by Andy Haman

Mental health for the average American worker has seemed a bleak in recent memory. Some statistics from Health and Human Services provide some context:

• 76% of U.S. workers reported at least one symptom of a mental health condition.
  Source: MindShare Partners’ 2021 Mental Health at Work Report 
• 84% of respondents said their workplace conditions had contributed to at least one mental health challenge.
  Source: MindShare Partners’ 2021 Mental Health at Work Report 
• 81% of workers reported that they will be looking for workplaces that support mental health in the future.
  Source: APA’s 2022 Work and Well-being Survey results 

While ongoing conversation around better resources and assistance has provided inroads for improvement across the industrial sector, the construction industry seems to be getting left behind to a degree.

According to the APA’s Center for Workplace Mental Health, American construction ranks second in suicide rates by major industry (per the CDC). A total of 16.5% of workers report heavy alcohol use. One in seven report drug or alcohol dependence during the past year. One in nine workers report illicit drug use in the past month. An additional 1.3% of workers reported an opioid use disorder – nearly twice the national average (American Addiction Centers).

The Center for Workplace Mental Health details some risk factors native to the industry:

• Male dominated industry, with men experiencing the highest suicide rates
• Toughness and strength are valued, and mental health conditions, or seeking help, may be seen as personal weakness
• Stigma and fear of consequences associated with mental health issues and help seeking
• Shame and fear of judgment
• Chronic pain
• Seasonal and cyclical work contributing to family and financial strain
• High stress and deadline driven work
• Limited job control
• Long work hours including potential for large volumes of overtime, leading to fatigue
• Separation of family when working away from home

Where to go from here? On the institutional level, one has to look at changing the culture – of manufacturing companies, contracting firms or job crews. Whatever the context, efforts have to be made toward removing or lessening the impact of these stressors and creating a positive work environment.

The remainder of this article at the Center for Workplace Mental Health, titled “Mental Health & Well-being in the Construction Industry” (from which some of the statistics above are lifted) provides a detailed breakdown of the results from the center’s 2021 survey and might be great further reading for those in management or supervisory roles.

But that’s all human resource policy and long-term team building and cultural restructuring. What can be done in the here and now to create change? What resources can be provided?

The folks at Construction Safety Week do great work in that department and RockRoadRecycle looks forward to highlighting them again in a month or two as we approach their 2025 dates in May.

They have provided an impressive list of mental health resources specifically for to the construction professional at www.constructionsafetyweek.com. There are several options available for self-screening, which is a great asset as it allows participants to retain their autonomy while also giving them the vocabulary and confidence to seek further help.

If you or someone you know is struggling, know that you are not alone and these issues are more prevalent than you think. There is help and relief out there for everyone.