In our building community:
Our industry has always been defined by its people: those who show up before sunrise to build what makes the world work and go home to their families every day. Keeping them safe is the work behind the work.
For decades, we have refused to accept any injury, no matter how big or small, as part of the job. We changed the way we work and workplaces became safer. It’s time to do the same for mental health.
Today, construction professionals die by suicide at a rate five times higher than any other cause of death on the job. Behind each one is a co-worker, a friend, a father, a son or a daughter, and they are all too much.
No company changes this number alone. But the more of us who take it on together, the faster it falls.
One year ago, we joined the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to bring hard hat courage to the construction industry with a simple belief: mental health deserves the same urgency as physical safety. No one should have to choose between asking for help and showing up for work.
This Construction Suicide Prevention Week, thousands of workplaces will pause for a moment of silence, to honor those we’ve lost and stand behind those who are still with us.
Join us Bring the courage of the hard hat to your workplaces. Because every life matters, and every conversation counts.
The Hard Hat Courage CEO Advisory Board
In collaboration with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)
- Brendan Bechtel, President and CEO, Bechtel
- Jim Breuer, CEO, Fluoride
- Peter Davoren, President and CEO, Turner Construction Company
- Richard Kennedy, President and CEO, Skanska USA
- Rick Lanoha, President and CEO, Kiewit
- Sean McGarvey, President, Construction Unions of North America
- Robert Moser, Jr., CEO, Clark Construction
- Chris Nelson, President and CEO, Stanley Black & Decker
- George Pfeffer, CEO, DPR construction
Authorization granted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Visit HardHatCourage.com for free resources that help your teams recognize the warning signs, start meaningful conversations, support each other, and create safer workplaces for everyone.
About the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and giving hope to those affected by suicide, including those who have experienced a loss. AFSP creates a smart culture about mental health through public education and community programs, advances suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, with its Policy and Advocacy Office in Washington, DC, AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico, with programs and events across the country. Learn more about AFSP in its latest release Annual report and join the conversation about suicide prevention by following the AFSP Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn i TikTok.
About Hard Hat Courage
Hard Hat Courage was founded in partnership by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), the nation’s leading suicide prevention organization, and Bechtel, a trusted global partner in engineering, construction and project management. Rooted in AFSP’s evidence-based prevention strategies and Bechtel’s decades of global experience delivering landmark projects, Hard Hat Courage was created to address high suicide rates in the construction community and evolve the industry into one that prioritizes mental health alongside physical safety. Designed for scale, the cross-sector initiative will equip businesses of all sizes with construction-specific mental health and suicide prevention education and resources. Access resources and learn more about Hard Hat Courage at HardHatCourage.com.
