Suicide prevention in construction: Webinar looks at what employers can do

Silver Spring, MD — With the construction industry experiencing elevated suicide rates, employers can support workers by “reassuring them that help is available, that mental health is the same as physical health,” an expert on prevention says.

Trisha M. Calabrese, senior vice president of programs at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, spoke during a Sept. 5 webinar hosted by CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training. Calabrese encouraged employers concerned about workers to start by asking to speak with them privately and listening without judgment – “trying to get them to trust in you and being able to then make that connection.”

CPWR reports in a recent Data Bulletin that 5,200 worker suicides were recorded in the construction industry in 2022. That’s 5.3 times more than the number of fatal work-related injuries recorded.

AFSP says multiple work-related factors contribute to suicide in construction. Among them:

• Culture of stoicism, toughness
• Burnout, heavy workload and working long hours
• Chronic physical pain and/or injury
• Opioids and other substance misuse
• Access to lethal means

During the webinar, Jessica Bunting, director of CPWR’s Research to Practice initiative and at-large director of the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention, called on employers to stress the importance of peer support during management and worker training on mental health.

“The more we talk about mental health and the more you prioritize it as a leader within your company, the more people will follow your example,” she said. “The more they will talk about it and prioritize it themselves.”

Leadership training and peer support were among the solutions offered to help employers establish a “culture of care” within workplaces. Others include:

• Set up injury management/return-to-work programs.
• Reduce worker reliance on prescription opioids.
• Share experiences of mental health struggles; invite someone to lunch or post on social media informing others you’re available to talk.
• Offer paid leave and flexible scheduling.