Construction trades workers have been identified as one of the unhealthiest professions in Australia, according to a new study by iSelect.
The study examined how everyday habits and workplace conditions affect long-term health, analysing multiple indicators, including injury rates, psychological distress, work hours, commute times, and general health risk, across different job categories.
Construction trades workers ranked second overall for unhealthy lifestyle behaviours, scoring 78.23 out of 100.
The research found the group faces significant lifestyle risks related to diet, smoking, and alcohol use, highlighting how occupational environments can influence health habits.
According to the data, 25.1 per cent of construction trades workers smoke, while 30.6 per cent have an elevated lifetime alcohol risk.
Only 0.9 per cent meet recommended vegetable intake guidelines — one of the lowest results across all professions. Interestingly, over a third (34.1 per cent) still manage to meet fruit consumption standards.
The study also indicates that limited job flexibility may compound stress and fatigue among these workers.
Fewer than one in five (19 per cent) can work from home, and just over one in five (20.9 per cent) commute more than 30 kilometres to their worksites.
Andres Gutierrez, General Manager – Health at iSelect, said the findings underscore how occupational environments influence well-being.
“The research shows that certain careers, like protective service workers and construction trades workers, carry higher health risks, with factors such as night shifts, physically demanding work, and limited opportunity to work from home contributing to fatigue, stress, and injury,” said Gutierrez.
“This is concerning because prolonged exposure to these working conditions can have lasting effects on physical and mental well-being.”
While construction trades workers performed poorly, only one occupation ranked worse overall — mobile plant operators, who scored highest for health risk exposure.
This category’s results point to low physical activity levels (13.2 per cent), a smoking rate of 41.3 per cent, and elevated alcohol risk (27.5 per cent) as the main factors behind the top ranking.
Other occupations rounding out the top five included automotive and engineering trades workers, machine and stationary plant operators, and construction and mining labourers, reflecting a trend among physically demanding, blue-collar professions.
The “Health Behaviours and Lifestyle Risk” category within the study looks at how day-to-day lifestyle choices — such as physical activity, diet, and substance use — interact with workplace culture and job demands.
According to the report, these habits are often shaped less by the job and more by personal circumstances, social norms, and working environments.
Ultimately, the analysis suggests that while physically intensive jobs can encourage activity, the combination of fatigue, time pressure, and site-based culture may reinforce unhealthy habits among construction employees.
