Suicide in the Construction Industry

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Travelers logo

TEXT: Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Awareness

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Dr. Marcos Iglesias talking to camera

TEXT: Dr. Marcos Iglesias, Travelers Chief Medical Director

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I’m Dr. Marcos Iglesias, Chief Medical Director for Travelers, and I’d like to tell you about an important and often overlooked risk in the construction industry. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the U.S. In 2019, over 47,000 individuals died by suicide

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Image of two construction workers standing on a job site with work in progress.

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and for every one of these people lost, there are an estimated 30 more suicide attempts.

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Dr. Marcos Iglesias talking to camera

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Yes, the statistics are stunning. Even more sobering is the fact that the CDC has reported that the construction industry had one of the highest rates of suicide among their workers compared to most other industry groups. Another fact: Many of the risk factors for suicide are modifiable. So, we strive to better understand the factors that may lead an individual to take their life

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Male construction worker performing rigging.

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and create an atmosphere where workers feel free to seek and get help.

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Dr. Marcos Iglesias talking to camera

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Some in the construction industry have noted that construction workers potentially have a perfect storm of suicide risk factors. These include: a male-dominated workforce, with a large percentage of Veterans, and a significant number of workers with untreated psychiatric and substance use conditions.

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Six male construction workers standing in a group having a meeting.

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Many individuals in the industry are stoic and self-reliant

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Male construction worker sitting alone on the ground.

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characteristics that may lead them to not seek mental health help.

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Dr. Marcos Iglesias talking to camera

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Today, it is more important than ever to be aware of the problem and face it head-on, including having open, frank conversations which can destigmatize mental health conditions and create a supportive environment with available resources to help.

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Mike Haller talking to camera

TEXT: Mike Haller CEO, Walbridge

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My name is Mike. I'm the CEO of Walbridge. And I've been in the industry and at Walbridge for 48 years. Today, we're going to speak about health and safety,

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Shadow image of two construction workers standing amid heavy equipment.

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particularly mental health. Generally in our industry, we always talk when we talk about health and safety. We're talking about the physical aspects of it. But the world has changed.

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Mike Haller talking to camera

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The stress that has been placed on people's lives is becoming insurmountable. And from that stress, in many instances, comes depression comes anxiety. And you must remember, every human being is wired different. And they all deal with it differently.

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Six male construction workers standing in a group meeting in front of a piece of heavy equipment.

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We must understand this, we must try to be part of the solution. And not add to the problem.

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Mike Haller talking to camera

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The construction industry was all it's always been suck it up, be tough, you can do it. Okay, what we must become, we must become more of an empathetic, listening, understanding environment. We must be the ones who listen, and we can't solve another individual's problems. But if we have the awareness that we notice it in our day to day dealings, you can maybe say, you know, maybe you need to talk to somebody about this issue. Maybe you need to seek some professional counseling on this issue.

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Image of a person welding in a shop.

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You might save a life, you might save a tragic event

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Image of a male construction worker sitting inside and operating a heavy piece of equipment.

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for a family, we must become more aware.

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Mike Haller talking to camera

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If we don't, if we always do what we always done will always get what we always got. And that's not acceptable anymore. A hardened attitude in the work environment is not acceptable anymore. It must be more of an inviting, and caring attitude that embraces people's feelings more for what they are.

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Image of two male construction workers standing together on an unfinished building among steel beams.

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As a team, we can solve this issue. No one can do it alone.

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Mike Haller talking to camera

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But if we lock arms, and together, create a more listening and caring environment, we can make lives better and possibly save lives.

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Jennifer Lee talking to camera

TEXT: Jennifer Lee, Travelers VP, National Practice Lead, Loss Sensitive & Wrap Up, Construction

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Hello - I’m Jennifer Lee from Travelers.
As a leading insurer for the construction industry, we can help contractors protect their business and safely send their workers home every night. Death by suicide has been on the rise. Any suicide represents a profound and personal loss, whether it was a loss of a family member, a friend, or a co-worker. And the pandemic’s ongoing impact on the mental health of workers has the potential to intensify this trend. Travelers is committed to increasing awareness of suicide by connecting businesses to resources that can help.

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Image of the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention logo

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We are a proud supporter of The Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP),

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Jennifer Lee talking to camera

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which provides resources to help companies evaluate their mental health and suicide prevention preparedness. Regardless of whether you are a Travelers’ customer, you can access resources that are available to support you in: Increasing awareness of the factors that may contribute to death by suicide; Training employees about how to talk about mental health with others; and ultimately taking action to address mental health and suicide within your company. The actions you take can potentially save a person’s life. Thank you for listening.

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Image of two construction workers walking together.

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It’s the first step in taking action to turn this concerning trend around.

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Travelers logo. Call to action, website, and disclaimerTEXT: To learn more, visit us at travelers.com/constructionawareness or speak with your Travelers representative.

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