March 2025 | There’s no doubt that construction is a stress-producing industry.

Heightened competition to win jobs, accelerated project schedules, scarcities of materials and scarcity of workers. All of these factors can build stress that increases with the project’s momentum. Even a few decades ago, the burly mentality of construction work unintentionally contributed to mental health crises – and sometimes tragedy – as workers were urged to leave their feelings and their problems at home.

The truth is startling. According to the National Academies, 83 percent of construction workers report stress-related issues. More than 5,000 people working in construction die by suicide every year, four times the national average.

But thanks to hard work and compassion – from one worker to another – these statistics are decreasing.

Awareness, resources, informational campaigns, alliances with health organizations and intense advocacy efforts by trade associations – such as the AGC and a number of its longstanding member companies – is gradually, effectively eroding the stigma that for too long plagued construction workers. And as these individuals and companies step up their message of self-care with compassion, education and resources, more individuals – in the field and in the office – are finding hope and learning that it’s okay not to be okay.

Brandon Anderson, vice president of safety at AGCMO, is on a mission to equip as many member companies as he can to empower their workers to see, hear and say something if one of their colleagues seems to be struggling.

“If someone is off or an individual is acting differently…if his or her hygiene, behavior or mannerisms have changed…their coworkers – many of whom work alongside them for up to 12 or 14 hours a day – need to have the compassion and courage to ask them what’s going on,” says Anderson. “Many times, the individual just needs someone to listen. But if it’s more than that, we need to practice self-care, take a moment, have a conversation and break the stigma. Those conversations will make a difference.”

All of the AGCMO’s materials include the National Suicide Hotline phone number plus additional resources such as the message to text HOPE (Hold On, Pain Ends) to 741741. AGCMO was in the driver’s seat with initiating monthly “toolbox talks” topics (such as Mental Health Mondays) specific to mental health, substance abuse prevention and suicide prevention. The AGC, says Anderson, felt the need to get involved.

“Our goal at AGCMO is to have a minimum of one person at every jobsite who is trained in mental health first aid,” he says. “For too long, the culture of the construction industry was built around this macho mentality with the thought process of not focusing on our feelings, our stress levels and our overall self-care. Hearing the message today that ‘you’re not always going to be fine, and that’s okay – we can help you if you reach out’ is so essential. We can see the evolution of this…whereas years ago a contractor or owner might have let a worker go who was struggling, today we’re seeing employers and owners accessing resources for their workers who need help along the way. It takes bold thought and bold commitment to truly make a difference in the industry.”

Contegra Construction Company, an AGCMO-member firm, is making solid steps toward sustainable mental health across its workforce. And although the contractor has grown its staff considerably through the years, Flynn says its family-centric culture remains.

“It truly is a family atmosphere at Contegra,” says Flynn. “All of our employees know each other, our spouses and even our kids’ names. The fact that we know each other professionally and on a personal level is really valuable because we can tell if someone is struggling.

With construction schedules that are often demanding – such as a  4 a.m. concrete pour – Contegra staffs its jobs and shifts so that no employee is forced to work more than 40 hours per week, he says. “We strongly believe in monthly toolbox talks and are thankful that AGCMO and the national AGC have terrific resources and training when it come to mental health and suicide prevention. These are tough men and women. You don’t work in the construction industry without being tough. But we work hard to dispel the stigma that you’ve got to be tough no matter what you may be going through. If someone on our team asks for help, they’re doing to be taken care of,” he adds.

Holland Construction Services Safety Director Doug Devlin and Safety Manager Reggie LaRue agree that mental health is crucially important for anyone working in the construction industry. Like Contegra, Holland workers still know each of their employees by name. “From the day this company began, our founder – Bruce Holland – set the tone,” says LaRue. “Bruce recognized very early on that the mental health of his office and coworkers could foster a healthy environment throughout the firm.”

Back in 2017, LaRue says, he first met John Gaal and heard John’s powerful message about suicide prevention. Gaal, the retired director of training and workforce development for the Carpenters, lost his son, John Jr., to suicide in 2017. John Jr. suffered a traumatic brain injury from being knocked out twice as a high school football and soccer player. “When I heard John Gaal’s message,” says LaRue, “I knew it was an issue that we all had to embrace. We invited John to speak to our company. After that, John came and did a QPR (Question, Persuade and Refer) Institute training course for our people that was outstanding.”

Devlin agrees.

“Our management’s approach has made all the difference in our outreach on mental health,” says Devlin. “Management has committed to invest financial resources and time, and the trickledown effect has been great. We’re essentially a conduit between what management has supported and what we’re able to provide each and every worker.”

Devlin met Anderson back in 2018 and agreed to join the association’s executive safety committee. “Back then, the AGCMO had already been going for a year with its subcommittee on mental health in construction…this committee became the national AGC model. AGCMO is a huge resource for us with its toolbox talks, suicide prevention coins we distribute to workers that say, ‘Your story isn’t over,’ and more.”

Particularly during and Covid, tensions in the field were at a high point, according to Devlin. Anderson came and spoke to Holland workers with strategies for de-escalation. It worked, says Devlin.

“Now our employees take part in the AGC of America’s quarterly suicide prevention forum,” he says. “We’re also dialed into LEAN – Laborers Escaping Addiction Now, a program we learned about through Brandon. Our company has updated its EAP (Employee Assistance Program) based upon info and resources provided by AGCMO. We even ended up partnering with Corporate Chaplains of America, and now we have our own chaplain who is available 24/7 to all of our employees and trade partners. He’s a trained mental health counselor who shares relevant info, visits jobsites and talks with our employees. His email and phone number is accessible to all of our people, should they ever experience an issue or are just struggling.”

In 2024, Holland took another step in furthering its mental health awareness outreach by hosting a one-day symposium with its trade partners and competitors. “Brandon and the AGCMO helped us a lot,” says Devlin. “We also partnered with Chestnut Health Systems…CHS provided complimentary NARCAN® (opioid emergency nasal spray intervention). It was a really well-received event and we hope to host one again.”

Article courtesy of Kerry Smith Buck / CNR Magazine