In June 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) MMWR found that 40% of U.S. adults reported struggling with mental health or substance use and that 11% of U.S. adults seriously considered suicide.
In the U.S., you are more likely to die from suicide than an automobile accident or by homicide. We lose 47,500 people per year to suicide, 38,800 to automobile accidents, and 19,141 to homicide. This means you are 2.5 times more likely to die by your own hand than the hands of others.
More specifically, the construction industry has one of the highest rates of suicide at 53.2 per 100,000 U.S. workers. That rate is four times greater than the national average and five times greater than that of all other construction fatalities combined.
“We cannot stand by while a silent epidemic of suicide takes place within our industry,” said Stephen E. Sandherr, AGC of America's chief executive officer. “We want to reduce the stigma of mental health issues in this industry, let people know it is okay to ask for help and, ultimately, save lives.”
Mental Health PSAs
On December 6, 2022, AGC of America released a series of videos telling the stories of real industry professionals who have struggled with mental health. The hope is that in sharing their stories, others will know they are not alone, and it is okay to seek help when it is needed. These videos are part of the association’s ongoing efforts to combat high suicide rates and improve mental health among the industry’s workers.
Tools & Resources
The AGC Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Task Force has compiled a wealth of tools and resources related to mental health, substance abuse, and suicide prevention.
This page was last updated on August 30, 2023.