MENTAL HEALTH
Risk factors: Sound familiar?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 97 percent of the
U.S. construction workforce is male; consider that men, especially
white men in their early 20s through their 50s, are most
at risk for suicide, and it’s easy to see by demographics alone
why the construction workforce could be identified as having a
heightened risk for suicide.
Looking beyond statistics, however, the nature of certain
aspects of the construction industry create risk factors that compound
the concern for people predisposed to suicidal thoughts.
Typical construction culture
“Culture is probably one of the biggest factors, and one of the
areas that we can prevent,” said Walker. “Think about the traditional
construction culture – the tough guy, getting the job
done at all costs.”
The manner in which leaders are often promoted in the
industry also has a role to play.
“People typically get promoted based on their technical
abilities, and not necessarily on their leadership or management
skills,” said Walker. “This can create issues for people from
not having clearer, positive leadership or having leaders whose
only mode of directing or guiding their employees is through
negative, almost stigmatizing behavior.” Unhealthy management
styles, especially those involving shame and humiliation as part
of the discipline process, can feed into a toxic culture.
“When you look at the main contributing factors to suicide
risk, perceived burdensome is one – ‘I’m no good, the world
would be better off without me’ – these types of thoughts,” said
Walker. “When you put together that perceived burdensomeness
with a manager who is unhealthfully guiding and not disciplining
with positive tactics, you can see where that can be a huge
contributing factor to someone at risk.”
Remote work and industry demands
Remote construction projects require workers to be away from
their homes, sometimes for long periods of time. Separation
from family or friends can be isolating and restrict access to
those critical support systems, in addition to the family issues
that can result from extended absences.
For projects in any location, the low margin for error
that exists in construction can create extreme pressure for
some people.
“If you screw something up on a construction project, it can
be a really big deal,” said Walker. “There’s not a lot of room for
slight slipups – that pressure can build on people.”
Beyond that, changing crews and the seasonal nature of the
work provides an inconsistent team environment, creating a
barrier in what could be a more stable support system to a person
at risk for suicide.
The transient nature of construction workers means they
may not stay in one place long enough to gain access to health
benefits that could provide behavioral health care. Too much
time between projects or layoffs can result in financial issues,
adding more anxiety on a person who isn’t able to healthfully
process stress.
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