Construction workers typically carry the image of a strong, rugged individual that works with their hands and possess little to no sense of emotion. However. a study performed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) suggests differently, stating that the suicide rate among male construction workers is 75 percent higher compared to the rate of men in the general population. An estimated 6,000 workers died by suicide during 2022, compared to 1,000 workers that lost their life due to a work-related incident. Brian Turmail, the VP of public affairs for the Associated General Contractors of America said, “When you’re more likely to be killed by your own hands than to get killed in a jobsite accident, that’s a crisis in our industry.”
The increase in suicide rates among construction workers in recent years can be attributed to a combination of a surge in new construction projects and a rapidly contracting available workforce. It is common for today’s workers to experience 12–16-hour days for months at a time, which includes traveling away from home, leaving behind family and friends. According to the Semiconductor Industry Association, companies are planning to spend ~$450 billion on semiconductor manufacturing projects led by the Biden administration. With the significant increase in available projects coupled with a strained workforce, workers are taking on more responsibility on an already crammed schedule. The stress of meeting deadlines with a lean workforce, combined with being removed from one’s family for extended periods of time has had an incredibly awful effect on industry workers.
As suicide numbers have only risen over the past few years, there has been an initiative to combat the negative mental health impact that the construction industry has brought upon its workers. Companies have begun to create community style centers on worksites for traveling workers in order to have personal space, attend substance abuse meetings, and to build camaraderie amongst one another. These companies have also begun to include discussions about mental health in regular staff meetings and are offering opportunities to discuss individual mental health with other members of the company.
Discussing mental health, especially within the male population, has historically been taboo. Job sites have begun offering suicide prevention courses, as well as creating positions for mental health coach/peer to be available for those that are struggling. Firms have partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and similar organizations to help employees.
Most individuals do not know where to start when they begin feeling the pressure of work and the depression of being away from loved ones for extended periods of time. Education on the subject and offering avenues for aid has become the focal point of industry leaders in order to protect their workers from the threat of suicide. Just because a construction worker typically manages the “dirty work,” does not mean they are immune to the societal and financial pressures the rest of the world experiences.
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