Earlier this week, engineering and construction giant Bechtel and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) announced a multiyear partnership dedicated to preventing construction worker suicides.
The partnership aims to reach 500,000 U.S. construction workers over five years through industry-specific programs and resources. Bechtel has reportedly committed $7 million to the AFSP, which is the largest pledge ever received by the Foundation and the largest single donation ever made by Bechtel. The endeavor aims to combine Bechtel’s industry knowledge and AFSP’s national network, education, and prevention strategies.
As noted by Bechtel in a press release, the construction industry has one of the highest suicide rates of any profession in the U.S., with the number of suicides being almost five times higher than the number of lives lost in job site safety incidents. This is according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, respectively.
“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,” chairman and CEO of Bechtel, Brendan Bechtel, commented on the initiative. “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.”
Additionally, the partnership will form a construction working group and a first-ever senior advisory council.
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