September 5-9 was Construction Suicide Prevention Week. Even though it has passed for 2022, it is never too late to talk about how we can save lives together. A suicide occurs every 12 minutes in the United States. These tragedies touch every industry, but one in particular has felt the impact in recent years – the suicide rate for construction workers is the second highest of all industries. The suicide rate is a higher cause of death in construction than even the “Fatal Four” – falls, struck by, caught in between, and electrocution. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed that 53.3 out of every 100,000 construction workers falls to suicide. Working in the building and construction industry is a challenging career – high productivity coupled with demands to meet deadlines can be dangerous if strict safety guidelines are not followed. Because of this, anxiety is high and can lead to depression. In addition to this, there are multiple factors that are likely to contribute to higher suicide rates and mental health concerns, including:

• Male dominated industry (men are more likely to commit suicide than women)
• Toughness and strength are valued, thus seeking help may be seen as a “weakness”
• Stigma and fear of consequences of seeking help
• Chronic pain
• Seasonal and cyclical work
• High stress and deadline driven work
• Long work hours
• Separation from family

It is important to know that you are not alone. It is courageous to reach out, and suicide is preventable. We have a shared responsibility to prevent it!

GET HELP NOW

If you are thinking about suicide or are in need of help, here are some free resources that provide confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
• Crisis Text Line – Text HELLO to 741741