The 12-metre high fluorescent vest is actually made from 687 regular high-vis vests stitched together – 687 to represent the average number of trade suicides in the UK each year.
The mural has been created to mark Mental Health Awareness Week (15th-21st May) by online hardware retailers IronmongeryDirect and ElectricalDirect.
Throughout the week, the banner is being displayed at the Galliford Try construction site on Goslett Yard, just off Charing Cross Road in London.
The display was unveiled alongside IronmongeryDirect and ElectricalDirect’s annual Mental Health in the Trades report, which found that 84% of UK tradespeople experience some form of mental health issues due to work-related issues.
Emma Mamo, head of workspace wellbeing at mental health charity Mind, said: “In male-dominated industries such as construction, employees are often less willing and able to open up about their mental health and ask for support. This can be problematic because mental health problems often become worse if left untreated, and the consequences can be fatal.
“We urge employers to create cultures where employees can speak openly and honestly about their mental health.”
Dominick Sandford, managing director at IronmongeryDirect and ElectricalDirect, said: "By bringing this issue to the forefront of people’s minds, we hope to encourage more open conversations around mental health and continue our efforts to support those who may be struggling."
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