The construction industry has a suicide crisis

Justin Azbill was tired. In September 2020, as the stresses from his construction job became too much to handle, Azbill contemplated taking his own life. 

Azbill was working as a director of safety for a large-scale general contractor in Massachusetts and had recently taken on an additional role as a COVID-19 czar. The pressure of pandemic uncertainty made his duties difficult and brought forward heated discussions; it was Azbill’s job to put out those fires. He was used to working long hours, but now he was battling through 100-hour work weeks. He was burned out and wasn’t sleeping. 

“ I never got a break,” Azbill said. “I would’ve done anything for a pause button.”

Circumstances like Azbill’s are common in the construction industry. Recent research has found that construction workers face a disproportionate risk for suicide compared with workers in other industries. About 5,095 male construction workers in the U.S. died by suicide in 2023, according to the Center for Construction Research and Training. Almost a fifth of deaths by suicide with a reported industry code in 2023 were tied to construction, despite construction workers only making up about 7% of the workforce in 2023.

Now, industry advocates are pushing for much-needed change. 

“We are making slow and steady improvements to worker mental health,” said Mandi Kime, a co-chair of the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC)’s Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Task Force. 

The task force was created in January 2022 and has coordinated efforts to tackle the crisis by raising awareness and putting out much-needed resources. That includes an online, self-paced training course for supervisors about promoting psychological safety on the job and intervening during a mental health crisis, according to Kime. The resources also provide advice on avoiding any legal or human resources pitfalls when doing this work. 

Immigrant workers

Immigrant construction workers have their own unique mental health concerns. Roughly 30% of the industry is immigrants, according to the National Immigration Forum. The Center for American Progress estimated that 23% of construction laborers are undocumented. And Hispanic workers comprise about 30% of the industry, according to the National Hispanic Construction Alliance. 

Reports have shown that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is targeting those of Hispanic descent, including people with U.S. citizenship. Construction sites have become a hot spot for ICE raids, leaving many immigrant and Hispanic workers in anguish over the difficult decision to show up to a jobsite that could lead to an unjust arrest or deportation. 

“ For many workers that I’ve talked to, they’re tired and they really do need some sort of break,” said George Carrillo, CEO of the Hispanic Construction Council. 

Carrillo said he has been spending a lot of time talking to workers about how to handle  attacks on immigration and labor rights across the country. In the case of U.S. citizens and those with documentation, that involves discussions about what their constitutional rights are and what types of identification they should carry. 

“For others that are undocumented, it’s having very difficult conversations of if [an ICE raid] were to happen, do you have your affairs in order?” Carrillo said.

It’s not just workers feeling the heat, but also executives. 

“ I had a business owner reach out from Florida. They are a white(-owned) construction company, but they understand the impact of their immigrant workforce,” Carrillo said. 

The owner had an employee who was in the U.S. legally but was afraid that they could be deported at their next immigration check-in without explanation. The boss called Carrillo because they were unsure what kind of advice to provide employees in these situations. 

“The fact that [they could] lose a worker never came out of their mouth,” Carrillo explained. “They were like, ‘We’ve known this person for almost 30 years. He’s just part of our family now. We don’t wanna see him go.’” 

Peer support

For Azbill, his struggles grew as he began self-isolating, worrying constantly about failing not only at his job, but as a husband and father, because his work kept encroaching into family time. 

“ I was really good at masking,” Azbill said. “I’d be smiling at you, but I really didn’t want to be there.”

Suicidal ideation began to take over his mind, and after six months formed a plan to end his life in the parking lot of his workplace. He even wrote goodbye letters to his family. But something stood in his way. Before he walked out the door, his 8-year-old daughter begged him to stay home from work. He listened to her. 

“ She saved my life,” he said.

After Azbill’s daughter stopped him from going through with his plan, he attended a peer support meeting, among the many resources available for those who are struggling with mental health crises in the construction industry. It inspired him to reach out to a close friend and share what he was going through. Today, Azbill has become an advocate for those in the industry who are struggling. He leads peer support groups, which he credits with promoting overall wellness through creating supportive relationships.

 “Sometimes people just need to be heard,” Azbill said, noting that  once he asked a friend for help, he slept for the first time in six months. 

Participants of support groups are meant to gain accountability in their wellness practices, according to Azbill. That might look like checking in on each other about the activities that protect their well-being, such as making sure a peer is taking their daily walks or doing journaling exercises.

During peer talks, Azbill said he hears similar themes coming up repeatedly. Chronic pain is a big one, due to workplace injuries. He also hears a lot about the high cost of living, noting that many construction workers live paycheck to paycheck or work multiple jobs. Azbill advocates for more financial literacy to help these workers. A lot of these conversations also end up addressing substance use disorder, another major issue within the industry that is often tied to mental health. About 15% of all construction workers in the U.S. have a substance use disorder, which is almost twice as high as the rate of the general adult population.

Across workplaces, these types of discussions are now part of what are known as “toolbox talks,” which are usually for addressing typical construction site safety practices. Now, groups like AGC have put out examples on how to lead a toolbox talk that addresses dealing with mental health.  

“If we can help our workforce live happier, healthier lives—and we can get ahead of them feeling like they’re in crisis—we don’t have to worry so much about de-escalating,” Kime said.

Editorial Team:
Sahar Fatima, Lead Editor
Carolyn Copeland, Top Editor
Rashmee Kumar, Copy Editor

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