Editor’s Note: This story focuses on the topic of mental health and suicide. If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
The Building & Construction Trades Council of Greater New York has joined other industry leaders in the fight to strengthen mental health and reduce the high rate of suicides in construction.
On March 5, the BCTC of New York, whose membership consists of local affiliates of 15 national and international unions, launched its Building Trades Peer Support Network with the goal of mitigating the adverse impacts of stress and reducing suicide deaths among the city’s unionized construction workers.
The program aims to train 1,000 rank-and-file fellows in all trades, which represents 1 percent of the total quota of 100,000 members, Gary LaBarbera, president of the New York BCTC, told Construction Dive.
the subject
Construction work is dangerous. In 2024, the The industry recorded a death rate of 9.2 deaths per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
But the suicide death rate paints a much bleaker picture. In 2024, the death rate of construction workers who committed suicide it was 41.9 per 100,000 workers, according to the Construction Unions of North America and CPWR: The Center for Construction Research and Training.
It was more than four times the rate of deaths at work in the industry. It also means that construction is second only to mining for the highest suicide rate among all industries.
The factors contributing to this epidemic are numerous, LaBarbera said. From the dangerous nature of the work that requires vigilance that can lead to stress, to project timelines that create uncertainty about one’s future career and the physical strain of demanding work, construction trades work can be taxing.
Also, these jobs are often male-dominated, which carries a stigma.
“Construction workers don’t want to show that they have any feelings,” LaBarbera said. “We look very resilient and tough.”
But that can prevent people from reaching out when they need help, he said. Hence the mantra of the initiative: “It is not weak to speak”.
the program
BTPSN will use two training programs. The first, a two-hour session, is intended to educate members about suicide prevention and awareness. Once completed, union workers can decide whether to enroll in a seven-hour follow-up class to become equal, LaBarbera said.
Trained colleagues will be identifiable by stickers on their hard hats with slogans including “It’s not weak to speak up,” to mark them as a resource for other workers. Colleagues will be able to carry out a risk assessment of their colleagues and refer medium or high risk cases to designated support staff who can then intervene.
By partnering with Cornell University’s The Worker Institute, LaBarbera said stakeholders confirmed that the best method of intervention was peer-to-peer, rather than a top-down approach. Empowering colleagues to check in on each other creates the safest environment for honesty, she said.
The New York Building Foundation, the charitable arm of the New York Building Congress, covered the cost of the BTPSN initiative and curriculum, according to the release.
“This is more than an initiative; it’s a core part of our mission,” Elizabeth Velez, president of the New York Building Foundation, said in the statement. “With the support of our board and with BCTC and Cornell on board, we are taking decisive action to save lives.”
