Confronting Suicide in the Construction Industry: The Current State of Prevention and Postvention Resources

“There’s fear of shame. We’re going to be judged… The guilt that, ‘I’m not strong enough to deal with that.’” These are the words of Brandon Anderson, a suicide attempt survivor and Vice President of Safety at AGC of Missouri, describing the quiet burden carried by many in construction (Safety+Health, 2023).

In an industry built on strength, resilience, and grit, emotional struggles are often buried beneath hard hats and job site silence. But as suicide rates in construction remain among the highest of any profession, stories like Anderson’s are breaking through a long-standing culture of stoicism—and urging the field to make mental health support as essential as steel-toed boots.

The construction industry is facing a mental health crisis that can no longer be overlooked. Suicide is now a leading cause of death among construction workers, with a rate nearly four times higher than the national average (CDC MMWR, 2021). One estimate suggests that more than 5,000 male construction workers die by suicide each year—five times the number killed by jobsite injuries (KFF Health News, 2024).

  • Demographics and Culture: The workforce is largely middle-aged men—statistically the group at highest risk for suicide. The industry’s culture often promotes stoicism, discouraging emotional vulnerability and creating stigma or fear of help-seeking (ASSP, 2023).
  • Job Stress and Isolation: Long hours, deadlines, work/life balance, job insecurity, remote work, and transient employment are common. These factors contribute to chronic stress and social isolation (NIOSH Science Blog, 2020).
  • Injury and Substance Use: Construction has some of the highest rates of injury-related pain and opioid misuse. The industry also reports the highest drug overdose death rate by occupation (CDC MMWR, 2020).
  • Barriers to Care: While many workers report symptoms of distress, less than 5% have seen a mental health professional—far below the general adult population (KFF Health News, 2024).


Current Suicide Prevention Tools and Resources

In response to these alarming trends, the industry and public health authorities have taken steps to address the issue. Key tools include:

  1. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Available 24/7, the 988 Lifeline is a national crisis response line accessible via phone call and text. It provides support to anyone in emotional distress. Many construction companies promote 988 at job sites, but the service remains a general resource not tailored to industry-specific needs (988 Lifeline, 2024).

  1. Lines for Life

Lines for Life operates a dedicated crisis and support line specifically for the construction industry. Staffed 24/7 by counselors familiar with the unique challenges of construction work, this line offers confidential help for mental health, substance use, job stress, and suicidal thoughts. The service is anonymous, free, and geared toward workers, supervisors, and family members in the construction trades.

  1. CIASP and Awareness Campaigns

The Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP) offers industry-specific training, toolbox talks, and educational materials. Their mission is to make suicide prevention a safety priority across the field (CIASP, 2024). Every September, Construction Suicide Prevention Week brings together companies nationwide to hold mental health-focused toolbox talks and awareness events (OSHA, 2024).

  1. Onsite Education and Gatekeeper Training

Firms are increasingly offering QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training and Mental Health First Aid to supervisors. These trainings equip leaders with the tools to recognize signs of crisis and connect workers to care (AGC/AFSP, 2024). Toolbox talks and stand-downs now often include mental health topics, and job sites distribute wallet cards and hard hat stickers with crisis resources in English and Spanish.

  1. Peer Support Models

Inspired by Australia’s Mates in Construction, U.S. pilot programs are training volunteer workers as peer connectors. These programs help normalize conversations about mental health onsite. to help workers decompress (NIOSH Science Blog, 2020). Some U.S. companies are offering wellness centers to address whole-body health with access to a doctor or nurse practitioner, physical therapist, and mental health provider (Department of Labor), 2013).

  1. Leadership and Culture Change

In 2024, a CEO Advisory Council formed in partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). The group includes major U.S. construction leaders committed to mental health safety through funding, programming, and policy development (AFSP CEO Council, 2024).


Gaps in Resources—Especially Postvention

Postvention is an active, strategic response to a suicide that aims not only to support those directly affected but also to prevent further loss of life. It is a critical, though often overlooked, pillar of comprehensive suicide prevention. In the aftermath of a suicide—particularly in tight-knit environments like construction sites—individuals left behind may experience intense grief, guilt, or trauma, all of which can significantly elevate their own suicide risk. This phenomenon, known as suicide contagion, is well-documented; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2023) notes that exposure to suicide, whether through personal loss or media coverage, can increase the likelihood of suicidal behavior in others. One UK-based study found that up to 9% of people bereaved by suicide attempt suicide themselves, and over 50% experience suicidal thoughts (Pitman et al., 2014).

Effective postvention addresses these risks directly by stabilizing the environment, offering grief counseling, and guiding leadership on how to communicate safely and supportively. Core components often include immediate crisis response, onsite psychological first aid, peer-led support programs, and longer-term mental health planning. Many companies also implement manager and foreman training, return-to-work protocols, and toolbox talks that incorporate mental health awareness. In this way, postvention functions not merely as a response to tragedy, but as an essential form of prevention, disrupting the cycle of trauma and ensuring that no one is left to cope in silence.

Despite encouraging progress in prevention, major gaps remain:

  • Few Industry-Tailored Resources: While awareness and general training are growing, many tools are still generic. Few programs account for l site transience, or the culture of construction work. In addition, few programs extend their communication plans to include family members, who are often left out of condolence efforts, post-incident outreach, and policy clarification. Truly effective postvention must be tailored to the rhythms and relationships of the construction environment—both on the job site and at home (Society of Occupational Medicine, 2024).
  • Postvention Is Underdeveloped: One of the most significant gaps is in postvention—how a company responds after a suicide. Many firms lack protocols for communication, grief support, or protecting against suicide contagion. But postvention doesn’t have to be complex to be effective. It can start with a simple response plan: designating a point person, offering grief counseling through an EAP or community partner, and holding a short toolbox talk to acknowledge the loss and share mental health resources. Even small steps like distributing wallet cards, checking in with affected crews, or inviting input from family members can make a meaningful difference—and signal to employees that their well-being matters.

Resources from the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention and Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) offer general guidance. However, formal postvention programs customized for construction remain rare (Action Alliance, 2018).

Companies without in-house mental health staff or crisis coordinators often rely on ad hoc responses, which can lead to confusion, trauma, and increased risk for coworkers.

 

Conclusion

The suicide crisis in the construction industry is real—and deadly. While prevention tools like CIASP, peer training, and 988 have helped raise awareness, there is still a long way to go. Especially lacking are specialized, construction-tailored resources and structured postvention plans that support crews in the aftermath of suicide. Prevention and postvention are not separate efforts—they are two sides of the same coin. An effective response after a loss not only supports healing, but can also prevent further tragedy by reducing stigma and encouraging others to seek help.

Industry leaders are stepping up, but comprehensive, jobsite-relevant support systems are still needed to match the scale of the crisis. As mental health becomes an accepted part of jobsite safety culture, the industry must expand its toolset—before and after tragedy strikes.


References

Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention. (2018). Workplace postvention: 10 action steps for responding to a suicide. https://theactionalliance.org

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. (2024). Construction Industry CEO Advisory Council launch announcement.

American Society of Safety Professionals. (2023). Suicide in the construction industry: Breaking the stigma and silence.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Suicide rates by industry and occupation: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6945a1.htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Drug overdose deaths by occupation: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6935a1.htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Suicide prevention resource for action. https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/resources/prevention.html

Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention. (2024). Prevent construction suicide. https://preventconstructionsuicide.com

Department of Labor. (2013). Workplace wellness programs study. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ebsa/researchers/analysis/health-and-welfare/workplace-wellness-programs-study-full-text

KFF Health News. (2024). Beyond hard hats: Mental struggles become the deadliest construction industry danger. https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/construction-worker-mental-health-suicide-safety/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. (2020). Partnering to prevent suicide in the construction industry. https://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2020/09/03/construction-suicide/

Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (2024). Construction Suicide Prevention Week resources. https://www.osha.gov/preventingsuicides/construction

Pitman, A. L., Osborn, D. P. J., Rantell, K., & King, M. B. (2014). Bereavement by suicide as a risk factor for suicide attempt: A cross-sectional national UK-wide study of 3432 young bereaved adults. BMJ Open, 4(1), e004318. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2013-004318

Safety+Health Magazine. (2023, May 28). Construction worker suicide: New video talks about mental health stigma. National Safety Council. https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/25105-construction-worker-suicide-new-video-talks-about-mental-health-stigma

Society of Occupational Medicine. (2024). Suicide postvention in the workplace: Supporting organisations and employees. https://www.som.org.uk/sites/som.org.uk/files/Suicide_Postvention_in_the_Workpace_Supporting_Organisations_and_Employees_2024.pdf

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. (2024). 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. https://988lifeline.org