martin Wilshire, Health, Safety and Wellbeing Director at Multiplex, for a practical and honest conversation about one of construction’s biggest health risks: dust.
This episode goes beyond awareness and looks at what real action can look like in practice. Martin shares his career journey from the Royal Air Force into construction, how his understanding of occupational health developed over time, and why Multiplex decided to take a strong position on silica risk through its Silica 25 campaign.
Together, Jennie and Martin explore the realities of managing dust exposure on site, the challenges around respiratory protection and health surveillance, and why the way the industry is structured still makes long-term health protection harder than it should be. They also touch on psychosocial risk, what the UK can learn from Australia, and why leadership commitment is essential if we want to create healthier, safer places to work.
In this episode, we cover:
Why occupational health can no longer be seen as secondary to safety
- The realities of silica exposure and why Multiplex launched Silica 25
- The dangers of accelerated silicosis and why this issue needs urgent attention
- The importance of using the right respiratory protective equipment
- Why close-fitting masks and facial hair remain such a common issue on site
- Why leadership data and health intervention tours are helping identify the biggest risks
- How innovation, robotics and new technology could help reduce future health risks
This is a really valuable episode for anyone who wants to move from talking about occupational health to actually doing something about it.
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📺 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.
Plan, Do, Check, Act - Assess your systematic approach to Psychosocial Hazard Management with 12 quick questions: https://psychsafety.scoreapp.com
Episode Links:
Jennie Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniearmstrong/
Construction Health & Wellbeing: https://constructionhealth.co.uk/
Martin Wilshire:
Multiplex:
- Website: https://www.multiplex.global/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/multiplexconstruction__au/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/multiplex/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Multiplexconstruction
GKR Scaffolding (sponsor): https://gkrscaffolding.co.uk/
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Email support@constructionhealth.co.uk