Construction is the second highest-rated industry affected by suicide
In late 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 the highest rate 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.
On December 6, 2022, AGC of America released aseries of videostelling 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.