On this episode of the Build & Thrive podcast, Jennie Armstrong welcomes Nick O’Shea – construction professional, sobriety advocate, and host of the podcast Get Sober With Nick – to speak openly about addiction, culture, and recovery in the construction industry.

It’s a conversation that tackles some of the most uncomfortable but necessary topics in our sector: the prevalence of drugs and alcohol, the gaps in our workplace systems, and the powerful opportunity for change.

🎧 If you’d rather listen or watch the full episode, check it out now on all major podcast platforms and YouTube.

Construction and Addiction: Nick’s Story

Nick has spent 13 years in the construction industry, rising through the ranks from site labourer to site manager. With a long family history in the trade, Nick’s journey into construction felt inevitable. But what also came with that environment was a culture where drinking and partying were the norm.

“I was 18 or 19 when I got into site work,” Nick shares. “I was taken out to fancy bars on the company card. Booze was everywhere – celebrating wins, dealing with losses. You went to the pub if you hit a milestone, if you missed one… the pub was just what you did.”

Nick is open about his identity as someone in recovery: “I class myself as a drug addict and alcoholic. But the problem was never alcohol or drugs – it was me. And I didn’t know how to cope in a high-pressure world.”

Like many in construction, Nick’s issues were compounded by the structure of the industry. Long hours, remote sites, high stress, poor mental health awareness and a macho culture made substance misuse feel normalised.

And crucially, the behaviours were often rewarded.

“I got promoted in the pub,” he says. “I’d be out all night and still turn up. That earned me respect. Nobody talked about how damaging that was.”

Culture and the Cost of Silence

Jennie Armstrong, podcast host and founder of Construction Health & Wellbeing, points out how often we treat addiction reactively rather than proactively. “People are still treated as disposable if they fail a drug test,” she says. “But if someone’s self-medicating because of poor mental health, sacking them isn’t solving the problem.”

Nick agrees, calling out the flawed logic in the current approach. “There’s a real ‘badge of honour’ in our culture around drinking and pushing through. But we’re rewarding burnout, not resilience.”

He also shares a sobering statistic from the Considerate Constructors Scheme:
👉 35% of respondents said they’d seen someone under the influence at work
👉 59% believed substance misuse was a genuine issue in construction

The reality? Those numbers likely underestimate the problem.

Why Awareness Isn’t Enough

While there’s growing recognition of the issue, Nick makes a strong case that awareness is no longer the goal – action is.

“We’re past awareness,” Nick says. “What good is raising awareness if nothing changes? I don’t want people to just hear my story. I want them to ask themselves questions. What’s your relationship with alcohol? Do you know? Have you even asked?”

This personal accountability is something he believes the industry can build into its practices – without waiting for top-down change.

“We tell workers they’re responsible for site safety. But what if we told them they’re also responsible for their mental health? What if that became part of our culture?”

From Addiction to Advocacy: Nick’s Work

Today, Nick runs two wellbeing programmes for construction businesses:

• Through My Lens: A personal storytelling session that sparks real conversation about drug and alcohol use, normalised behaviours, and personal responsibility.

• The Hard Hat Reset: A longer-term behaviour change programme inspired by the 12-step recovery model. It offers practical tools and personal reflection for workers looking to reset their habits – whether related to substances, phone use, burnout, or overworking.

Both programmes aim to break the stigma, empower individuals, and embed wellbeing as a daily practice – not just an annual campaign.

“Organisations run safety training constantly,” Nick notes. “Why not do the same for mental health? For addiction? If you invest in it, you’ll get it back in retention, productivity, and safety.”

Data That Demands Change

Nick shares more data to back the business case for doing better:

💰 According to the Office for National Statistics, alcohol-related sickness alone costs the UK workforce over £7.1 billion a year.

👷 Drug and alcohol misuse are among the top risks impacting construction performance, mental health, and site safety – yet remain underreported.

And perhaps most alarmingly, many workplace drug testing systems aren’t working as intended.

“I used to be tipped off about drug tests and just not show up,” Nick admits. “Or people would protect me because I was good at my job. So the people who really needed help never got it – and just moved to the next site.”

Recovery, Connection & Community

Nick is over two years sober and credits his progress to daily recovery practices. But he’s quick to say that recovery isn’t just for addicts – it’s a model that can help anyone reset their health and choices.

“The same principles that keep me sober can help someone who’s glued to their inbox, who stress-eats, who can’t switch off at night,” he says. “We’re all dealing with something.”

His advice?

✅ Get outside – walk in nature without your phone.
✅ Journal – write what made you feel good, bad, and what you’ll do tomorrow.
✅ Practice gratitude – three things a day.
✅ Build community – join a group, or create one on site.

He also runs a free Thursday Zoom session and WhatsApp community for people questioning their relationship with alcohol or drugs. “You don’t have to be an addict,” he says. “You just have to want a better way.”

What the Industry Can Learn

Jennie and Nick wrap the episode with a shared message: construction needs more than policies. It needs culture change – and that starts with stories like Nick’s.

Nick’s top advice for organisations?

• Stop making every social event a pub night. Offer real alternatives.

• Empower teams to drive wellbeing initiatives, not just HR.

• Train line managers to spot red flags and respond supportively.

• Re-think drug and alcohol testing as part of a wellbeing framework—not a disciplinary tool.

• Invest in people before the crisis hits.

“If I had one message,” says Nick, “it’s that recovery is possible. Change is possible. But we’ve got to make it part of the job – not something we whisper about.”

If you’re in construction and want to start the conversation about addiction, wellbeing, or behaviour change – this episode is essential listening.

🎙 Watch or listen to the full podcast with Nick O’Shea on Build & Thrive, available now on YouTube, Spotify, and all major platforms.

For more information about Nick’s programmes or free community support, visit: @getsoberwithnick on Instagram or Nick O’Shea on LinkedIn.

 

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts or watch the full episode on YouTube.

🎧 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2431164 (or search your podcast app)

📺 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEoibJLDuFnnT3qSQw37LKPG6xlyvCj7B 

The more we talk about it, the closer we get to real change. Let’s make mental health a priority in construction.

Join the Conversation!

Do you have experiences or thoughts on mental health in construction? Drop a comment below or share this post to help break the stigma.

Together, we can build a stronger, safer, and healthier construction industry.

And finally, a huge thank you to GKR Scaffolding for sponsoring the first series of the Build & Thrive podcast, we highly appreciate your support!

At Construction Health & Wellbeing, we’re here to help businesses like yours prioritise health and wellbeing. Contact us today to learn how we can support your journey.

Learn more about the people and businesses mentioned in this blog:

Jennie Armstrong: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniearmstrong/ 

Construction Health & Wellbeing: https://constructionhealth.co.uk/ 

Nick o’Shea:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-o%E2%80%99shea-2146541bb/ 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/getsoberwithnick/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@G_S_W_N
• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7liv2xGkqO2ETZjs1jPsLV?si=0f5815609d464a8e 

GKR Scaffolding (sponsor): https://gkrscaffolding.co.uk/