Rosecrance experts highlight suicide prevention in construction industry

Construction and extraction workers have the highest suicide rate among major occupation groups, underscoring the need for greater attention to mental health and suicide prevention across the industry.

During Suicide Prevention Month, Rosecrance experts are highlighting the role that construction companies, supervisors, and coworkers can play in recognizing when someone may be struggling and in creating workplaces where employees feel comfortable seeking support.

“Suicide prevention starts with creating an environment where people feel comfortable asking for help and where coworkers and supervisors know how to respond when someone may be struggling,” said Traci Kerzich, Clinical Director of Resilience for Rosecrance Therapies. “Building a culture that treats mental health as part of overall health and safety can make it easier for people in the construction industry to reach out before a crisis occurs.”

The construction industry faces several challenges that can affect mental health and well-being, including physically demanding work, workplace injuries, long or irregular hours, job insecurity, financial pressures, and workplace cultures that may discourage workers from discussing emotional or behavioral health concerns. Substance use can also intersect with mental health challenges and may complicate efforts to address them.

Recognizing changes in a coworker’s behavior can be an important first step. Potential signs that someone may be struggling include significant changes in sleep, withdrawal from coworkers or family, loss of interest in activities or responsibilities, increased substance use, expressions of hopelessness or feeling trapped, and noticeable changes in mood or behavior.

Not everyone experiencing suicidal thoughts will show visible warning signs. For that reason, Rosecrance experts encourage construction employers and workers to make mental health conversations more routine and ensure employees know where to turn for confidential support.

“People don’t need to be mental health professionals to make a difference,” said Kerzich. “A supervisor who takes the time to check in, a coworker who notices a change and asks how someone is doing, or an employer that makes resources easy to access can all help create a workplace where people are more likely to seek help.”