September is National Suicide Prevention Month, an important opportunity to focus on construction suicide prevention and the mental well-being of the people who build our communities.
Construction has one of the highest suicide rates of any industry, making mental health awareness an important part of looking out for one another on the jobsite. OSHA encourages the construction industry to raise awareness, provide resources, and help make conversations about mental health and suicide part of a broader culture of worker safety and well-being.
Throughout September, Skiles Group safety leaders Brian Webster and Andrew Middleton are conducting suicide prevention safety standdowns across our jobsites. These conversations are designed to raise awareness, share resources, and remind our teams and trade partners that help is available.
Talking about suicide can be difficult, but starting the conversation matters. Just as we work together to recognize and address physical hazards on our jobsites, we can look out for one another by recognizing when someone may be struggling and making sure people know where to turn for support.
Construction Suicide Prevention Resources
There are resources available to help construction companies, leaders, workers, families, and friends better understand suicide prevention and how to support someone who may be struggling. OSHA offers construction-specific suicide prevention materials, including resources designed to help normalize these conversations in the workplace.
- https://www.osha.gov/preventingsuicides
- https://constructionsuicideprevention.com/
- https://988lifeline.org/promote-national-suicide-prevention-month/
- https://www.crisistextline.org/
- https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/988
Please join us in helping spread awareness, sharing resources, and supporting the people who build our industry.
