The numbers are shocking: The Centers for Disease Control reported that construction workers committed suicide in 2016, the second highest rate of any industry group in the country.
Suicide rates were only higher for those who worked in another occupational group: the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction industries, according to the CDC.
The CDC found that in 2016, the most recent year for which statistics are available, for every 100,000 construction workers, 45.3 men committed suicide. This rate was 9.4 per 100,000 for women in the sector.
In the mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction sectors, for every 100,000 workers, 54.2 men committed suicide.
For context, for all industries or occupations tracked by the CDC, per 100,000 workers, 27.4 men committed suicide while 7.7 women did the same.
Numbers like this are why the Appleton, Wis.-based general contractor and construction manager The Boldt Company in 2021, it created its own suicide awareness and prevention program. The program trains volunteer employee “gatekeepers” to identify warning signs of suicide in their colleagues. These volunteers will then help direct colleagues to appropriate suicide prevention resources.
These gatekeepers serve as the first point of contact for workers struggling with mental health issues and suicidal thoughts, and often host the first conversations with employees seeking mental health support.
Britta Endres, administrative supervisor at Boldt, and Shelly Kirkpatrick, human resources associate at the contractor, are both volunteer gatekeepers for the company. Both agreed that Boldt’s suicide prevention program was sorely needed. And both agreed that the program has made a difference, helping to direct many employees to the mental health services they need.
“I was surprised by the high number of suicides in our industry,” Endres said. “But I also know what the construction industry can be like. People in the construction industry are constantly faced with very tight deadlines. They work long hours. They don’t always work at a location close to their friends and family. There is also some uncertainty today. Will I still have a job tomorrow? Where will I work tomorrow? These are all pressures and concerns that people in our industry face.
Britta Endres, Administrative Supervisor, The Boldt Company
Kirkpatrick agrees that the pressures faced by workers in the construction industry have been intense for a long time and will not abate anytime soon.
“They have to deal with so many things that are out of their control,” Kirkpatrick said. “The weather can completely change their schedule. Suppliers too. And then there are the injured. People can be seriously injured on construction sites. It can be difficult to maintain a high level of composure when so much is out of your control on a daily basis.
Shelly Kirkpatrick, Human Resources Business Partner, The Boldt Company.
Another challenge in the construction sector? Despite the progress made in recent years, the sector remains dominated by men. And men are less likely to talk about mental health issues like depression or anxiety.
As gatekeepers to Boldt’s program, Endres and Kirkpatrick look for clues that their colleagues might be feeling stress, suffering from anxiety or struggling with depression. They will then speak to this person. If warranted, they will provide the worker with mental health resources.
“If someone doesn’t look like themselves, I’ll approach them and ask them how they’re doing,” Endres said. “We promoted the program and informed everyone how it worked and the availability of this resource. We want them to know that we are here and can provide them with any resources they may need.
Help provided by Boldt’s program monitors may include directing workers to the company’s employee assistance program or offering to speak with them about their problems. They can refer workers to counseling agencies or the national 988 suicide hotline.
As Endres says, it’s important for workers to understand that the number 988 is not just for people with suicidal thoughts. It is aimed at anyone struggling with mental health problems.
“Construction safety is our number one priority,” Kirkpatrick said. “We want to send people home in the same condition, if not better condition, than they were in when they arrived at work. If we don’t integrate mental health into our safety programs, we are missing an important part of what leads to physical discomfort. Mental problems physically exhaust the body.
As Kirkpatrick says, Boldt’s program doesn’t train guards to become psychologists or medical professionals. But it offers strategies volunteers can use to lead a conversation with struggling colleagues to make them more likely to seek help for the problems they’re facing.
“We want to help our colleagues realize they are not alone,” Kirkpatrick said. “It’s about eliminating the taboo nature of the discussion. There is a lot of bravado in the construction industry. The workers’ bodies may suffer the consequences. It is difficult for them to admit that they have a weakness. In our job, you have to be tough. Shedding light on this problem can make a difference. This is the goal of this program.
Endres said the more the program’s gatekeepers talk with their colleagues about suicide prevention and mental health, the less taboo the topic becomes. It is also helpful if program volunteers can share their own personal experiences with mental health issues.
According to Endres, this allows struggling colleagues to realize that they are not the first person, and will not be the last, to deal with suicidal thoughts or struggle with depression or anxiety.
“The more we talk about this topic, the less it seems like a scary thing that we can’t talk about,” Endres said.
Endres said Boldt is more frequently including mental health topics in the company’s regular safety communications to workers on job sites. Gatekeepers also invited contractors to give presentations on the mental health issues they saw workers struggle to overcome in the field.
About 100 Boldt employees volunteer as stewards of the program. This represents a total workforce of approximately 2,100 people in the company.
And the results of the program? Kirkpatrick and Endres said Boldt employees have become more willing since the program began talking about the mental health issues they face.
Endres cites a recent example: a guard met a craftsman on a construction site who was struggling with challenges in his personal life. After speaking with the worker, Boldt officials agreed to give the craftsman different, safer jobs on the job site. This meant he could continue to work while reducing the risk of suffering a serious injury due to the distractions he faced in his personal life.
“We allowed him to put in a full day of work, but we also recognized that he had mental health issues that he was dealing with,” Endres said. “It’s about taking the extra time needed to treat a person as a whole. We want our workers to be on site. We respect the work they do. But we also want to figure out how to keep our workers safe while the work is being done.
For Kirkpatrick, Boldt’s program is about communication and giving employees the opportunity to talk about issues they are facing.
“Even if someone doesn’t want to talk, you can plant a seed,” Kirkpatrick said. “You may find that someone is struggling and needs help, but is not ready to talk about it. What if you give this person an opportunity, what if you tell them you’re there when they’re ready to talk? It could make all the difference.
Why did Endres and Kirkpatrick sign up for the Gatekeeper program?
Endres said she overcame her own mental health issues and once thought about suicide. At the time, she didn’t have access to the type of resources Boldt offered and didn’t know where to turn for help.
So Endres’ own story inspired her to help others through Boldt’s program. As she says: “I wanted to be that resource that I didn’t have. I knew I could make a personal connection with others struggling with these issues. I was here. I’m not trying to imagine what it’s like. I know what it’s like and I came out the other side.
Kirkpatrick says she was inspired to volunteer because of the experiences of her daughter, who, while in high school, considered suicide. Kirkpatrick also had a relative who attempted suicide. Fortunately, Kirkpatrick’s mother and daughter received the help they needed and are now living happy, healthy lives.
“They must have gone through a deep, dark time in their lives,” Kirkpatrick said. “When I discovered this program, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. People in this company care about each other. Boldt is a large company that feels like a small family business. People are in tune with each other. They want to help their colleagues. And this program gives us another way to do that.
