Bechtel and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention partner to prevent construction worker suicides
11 March 2024
Bechtel and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) have revealed a multi-year partnership dedicated to saving lives in the construction community lost to suicide. The initiative was introduced in Washington, DC, during an event that concentrated on heightening awareness, enlightening stakeholders about this urgent crisis, and laying the groundwork for a coalition devoted to thwarting construction worker suicides.
The collaboration aims to extend its reach to 500,000 U.S. construction workers within a span of five years, employing industry-tailored programs and resources crafted jointly by Bechtel and AFSP. Marking a significant milestone, the $7 million commitment over five years to AFSP stands as the organization's most substantial pledge to date, while also representing the largest individual contribution ever extended by the Bechtel Group Foundation.
“This is the start of a long-term, sustained effort to lift up the whole construction community. We want to see mental health become as much of a priority as physical safety in our industry,” said Brendan Bechtel, chairman and CEO of Bechtel. “It’s our belief that addressing suicide in construction is as vital as wearing a hard hat on site. This is the next frontier in taking care of each other.”
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the construction industry bears one of the highest suicide rates among all professions in the United States. Shockingly, the number of suicides within this sector is nearly five times greater than the tally of lives lost in jobsite safety incidents.
The initiative will harness Bechtel's wealth of industry knowledge and expansive reach alongside AFSP's proficiency in research, education, and successful prevention tactics, complemented by its widespread network of local chapters. Bechtel extends an invitation for engagement from fellow industry stakeholders, as the partnership establishes a construction working group and inaugurates a senior advisory council to provide guidance throughout the initiative.
“We know we cannot meet this challenge alone. Real change will take all of us. We want to build an industry-wide effort, and we are actively encouraging others in construction to join us,” added Brendan Bechtel.
“The partnership with Bechtel is the first of its kind for AFSP, and we are thrilled to be collaborating with an industry leader that is focused on improving the mental health of the construction industry as a whole,” said Robert Gebbia, CEO of AFSP. “We’re excited to be building a team within AFSP dedicated to this important initiative aimed at reaching thousands of people in need and preventing suicide.”
“All of us who work in construction have seen gains in physical safety that were once unimaginable, become the standard for success,” said Sean McGarvey, president of North America’s Building Trades Unions, who also spoke at today’s event. “It’s time to bring the same mindset, resources, and innovation to the issue of mental health and suicide prevention.”
Learn more about this new initiative and how you can get involved at: Confronting Suicide in the Construction Industry | Bechtel.
You can also watch a video online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHWYDXJ7k5Y
