September is suicide prevention month. In this edition of Spotlight, we shine a light on this extremely important topic with an emphasis on suicide prevention in the construction industry. According to the Centers for Disease Prevention, construction occupations have the highest rate of suicide, as well as the highest number of suicides across all occupational groups.  The construction industry has a crisis, with suicide rates more than four times the national average.

The Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP) has excellent resources, such as A Construction Industry Blueprint: Suicide Prevention in the Workplace, for prioritizing suicide prevention and normalizing mental health conversations as part of your company’s safety culture. These include a step-by-step guide to integrating suicide prevention into your company, toolbox talks, videos, webinars, a pledge to stand up, and a variety of other resources and tools. By raising awareness at all levels of the company and providing training to identify and support those who may be struggling, everyone can help reduce suicide rates and get help as needed.

Immediate crisis support is available through 988 Suicide & Crises Hotline. Although the 988 hotline was launched in 2005, there is still limited awareness that by dialing 988 individuals can get free and confidential support when in distress. Other hotlines include the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and the Crisis Text Line – Text HELLO to 741741 for free, confidential, 24/7 support.

In addition to September being Suicide Prevention Month, this week is Construction Suicide Prevention week. In recognition, we encourage you to take time to view and share these resources with your company team, as well as with friends and family. Please also see https://constructionsuicideprevention.com/ for additional resources. 

Suicide awareness and prevention information will be available during the Concrete Advancement Foundation’s upcoming Walk for Wellness at NRMCA’s ConcreteWorks. ConcreteWorks will also have an educational session on this important topic. 

The Concrete Advancement Foundation’s goals include workforce education and research. For more information on the Foundation’s work, please visit www.concreteadvancement.org.