American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Bechtel Partner to Prevent Construction Worker Suicides

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and Bechtel recently entered a multiyear partnership dedicated to saving lives in the construction community lost to suicide. The new partnership will reach 500,000 U.S. construction workers over five years through industry-specific programs and resources developed by AFSP and Bechtel. The general contractor’s $7-million commitment to AFSP will fund the effort and is the largest-ever pledge received by AFSP.

The construction industry has one of the highest suicide rates of any profession in the U.S. In fact, the number of suicides in the industry is nearly five times higher than the number of lives lost in jobsite safety incidents, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, respectively.

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.

The general contractor, AFSP, and the North America’s Building Trades Unions recently came together for a conversation on confronting suicide in the construction community — creating a space for mental health and construction experts to trade insights. 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.

Watch the full conversation here: https://youtu.be/IHWYDXJ7k5Y