Tragically, the construction industry has the second highest rate of suicide in the United States. September is Suicide Prevention Month (SPM) and last week was Construction Suicide Prevention Week (CSPW)— a week dedicated to raising awareness about the unique challenges workers face in construction, how it can lead to suicide, and what we can do to prevent it.
When it comes to preventing suicide, the idea of where to start can be overwhelming. CSPW volunteers have compiled a library of resources to help you get started— including videos, websites, toolbox talks and more. They can be found here. One of the key resource available to those in need is the suicide and crisis lifeline where counselors are available confidentially, 24/7/365. Call, text or chat 988.
Last week Arden Engineering took steps to help facilitate the CSPW mission by providing Toolbox Talk documents to our team members. These are flyers that workers can take with them designed to help facilitate effective and efficient conversations around suicide prevention, mental wellness, substance use, and accessing services. Toolbox talks can be found here. We also distributed hard hat stickers, larger stickers and magnets with the lifeline number.
We hope you’ll take a moment to help spread the word on this critical issue.
