EVENT NEWS
PRACTICAL INSIGHTS INTO RISK REDUCTION AND IMPROVING EMPLOYEE WELLBEING WERE DELIVERED BY EXPERT SPEAKERS AT THE EVENT HELD IN ANTRIM ON JUNE 18…
BuildHealth Annual Conference 2026
Sustainable Health – Building Health that Lasts was the theme of this year’s BuildHealth Annual Conference, held in the Dunsilly Hotel, Antrim on June 18. Welcoming full attendance from industry representatives and stakeholders, the conference focused on occupational health challenges facing the construction
improving employee wellbeing through a programme of expert speakers. BuildHealth Chair Jane Dunbar opened the event with a keynote address highlighting the importance of extending the working lives of construction employees by prioritising occupational health. Jane then introduced CITB NI Chief Executive Barry Neilson OBE, who provided a strategic overview of
the industry’s ongoing skills shortage. He emphasised the need to retain and develop existing talent, noting that the construction workforce is expected to grow to almost 72,000 by 2029, creating a significant recruitment challenge. Rachel Mearns, Managing Director and Occupational Health Specialist Nurse at Concept Occupational Health, spoke about developing sustainable health programmes. Drawing on her professional experience, she outlined how organisations can benefit from robust occupational health screening, both legally and ethically. Next, Translink Infrastructure and Projects Division Head of SH&E David Lowry discussed managing fatigue and burnout to support workforce longevity. He shared the challenges faced within the rail industry and offered practical lessons that could be applied across the construction sector. Alzheimer’s Society Services Manager
workforce and provided practical insights into risk reduction and
BuildHealth Committee members - L-R: Nicola McCracken, BuildHealth Administrator, Aisling Murphy, Irwin M&E, David Wallace, Henry Brothers, Jane Dunbar, GRAHAM, and Caroline Hughes, Heron Bros.
72 | NI BUILDER
FOLLOW US ON:
www.nibuilder.co.uk
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online