“There are people who are employed in the industry that are accountants, business managers, people who order supplies…” Sussell said.
The suicide rates for both the construction industry and occupation are significantly higher when compared to all industries and occupations combined, per 100,000 men and women.
“Sex is obviously a really important factor,” Sussell said. “Men tend to die of suicide at a significantly higher rate than women, and it’s generally believed that’s because they tend to use more lethal means.”
The researchers believe that suicide risk increases with low-skilled jobs; lower educational attainment; lower socioeconomic status; access to lethal means through work; and job-related stress, including inadequate support from supervisors and colleagues, job insecurity and social stigma.
“Suicide is complex, with many factors as contributors,” Stephanie Stevens, a spokesperson for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), said by email. “Workplaces can be important settings for suicide prevention because work-related factors are associated with suicide.”
Construction work culture varies widely, according to Sarah LaVetter-McCraren, general manager at McCraren Compliance, which offers safety training and specializes in regulatory compliance in the mining, construction and transportation industries.
Culture is influenced by the site owner, general contractor and production stage, LaVetter-McCraren said: “The (mental health) stigma was likely higher in construction and mining, along with other heavily male-dominated industries. Because males have long been messaged that they are supposed to be strong, invincible, the protectors, the caretakers, the ones who just can’t be broken.”
Brian Legan frequently meets with construction workers, guiding them on how to watch their own behaviors and emotions and how to help each other destigmatize and acknowledge mental health challenges. He is the director of training and safety at the Associated Contractors of New Mexico, a nonprofit association that represents the transportation and utility construction industry across the state. His training often focuses on the impact of workplace bullying.
“Once a co-worker is labeled or shown as the butt of jokes, or the weaker target, it’s nearly impossible to remove that stigma,” Legan said by email. “I’ve witnessed several times in my career a person targeted by bullies, who ends up leaving not only the crew but the district they work in, and as a result, they thrive and excel in the new work environment.”