The Construction Industries Invisible “Hazard”

Talking about mental health has become a bit more comfortable for some, since 2020, as the pandemic forced so many of us into isolation. The media spoke freely about how isolation caused depression and anxiety as we lived in a world of mixed messages, confusion and for so many, financial uncertainties. It caused a lot of people – of all ages and across all industries – to deal with emotions many of us never have had to confront before.??

Even after all we have gone through over the past four years, there is still a stigma around mental health and those struggling with it.??

Mental health in the construction industry is often overlooked but is very easily an “invisible” hazard.??

The day to day of those on jobsites, responsible for designing, constructing and maintaining our roads, bridges and buildings may not seem as demanding as those in healthcare, emergency services, military, education or legal fields. But that is simply not the case. There are physical demands of those on the ground and pressure on those designing, owning and maintaining the buildings and infrastructure that we all rely on every day. These are jobs not to be taken lightly by any construction professional.??

As we enter Mental Health Awareness month in May, I want to bring this topic to the forefront and hope to shed some light and educate our community to support those who have taken on a profession that enhances our lives every day.???

Our industry is most at risk due to:??

• Separation from family?
• Long hours?
• Job insecurity and end-of-season layoffs?
• Tight deadlines?
• Competitive and high-pressure work environment???
• Physically demanding and strenuous jobs?
• Exposure to hazardous materials??

Take this in:?

• One in five construction workers struggle with anxiety, depression and other mental health issues.?
• The Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan stated that mental illness is the leading cause of disability in the construction workplace. 83% of those in the construction industry have experienced some form of moderate to severe mental health issues.??
• According to the Centers for Disease Control :?

• 45.3 construction workers out of every 100,000 workers commit suicide: making this one of the highest rates of suicide across all industries.??
• This is compared to the national average of 14.2; meaning someone working in the construction industry is 3.5 times more likely to take their own lives.?

• Substance abuse is often found with those dealing with mental health challenges as a coping mechanism; the construction industry is no different. In fact, these professionals have one of the highest rates of substance abuse.??

These challenges not only impact personal relations but also can impact productivity on the job and safety, which can have serious consequences.??

So, what can we do as a community to support those in our industry? We can start by talking about it. The more we talk about it, the more we can do about it.??

Many organizations have taken proactive steps to support mental health and wellbeing including:???

• Education and awareness: Reduce the stigma of struggling with mental health; it is not a weakness.??
• Access to support services: Offer confidential counseling services, employee assistance programs and mental health days off work.?

But we can all take part. Listen. Don’t judge. And don’t try and solve the problem. Instead support and respect what the individual is going through. Sometimes just being heard goes a long way.?

Be proactive in helping the individual and find necessary resources such as:????

• Center for Construction Research & Training: CPWR Suicide Prevention Resources ?
• Construction Industry Alliance: CIASP Home ( preventconstructionsuicide.com ) ?
• Construction Safety Week website: Mental Health Resources - Construction Safety Week ?

This topic is very near and dear to my heart. Aside from loving this industry and the work we do here at Kahua , I am also involved in the National Alliance on Mental Illness NAMI . I serve as Vice President of the board at NAMI Broward, in South Florida, as well as chair our External Affairs Committee. I have a family member who struggles with their mental health. I have been thrown into this world of darkness with them, helping them to navigate the system and work with the resources available.??

It is scary, but there is hope and a positive outcome for those struggling and those, like me, supporting them.??

About the Author?

Alyce Menton is the Director of Marketing at Kahua, responsible for all strategy, content and go to market initiatives for targeted vertical market segments. Throughout her 25+ year career she has leveraged her extensive experience with marketing technologies to enable highly effective omni-channel connection and communication across a broad range of stakeholders and end users.?