Confronting Suicide in the Construction Industry
Bechtel and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention partner to prevent construction worker suicides.
America's hardworking construction professionals are vital to our nation's future. Tragically, about five times as many construction workers lose their lives to suicide compared to the general population — one of the highest suicide rates among all professions in the U.S.
In the face of this urgent dilemma, Bechtel is partnering with the Ameriican Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Bechtel's $7 million dollar commitment to the AFSP will provide critical resources and programming to 500,000 U.S. construction workers over the next five years.
The initiative will leverage Bechtel's industry knowledge and reach in combination with AFSP's expertise in research, education, and effective prevention strategies, as well as its national network of local chapters.
This is the start of a long-term, sustained effort to lift up the whole construction community. We want to see mental health become as much a priority as physical safety in our industry. This is the next frontier in taking care of our people.
— Brendan Bechtel, Chairman & CEO of Bechtel
The partnership with Bechtel is the first of its kind for AFSP, and we are thrilled to be collaborating with an industry leader that is focused on improving the mental health of the construction industry as a whole. We're excited to be building a team within AFSP dedicated to this important initiative aimed at reaching thousands of people in need and preventing suicide.
— Robert Gebbia, CEO of AFSP
Breaking Ground: Confronting Suicide in the Construction Community
Bechtel, AFSP, and the North America's Building Trade Union came together to lead a conversation on addressing suicide in the construction community — creating a space for mental health and construction experts to trade insights. But this is just the beginning. Real change wiII take all of us. Bechtel welcomes participation from others in the industry, as this partnership forms a construction working group and a first-ever senior advisory council to help guide the effort.
We know we cannot meet this challenge alone. We want to build an industry-wide effort, and we are actively encouraging others in construction to join us.
— Brendan Bechtel, Chairman & CEO of Bechtel
AII of us who work in construction have seen gains in physical safety that were once unimaginable, become the standard for success. It's time to bring the same mindset, resources, and innovation to the issue of mental health and suicide prevention.
— Sean McGarvey, President of North America's Building Trades Unions