TACKLING MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

By: Cal Beyer & Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas

Workers in the construction and extraction industries have a 53.3 per 100,000 rate of suicide, which is second only to workers in the farming, fishing and forest occupational group (84.5 per 100,000), according to statistics released from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on July 1.  Mental health and suicide prevention have been called a “management imperative,” a “missing link” in human capital risk management, and a “vital element” in a company’s safety, wellness and employee benefits program. Yet historically, the construction industry has been characterized by a stoic, tough-guy culture that keeps personal matters out of the workplace.  After generations of this old school mentality, the times are changing as progressive contractors weave mental health and suicide prevention into a dominant “new school” culture.  Following are the stories of two construction employers that are leading the movement. Read more...

SUICIDE PREVENTION: A HEALTH AND SAFETY PRIORITY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

By: Cal Beyer & Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas

When the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released its milestone report on occupation and suicide earlier this month, many construction industry leaders took notice.

For the first time, researchers were able to rank industries by highest rates and the largest numbers of deaths by suicide across 17 states. Construction was ranked number two for highest rates of suicide and number one for highest numbers. 

WHY IS THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY SUICIDE RATE SO HIGH?

Two reasons for the high suicide rate are the workforce and the nature of the work.  Read more...

WHY CONSTRUCTION LEADERS MUST ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE PREVENTION

By: Cal Beyer & Dr. Sally Spencer-Thomas

Suicide rates have climbed to a 30-year high, with almost 43,000 cases reported in 2015. Construction has long been recognized as a high-risk industry for suicide. There are industry and demographic risk factors that intersect to make the construction workforce a vulnerable at-risk group.

To help mitigate this risk, organizations including the Carson. J. Spencer Foundation and National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention developed the Construction Industry Blueprint for Suicide Prevention in the Workplace. Following is how FNF, Inc., a Tempe, Ariz.-based heavy/highway contractor, is using the blueprint to manage mental health and the risk of suicide in construction.  Read more...

SUICIDE PREVENTION IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

By: Marla McIntyre

According to A Construction Industry Blueprint: Suicide Prevention in the Workplace, the construction industry is in the top nine occupations at risk of suicide.

While men in construction have four times the suicide rate than women, women in construction and extraction had the highest suicide rate when compared with other occupations. Read more...