The construction industry has made significant progress in safety over the past few decades. However, as the sector continues to evolve, a deeper conversation is emerging around the relationship between health, safety, wellbeing and leadership.
In a recent episode of the Build & Thrive podcast, host Stuart Mace speaks with Keith Prince, Head of Health, Safety and Wellbeing for Site Delivery at Sizewell C. Their discussion explores how the industry must shift its thinking-from rule-driven safety compliance to a more human-centred, wellbeing-focused approach to risk management.
This blog summarises the key themes from the conversation. If you enjoy the insights here, the full podcast and video episode are well worth watching or listening to for a richer and more detailed discussion.
From Civil Engineer to Health and Safety Leader
Keith Prince’s journey into health and safety did not follow a conventional route. Originally trained as a civil engineer, his early career included working on major infrastructure projects such as Heathrow Terminal 5.
Reflecting on that period, he explains how the experience helped shape his perspective on collaboration and risk management in large, complex environments.
“Terminal 5 was the first time we started to explore some of the concepts that we have today – enterprise models, alliance models and more intelligent ways of managing risk.” – Keith Prince
Over time, Keith found himself naturally drawn towards health and safety leadership. His engineering background allowed him to approach risk not as a barrier, but as a problem that could be solved with practical thinking.
Rather than seeing safety professionals as enforcers, he believes the role should be about enabling work to happen safely.
“Health and safety isn’t about stopping people doing things. It’s about enabling people to do work safely and confidently.”
This philosophy underpins much of his thinking today.
Moving Beyond the “Clipboard Warrior” Era
One of the themes explored early in the conversation is how the culture of health and safety has changed over time.
Historically, safety in construction was often associated with strict rules, inspections and enforcement. While those elements still matter, the industry has gradually shifted towards more behavioural and collaborative approaches.
Keith describes this change clearly.
“When I grew up as an engineer in the 1990s, health and safety was about rules and regulations. There were a lot of ‘clipboard warriors’ who were seen as barriers to work.”
Today, the profession is increasingly focused on supporting teams to manage risk intelligently, rather than simply policing compliance.
This shift is particularly important on large projects, where complex coordination between multiple organisations and thousands of workers requires a more collaborative approach.
Why Wellbeing Is Now Central to Safety
One of the most powerful insights from the episode is the connection between wellbeing and safety performance.
Keith argues that organisations can no longer treat wellbeing as an optional extra or a “bolt-on” initiative.
“If you don’t grasp the fact that by doing good wellbeing you’re going to get better safety, you’re kind of not in the right place yet.”
The reasoning behind this is simple: people perform better when they are physically and mentally well.
Fatigue, stress, poor sleep and personal pressures all increase the likelihood of mistakes on site.
Keith illustrates this with an example from earlier in his career, when a worker made an error after a long and exhausting commute.
“When we looked into it, he had flown from Ireland that morning to get to London and ended up slinging a load at 11am. When people are tired or under pressure, mistakes happen.”
The lesson is clear: safety outcomes are closely linked to how people feel and function.
Creating an Environment Where People Can Perform
According to Keith, improving safety starts with creating the right conditions for workers to succeed.
This includes seemingly simple things such as good facilities, rest, nutrition and respect.
“Unless people are ready – unless they’ve slept well, eaten well and feel respected – they’re not going to perform.”
The construction industry is increasingly recognising that these factors are not peripheral to safety-they are fundamental to it.
Wellbeing initiatives therefore need to focus not just on awareness campaigns but on the everyday experience of workers on site.
Attracting the Workforce of the Future
The conversation also touches on one of construction’s biggest long-term challenges: attracting and retaining talent.
Large projects like Sizewell C will require thousands of workers, often in locations that are not traditional construction hubs.
This means organisations must offer an environment that people genuinely want to work in.
Keith explains that investment in worker facilities and culture is not simply a nice-to-have-it is essential for recruitment.
“We want people going to the pub at the weekend and saying: ‘I’m working on this project and it’s great – they really look after you.’”
Facilities such as high-quality welfare areas, gyms and community spaces are therefore becoming increasingly common on major projects.
Beyond comfort, these investments also improve focus and engagement when workers are dealing with high-risk tasks.
Listening to the People Doing the Work
Another key theme from the episode is the importance of involving workers in planning and decision-making.
Historically, safety plans were often developed in offices and then presented to workers as instructions.
Keith believes that approach misses a huge opportunity.
He recalls a moment from earlier in his career that fundamentally shaped his thinking. During a retirement speech, a long-serving carpenter made a remark that stayed with him.
“You’ve paid me for my skills and for my trade and for my hands… but you could have had my mind for free.”
That comment highlights the value of engaging the people who actually carry out the work.
When workers help shape plans and solutions:
- compliance increases
- innovation improves
- trust grows across the team.
It also reinforces the idea that everyone involved in a project has a voice.
The Role of Leadership in Cultural Change
For these ideas to succeed, leadership plays a crucial role.
The industry is gradually moving away from traditional top-down leadership models toward approaches based on humility, curiosity and inclusion.
Keith describes how leaders today must learn to ask better questions rather than assume they already have the answers.
“Leaders don’t need to know everything. They need to ask better questions.”
This change can be challenging for leaders who built their careers under more hierarchical systems. However, it is increasingly necessary in a modern construction environment.
Creating a culture where people feel comfortable speaking up, sharing ideas and highlighting risks is essential for both safety and performance.
The Health Challenge Construction Still Faces
Despite improvements in safety, the industry still faces significant challenges around occupational health.
Keith argues that construction has not yet fully addressed the scale of health risks affecting workers.
“We haven’t really started our journey yet when it comes to occupational health risk.”
Issues such as:
- respiratory diseases
- musculoskeletal injuries
- skin conditions
- hearing loss
- mental health challenges
continue to affect large numbers of workers across the sector.
While awareness campaigns have increased, Keith believes the industry must now focus on addressing root causes.
“I’m a bit sick of mental health awareness campaigns. We need to fix the fundamentals that feed those issues.”
This includes looking at working conditions, job security, shift patterns and long-term health risks created by materials and processes.
Designing Health Risks Out of Construction
A particularly important idea discussed in the episode is the concept of health by design.
Just as safety hazards can be engineered out of projects, many health risks can also be reduced through better design and specification.
For example, certain processes that generate harmful dust or vibration could potentially be eliminated through alternative materials, equipment or methods.
Keith believes the industry must become more proactive in challenging these risks.
“There are things that should simply be unacceptable today. We need to move the dial on what we design, specify and allow into our projects.”
This requires collaboration between designers, contractors, suppliers and clients.
Key Takeaways from the Episode
The conversation highlights several important lessons for the construction industry:
- Wellbeing drives safety performance
- Safety professionals should enable work, not block it
- Worker involvement improves outcomes
- Leadership culture matters
- Occupational health requires greater attention
- Designing out health risks is the next frontier
Listen or watch the full episode of Build & Thrive to hear the complete conversation with Keith Prince and host Stuart Mace.
🎧 https://www.buzzsprout.com/2431164
📺 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEoibJLDuFnnT3qSQw37LKPG6xlyvCj7B
Join the Conversation!
Do you have experiences or thoughts on addiction and recovery in construction?
Drop a comment below or share this post to help break the stigma. Together, we can make wellbeing part of the culture – not just the policy.
Thank you to GKR Scaffolding for sponsoring the Build & Thrive podcast and supporting our mission to improve health and wellbeing across the construction industry.
At Construction Health & Wellbeing, we help organisations create healthier, happier, and more sustainable workplaces.
Contact us today to learn how we can support your strategy.
Learn more about the people and organisations mentioned in this episode:
Stuart Mace: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuartmace/
Construction Health & Wellbeing: https://constructionhealth.co.uk/
GKR Scaffolding (sponsor): https://gkrscaffolding.co.uk/
Keith Prince:
Sizewell C:
- Website: https://www.sizewellc.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sizewellc
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sizewellc/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sizewellc/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sizewellc
- X: https://x.com/sizewellc
