Construction industry highly vulnerable to prostate cancer due to high number of male workers

Prostate cancer is now the most common cancer in the UK and one in eight men will be diagnosed with the disease during their lifetime. The risk of developing it increases with age and is double for Black men. Currently more than 80% of the UK’s construction workforce is male, with over a third being over the age of 50, meaning the sector is a key audience when it comes to raising awareness of the key risk factors that can affect men, the free and simple testing men at risk can ask for, and where men dealing with a diagnosis can go for support and advice.

CIOB President, Paul Gandy sadly lost his own father, an uncle and an industry colleague to prostate cancer. He strongly believes the construction sector has a responsibility to its workforce to make them aware of how simple it is to get tested.  He said: “With such a high proportion of built environment workers being male, it makes our sector more vulnerable to prostate cancer than most others so it’s important everyone understands the risks, the symptoms and how to get tested. Health must never be a taboo subject, but in our industry it often is, and this is something we want to overcome by working with Prostate Cancer UK to get the message far and wide. Construction is about building strong foundations that last and looking after our health is part of that work too.”

To help men understand their own risk of the disease, Prostate Cancer UK has created a free and confidential online risk checker that takes just thirty seconds to complete and has been used by over 4 million men to date. It asks a small number of straightforward questions and provides guidance about risk and what to do next. CIOB is encouraging male workers across the construction industry to go online to find out their risk, and what to do next if they are at higher risk.

Gandy added: “If you’re a man working in construction, I would strongly encourage you to use the checker. And for everyone, male and female, who manage teams or work alongside others, encourage them to do the same and ensure there’s flexibility around time off to get tested. Starting a conversation about prostate cancer might be the moment that helps a man discover his risk and take action. Taking just thirty seconds now could change the course of a life, perhaps even your own.”

For those deemed to be at higher risk, the first test for signs of prostate cancer is a blood test called the prostate specific antigen, or PSA, blood test. It’s a safe and effective way of working out if more tests are needed and can be requested for free from a GP of healthcare professional. There is currently no national screening programme for prostate cancer in the UK, unlike some other cancers, so it’s vital men know if they are at higher risk- as a result of being over 50, or being over 45 if they are Black or have a family history of the disease- and proactively speak to their GP about the option of a PSA blood test.