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.

The Travelers Indemnity Company. All rights reserved. Travelers and the Travelers Umbrella logo are registered trademarks of the Travelers Indemnity Company in the U.S. and other countries. 

According to the CDC, in 2019, more than 47,000 individuals died by suicide, making it the tenth-leading cause of death in the United States.1 And suicide rates increased by 35% between 1999 and 2018.2 However, many medical professionals believe deaths by suicide may be underreported, with some classified as accidents or unintentional deaths.3 In addition, there are an estimated 30 attempts for each suicide death.4
 
Historically, over 90 percent of individuals attempting suicide had a psychiatric disorder5, such as depression, anxiety, substance use disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, personality disorder or schizophrenia. Males are almost four times more likely to die by suicide than females6, and those over the age of 74 or between the ages of 44 and 65 are at highest risk.7
 
Other demographic, biological, psychological and social risk factors include:8

  • Rural residence
  • Military veteran status
  • Non-married status
  • White, American Indian or Alaska Native
  • Medical conditions including chronic pain, cancer, chronic lung disease, heart disease, spine disorders and stroke
  • Family history of suicide
  • A previous suicide attempt
  • Hopelessness
  • Adverse childhood experiences
  • Social isolation
  • Poor social support
     

COVID-19

Although it is too early to know if suicide rates have increased during this past year of COVID-19 and the 2020 economic downturn, suicide rates historically have spiked during times of economic contraction9 and being unemployed is associated with a two- to three-fold increase in the relative risk of dying by suicide.10 According to data published by the CDC during the earlier stages of the pandemic (late June 2020), 11% of U.S. adults reported seriously considering suicide in the 30 days preceding the survey.11 By contrast, in 2019, 4.8% of adults in the U.S. had serious thoughts about suicide.12

Suicide in Construction Workers

In 2020, the CDC reported that the construction industry had one of the highest rates of suicide among their workers, along with mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction workers.13 This is seen not only in the United States, but in other countries as well14 and may be explained by a higher prevalence of certain risk factors in individuals working in the industry. In fact, as stated in an article published by the American Society of Safety Professionals, some have noted that construction workers potentially have a perfect storm of suicide risk factors.15
 
Demographics. Ninety percent of the U.S. construction workforce are male and 38% are between the ages of 35 and 64, a demographic with a high risk of suicide in the general population.16 Additionally, over 15 percent of veterans—who have a 50% higher rate of suicide17—enter the construction industry and make up a large percentage of that workforce.18
 
Cultural. The stoic and self-reliant characteristics of individuals who work in the construction industry may increase suicide risk, according to psychologist Sally Spencer-Thomas, by reducing the likelihood that individuals seek help when needed.19 This reluctance to seek help is associated with psychological distress.20
 
Psychosocial. Seasonality and fluctuations in an individual’s work may affect an individual’s mental health through the impact of:

  • Economic insecurity as a result of job seasonality.21
  • Low job control and a fragmented community as a result of frequent changes in coworkers and tasks as jobs change.22
  • Emotional exhaustion stemming from irregular and long work hours.23
  • Work-family conflict that may manifest itself as strained relationships, marital breakdown and difficulty maintaining relationships with children.24
  • Inefficient sleep patterns, including sleep deprivation, that may increase the risk of mental health problems.25
  • High psychological demands producing strain.26
  • Mental distress and mental disorders are common in construction workers. Furthermore, untreated psychiatric conditions are more common in this group of workers than others.27

Physical. Physically demanding construction work28 not only increases the risk of musculoskeletal disorders—with higher rates than in other industries—but may lead to chronic pain and higher utilization of opioids29, as well as the higher opioid overdose rate seen in these workers.30

Drug related. Use of non-prescription opioids, binge drinking, heavy alcohol use and other drugs is more common in construction workers than in other industries.31

Suicide Prevention

Mental health and suicide traditionally have been taboo subjects in society. And yet, the human impact of suicide is extensive and enduring, adversely affecting individuals, families, communities and workplaces. The cooperation of multiple sectors of society—government, healthcare, social, educational, community and business groups— is critical in the fight against it.
 
According to the American Society of Safety Professionals, the construction industry faces a challenge with this issue. However, we know that many of the risk factors of the individuals working in the construction industry can be recognized, and treatment for underlying mental health conditions may help prevent suicide.32
 
Consider the CDC’s national comprehensive approach to prevent suicide, which is built around several strategies: strengthening economic supports, improving access and delivery of suicide care, creating protective environments, promoting connectedness, teaching coping and problem-solving skills, identifying and supporting people at risk, and lessening harms and preventing future risk.33
 
For the construction industry, this could include having open, frank conversations, which can destigmatize mental health conditions and create a supportive environment in which workers feel free to seek and give help.
 
Training supervisors and other workers on the subject and how to recognize the risk factors can help create a supportive environment and make it more likely that an individual can get the help they need.
 
A simple “Are you okay?” may open the door to better communication.
 
And having appropriate resources available as part of the path to better mental health and the prevention of suicide is paramount. The Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP) provides useful resources for companies to help evaluate their mental health and suicide prevention preparedness. Other resources can be found at Workplace Suicide Prevention and National Action Alliance.

Resources

Sources

1 Press Release: CDC study finds suicide rates rise and fall with economy. https://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/leadcause.html
2,6 https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/suicide.shtml
3 Self-injury Is the Eighth Leading Cause of Death in the United States. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2436271
4 Estimating the rates of deaths by suicide among adults who attempt suicide in the United States. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27032110/
5 Assessment and Treatment of Suicidal Patients. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9302306/
7 https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db241.pdf
8 http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.468.8177&rep=rep1&type=pdf
8,32 https://www.uptodate.com/contents/suicidal-ideation-and-behavior-in-adults
9 http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2011/p0414_suiciderates.html
10 https://jech.bmj.com/content/jech/57/8/594.full.pdf
11 https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/pdfs/mm6932a1-H.pdf
12 https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt29392/Assistant-Secretary-nsduh2019_presentation/Assistant-Secretary-nsduh2019_presentation.pdf
13 https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/pdfs/mm6903a1-H.pdf
14,26 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/333091919_A_blended_face-to-face_and_smartphone_intervention_for_suicide_prevention_in_the_construction_industry_Protocol_for_a_randomized_contr olled_trial_with_MATES_in_Construction
14,20,25 Mental Health Stigma and Wellbeing Among Commercial Construction Workers: A Mixed Methods Study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32541624/
15 https://www.assp.org/news-and-articles/2019/03/11/suicide-in-the-construction-industry-breaking-the-stigma-and-silence
16,28 https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/case/msds-chart2-data.htm
17 https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/docs/data-sheets/OMHSP_National_Suicide_Data_Report_2005-2016_508.pdf
18 https://blog.plangrid.com/2018/11/veterans-in-construction-supporting-our-heroes-in-hardhats-infographic/?doing_wp_cron=1628865881.2633080482482910156250
19,22 https://www.nahb.org/-/media/NAHB/advocacy/docs/legal-issues/construction-liability/trending-now/10-action-steps-suicide-prevention.pdf
21,22,26 Suicide by occupation: Systematic review and meta-analysis.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259114970_Suicide_by_occupation_Systematic_review_and_meta-analysis
22 Modelling relationships between job stressors and injury and near-miss outcomes for construction labourers.
https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2004-10112-002
23,24 Does work–family conflict mediate the relationship between job schedule demands and burnout in male construction professionals and managers? https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01446190500040836
24 Correlates of suicide in building industry workers. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17178646/
24,27 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3228565/pdf/ijerph-08-04180.pdf
27 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3795897/pdf/nihms495761.pdf
29 Prescription opioid use and associated factors among US construction workers. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32677121/
29 Musculoskeletal Disorders and Prescription Opioid Use Among U.S. Construction Workers. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32925525/
30 https://midwestepi.files.wordpress.com/2018/02/opioids-and-construction-final2.pdf
31 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5507064/pdf/nihms867531.pdf
31 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6910220/pdf/nihms-1542116.pdf
33 https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/suicidetechnicalpackage.pdf

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