Dial or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline if you or someone you know is going through a mental health crisis.
Birmingham, Alabama. A few years ago, Frank Wampol discovered some concerning facts that led to a somber realization: According to multiple studies, about 5,000 male construction workers commit suicide each year, which is five times the number of deaths from work-related injuries. That is significantly higher than the overall male suicide rate.
Wampol, vice president of safety and health at BL Harbert International, a Birmingham-based construction company with over 10,000 workers, said it would be an understatement to suggest that this is a disaster.
Since then, the organization has given supervisors on the job site mental health first-aid training and given field workers suicide prevention material. The initiatives are a part of a broader movement to address the mental health of construction workers that is spearheaded by the sector and backed by unions, academic institutions, and government organizations.
However, policies for protective eyewear, safety vests, and hard helmets are easier to put into place than actions to address this mental health issue. Additionally, because of the associated expenses, the sector has resisted some of the proposed remedies, such as paid sick leave.
The physical risks of construction labor have long worried safety experts. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Fatal Four hazards are falling, electrocuting, being struck by an object like a brick or a crane boom, and becoming trapped between two objects.
The psychosocial risks associated with building have just recently come to the public’s attention. According to occupational medicine specialist Douglas Trout, who serves as the deputy director of the Office of Construction Safety and Health at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, studies present a dismal image.
Along with high rates of suicide, drug use—particularly of opioids like heroin and fentanyl—is widespread. According to a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, the occupation with the greatest overdose death rate is construction.
According to Trout, among the worst consequences associated with mental health disorders are rates of suicide and overdose mortality. These, regrettably, are the ones that can be measured.
Anxiety and sadness are less quantifiable but equally common among construction workers, and they frequently go misdiagnosed. A preliminary 2024 study by the Center for Construction Research and Training, a division of North America’s Building Trades Unions, found that about half of construction workers have experienced symptoms of both, which is greater than the rate for the overall U.S. population. However, according to federal statistics, less than 5% of construction workers reported seeing a mental health professional, compared to 22% of all U.S. people.
According to Trout, construction workers are especially vulnerable to mental health problems due to a combination of organizational variables and high-hazard conditions. Because of the cyclical nature of the industry, construction is a high-stress work that involves long hours, prolonged absence from friends and family, and little job security.
While some contractors provide workers’ compensation and health insurance, paid sick leave is not a regular practice for mechanics, craft workers, and laborers. Although laws requiring paid sick leave have been adopted in 18 states and Washington, D.C., and federal contractors are required to provide it, many construction workers are exempt from the requirements. Additionally, proponents of the sector are arguing that these regulatory requirements are inappropriate given the cyclical and seasonal nature of construction activity.
According to Nazia Shah, director of safety and health services at the Associated General Contractors of America, the biggest construction trade association in the nation, employees frequently attempt to persevere through injuries and return to work as soon as possible.
Prescription opioids are frequently used by workers to treat pain from injuries. After that, some become dependent and use illegal narcotics. According to Shah, it’s a vicious loop.
According to Wampol, a 20-year veteran of the business who entered the construction industry after retiring from a career as a fireman and paramedic, the consequences can be disastrous if a worker is exhausted, distracted by pain or personal matters, or impaired by drugs of any kind.
Breaking the stigma and normalizing discussions about mental health is the most important step, according to Shah.
According to Shah, the obstacles are especially great in this male-dominated industry, where talking about emotional difficulties is frequently viewed as a sign of weakness and harassment and bullying are prevalent.
A number of groups, such as the Associated Builders and Contractors, have produced brief toolbox talks to go over the warning signs and symptoms of mental health problems, the dangers of using drugs and alcohol as a form of self-medication, and the resources offered by employee assistance programs and health insurance.
Some, like the Missouri Chapter of the AGC, distribute cards, hard-hat stickers, and hope coins, which are tiny tokens of support. In addition to providing information on the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in both Spanish and English, they are all discussion starters.
Regular stand-downs are held by many contractors, during which supervisors stop work at a construction site to conduct on-the-spot training on a particular mental health issue. Others, like BL Harbert, collaborate with nearby health clinics to host lunch-and-learn sessions and host health education fairs.
However, without effort on the ground, even the best policies, procedures, and training materials won’t stay, according to Stanley Wheat, BL Harbert’s on-site safety manager. A PowerPoint presentation is insufficient on its own. You must interact with and get to know your folks.
According to Wheat, a military veteran with more than 20 years of construction experience, it’s critical to visit a job site multiple times a day to get to know the employees and track any behavioral changes.
“You begin to notice that the guy is solitary, sitting by himself at lunch, and not interacting with anyone,” he added.
Wheat understands. His family would never discuss his uncle’s suicide death. Wheat claimed to have attended treatment for his drug and alcohol addictions while serving in the military. He left college to pursue a career in construction.
He said, “I’ve been there.” My knuckles got skinned. I drew back. I was hurt at work.
Wheat makes an effort to engage with employees he believes are struggling. He listens, offers options for assistance, and occasionally shares his own story.
One of the more promising ideas in the fight to address the mental health crisis in the construction industry is peer-to-peer help. According to Trout, employees typically trust one another but frequently don’t want to speak with management or outsiders.
One successful model isMates, a program for mental health and suicide prevention that originated in Australia in 2008. The idea is to train on-site personnel workers, foremen, superintendents to spot and support co-workers in crisis, offer a confidential space to talk, and guide them to help if needed. The volunteers, called connectors, are typically identified by green hard hat stickers. Efforts are underway to bring a formalized Mates program to the U.S., Trout said.
Other, often small and local initiatives are being implemented, too. Some contractors have hired full-time wellness coordinators or bring mental health care providers to construction sites so employees can start appointments immediately. A few companies have put dedicated trailers on their job sites that serve as quiet rooms, with lounge chairs, board games, and video consoles, so workers can take a moment to decompress.
Many contractors also have added naloxone an emergency medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, often known by the brand Narcan to on-site medical kits.
Going forward, as President-elect Donald Trump takes office next week, the industry faces major uncertainties, including possible ripple effects from tariffs, mass deportations, tax cuts, and deregulation.
No matter what comes, Wampol said, the construction industry needs to understand that the investment in mental wellness and suicide prevention programs creates a healthier, more productive workforce and, ultimately, a better bottom line.
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