Construction industry CEOs are launching efforts to prevent worker suicides

A new Construction Industry Chief Executive Advisory Board dedicated to touching on the problem of suicides in the construction industry has recently taken shape.

The council will lead an industry-wide effort to develop solutions to address the high suicide rate among construction workers. This initiative builds on a program Bechtel launched earlier this year.

The initiative, supported by the largest-ever financial donation to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), aims to develop new research-based programs and resources tailored to the needs of the construction industry.

The initiative, led by AFSP’s newly formed Construction Initiatives Team, aims to reach 500,000 U.S. construction workers over the next five years through industry programs and resources to increase awareness of mental health support and prevention suicides.

Earlier this year, Bechtel launched a mental health first aid training program and implemented mental health action plans across all projects. Recently, almost 15,000 employees involved in 50 projects in 11 countries took part in a speech and a minute of silence to discuss the issue.