Arlington, VA – The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) is launching a new effort to combat the high suicide rates and improve mental health among construction workers.
As part of this effort, it is releasing a series of mental health PSA’s that show all sides of mental health issues in the industry, including those struggling firsthand with addiction and mental illness, those concerned for a co-worker that they believe may be grappling with these issues, and what strong leadership and supporting staff can do for helping people feel comfortable enough to seek help when they need it.
In addition to the videos, the association’s Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Task Force has put together an open forum for productive ideas related to suicide prevention and mental health efforts, and a collection of resources available to all construction firms, free of charge, available online at agc.org/mental-health-suicide-prevention.
The construction industry has the highest rate of suicide at 53.2 per 100,000 U.S. workers. That rate is four times greater than the national average and five times greater than that of all other construction fatalities combined.
“We cannot stand by while a silent epidemic of suicide takes place within our industry,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, AGC of America’s chief executive officer. “We want to reduce the stigma of mental health issues in this industry, let people know it is okay to ask for help and, ultimately, save lives.”
