The CDC's National Violent Death Reporting System released its 2025 data in January 2026, and the number that should be posted in every construction trailer in America is this: construction workers die by suicide at a rate of 53.3 per 100,000 — four times the national average of 13.5 per 100,000 and higher than any other major occupational group, including military veterans.
That rate translates to approximately 6,000 construction workers who died by suicide in 2025. To put that in perspective, total construction workplace fatalities from all accidents — falls, struck-by, electrocutions, caught-in-between — were 1,069 in the most recent BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. Suicide kills more than five times as many construction workers as jobsite accidents.
This is not a new problem, but it is getting worse. The construction suicide rate has increased 18% since 2019 even as the national rate has declined slightly. And the industry has been slow to respond — far slower than it would respond to any physical safety hazard with these numbers.
This article is about what crews, supervisors, project managers, and company owners can do. Not in theory. In practice, on the jobsite, starting this week.
Why Construction Workers Are at Higher Risk
The research on construction suicide identifies several intersecting risk factors that are embedded in the structure of the work itself:
Chronic pain and injury
A 2024 study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine found that 62% of construction workers report chronic musculoskeletal pain, compared to 31% of workers in all industries combined. Construction work is physically punishing — repetitive lifting, kneeling, overhead work, vibration exposure — and the cumulative toll creates chronic pain conditions that persist through careers and into retirement.
Chronic pain is one of the strongest predictors of suicide risk. Workers in pain self-medicate — often with alcohol, often with opioids — and the intersection of chronic pain, substance use, and untreated mental health conditions creates a compounding risk profile.
Substance use
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health consistently shows construction workers among the highest rates of substance use of any occupational group:
- Heavy alcohol use: 16.5% of construction workers report heavy alcohol use, compared to 8.7% nationally
- Illicit drug use: 12.4% of construction workers report past-month illicit drug use, compared to 9.1% nationally
- Prescription opioid misuse: Construction workers are prescribed opioids at a rate 2.4 times the national average, largely for workplace injuries, and opioid misuse rates in the industry are correspondingly elevated
Safety note: Substance use in construction is not a character flaw — it is a predictable consequence of an industry that injures workers at high rates and then offers limited support for recovery. Treating substance use as a moral failing rather than a medical condition drives the problem underground, where it compounds with depression and chronic pain to increase suicide risk.
Work culture and masculinity norms
Construction remains one of the most male-dominated industries in the American economy. Men represent 89% of the construction workforce, and the culture on many jobsites reflects traditional masculine norms that discourage emotional expression, vulnerability, and help-seeking.
Research from the Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan found that 83% of construction workers said they would not tell a coworker they were struggling with mental health. Sixty-one percent said they would not seek professional help because they feared being seen as weak. Forty-three percent said they did not know how to access mental health services through their employer.
Men die by suicide at four times the rate of women nationally. In construction, where the workforce is 89% male and the culture actively discourages help-seeking, those national patterns are amplified.
Economic instability
Construction is cyclical. Layoffs are routine. Many workers move from project to project with gaps in employment between them. Health insurance is often tied to union hours or employer tenure, and losing a job can mean losing coverage.
The BLS reports that construction has the third-highest layoff rate of any industry, and financial stress is a significant risk factor for suicide. A worker who has been laid off, lost health insurance, and is dealing with chronic pain and untreated depression is in crisis — even if he shows up to his next job and acts like everything is fine.
Access to lethal means
Construction workers have higher rates of firearm ownership than the general population, and firearms are the most common method of suicide in the United States. Access to lethal means during a crisis is one of the most significant risk factors for completed suicide.
What the Data Shows
The numbers paint a clear picture:
- Rate: 53.3 per 100,000 construction workers, versus 13.5 per 100,000 national average (CDC NVDRS, 2025)
- Absolute numbers: Approximately 6,000 construction suicides per year
- Trend: 18% increase in construction suicide rate since 2019
- Age distribution: Highest rates among workers aged 35-54, corresponding to mid-career workers dealing with cumulative physical wear, family responsibilities, and often the peak of substance use disorders
- Trade variation: Rates are highest among laborers, roofers, and ironworkers — trades with the highest physical demands and injury rates
- Seasonal pattern: Suicide rates in construction peak in late winter and early spring, corresponding to the end of slow seasons in northern markets when financial stress and isolation are highest
What Crews Can Do: Practical Steps
1. Break the silence — with specifics
Generic mental health awareness posters do not work. What works is direct, specific communication from people the workforce trusts — foremen, stewards, respected journeymen.
At your next safety meeting, try this: "The suicide rate in our trade is four times the national average. That means on a crew our size, statistically, one or two of us are dealing with something heavy right now. If that's you, here's what's available." Then hand out cards with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number (call or text 988), the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention resources, and your company's EAP contact.
This is not a comfortable conversation. It is a necessary one. And the first time a foreman says it out loud, it gives permission for the crew to take it seriously.
2. Train supervisors in QPR or similar gatekeeper programs
QPR — Question, Persuade, Refer — is a 90-minute training program that teaches three skills: how to ask someone directly if they are thinking about suicide, how to persuade them to seek help, and how to refer them to appropriate resources. It is the mental health equivalent of CPR — basic life-saving skills that anyone can learn.
The Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention offers QPR training specifically adapted for construction environments. LIUNA, the UA, the IBEW, and several other building trades unions have endorsed and funded QPR training for their members.
Every foreman, superintendent, and project manager should complete gatekeeper training. These are the people who see workers every day, who notice when someone's behavior changes, who have the relationship to ask the hard question.
3. Make the Employee Assistance Program actually accessible
Most construction companies with more than 50 employees have an EAP. Very few workers use it. National EAP utilization rates are around 5-8%. In construction, estimates suggest utilization is even lower — around 2-3%.
The barriers are predictable:
- Workers do not know the EAP exists
- Workers do not know how to access it
- Workers believe it is not confidential
- EAP counselors are not available outside business hours (when construction workers are working)
- EAP phone trees are frustrating and feel impersonal
To fix this: mention the EAP at every safety orientation and at least quarterly in toolbox talks. Post the number in porta-johns, break trailers, and on hard hat stickers — places where a worker can see it privately. Confirm with your EAP provider that they offer evening and weekend appointments. Ask for a provider who has experience with construction workers, first responders, or similar populations. Consider switching to an EAP that offers text-based counseling, which younger workers often prefer over phone calls.
Safety note: Confidentiality is not negotiable. If a worker calls your EAP and their supervisor finds out, your program is dead. Confirm with your EAP provider in writing that no identifying information is shared with the employer — only aggregate utilization data.
4. Address chronic pain and substance use directly
Offer non-opioid pain management resources. Stretching programs, on-site athletic trainers, physical therapy referrals, and ergonomic tool upgrades are not luxuries — they are interventions that reduce the chronic pain that drives substance use and suicide risk.
If your company drug-tests, consider how your policy handles positive results. A zero-tolerance termination policy drives substance use underground and prevents workers from seeking help. A policy that offers treatment as a first option — with return-to-work pathways after completion — reduces the stigma and gives workers a reason to come forward.
Several major contractors have implemented "second chance" programs that offer treatment instead of termination for first-time positive drug tests. Preliminary data from these programs shows retention rates above 70% for workers who complete treatment, compared to the 100% loss rate of zero-tolerance termination.
5. Build peer support networks
Peer support programs — where trained construction workers serve as peer counselors for their coworkers — are among the most effective mental health interventions in the industry. The model works because construction workers trust other construction workers more than they trust outside professionals.
The LiUNA Member Assistance Program, the IBEW's peer support initiative, and the Operating Engineers' Building Resilience program all use peer support models. Workers are trained in active listening, crisis intervention, and resource referral, and they serve as a bridge between the jobsite and professional mental health services.
If your company or local union does not have a peer support program, consider starting one. CIASP provides startup resources and training curricula.
6. Normalize time off for mental health
Construction culture glorifies toughness and endurance. Taking a day off for a back injury is acceptable. Taking a day off because you are in crisis is not — at least not in most crew cultures.
Supervisors set the tone. A foreman who says "take care of yourself, we'll cover your work" when a worker is struggling sends a different message than one who says "we need you here, can't afford to be short." The first response might save a life. The second might cost one.
7. Plan for high-risk periods
The data shows that suicide risk peaks during layoffs, project completions, seasonal slowdowns, and after workplace injuries. These are predictable events. Plan for them:
- Before a layoff, provide every affected worker with EAP contact information and 988 Lifeline cards
- After a serious injury, check in with the injured worker regularly — not just about their physical recovery, but about how they are doing overall
- During winter slowdowns, maintain contact with laid-off workers through union halls, text check-ins, or social media groups
Company-Level Actions
Establish a mental health policy
Put it in writing. State that your company recognizes mental health as a workplace safety issue, that employees are encouraged to seek help without stigma, and that the company provides resources including the EAP, 988 Lifeline, and peer support.
Invest in training
Budget for annual QPR or gatekeeper training for all supervisors. Budget for mental health first aid training for interested workers. Budget for peer support program development.
Track and respond to warning signs
Changes in behavior are the most reliable warning signs: increased absence, declining work quality, withdrawal from the crew, increased irritability, giving away tools or belongings, increased substance use, or talking about being a burden.
Train supervisors to notice these changes and to have direct, private conversations when they do. The conversation does not need to be perfect. It needs to happen.
Partner with suicide prevention organizations
The Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (preventconstructionsuicide.com) offers toolbox talks, training resources, hard hat stickers, and a framework for building a company-wide suicide prevention program. Their Stand Down for Suicide Prevention, held annually in September, provides a structured opportunity to address the issue industry-wide.
The growing presence of women in construction may be one factor that helps shift jobsite culture toward greater openness about mental health. Research suggests that gender-diverse teams have higher rates of help-seeking behavior across all team members.
For context on the broader workforce challenges that contribute to the stress and instability many construction workers experience, see our workforce gap analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the suicide rate for construction workers compared to other industries?
Construction workers die by suicide at a rate of 53.3 per 100,000, which is approximately four times the national average of 13.5 per 100,000 and the highest rate of any major occupational group. By comparison, the rate for manufacturing workers is approximately 28 per 100,000, for law enforcement approximately 26 per 100,000, and for healthcare workers approximately 18 per 100,000. The construction suicide rate has increased 18% since 2019.
What is the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and how do construction workers access it?
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a free, confidential service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by calling or texting 988. It is staffed by trained counselors who can provide immediate support and referrals. Construction workers can access it by calling 988, texting 988, or chatting at 988lifeline.org. The service is available in English and Spanish. For construction-specific resources, the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP) provides additional tools and referrals at preventconstructionsuicide.com.
What is QPR training and why is it recommended for construction supervisors?
QPR stands for Question, Persuade, Refer. It is a 90-minute evidence-based gatekeeper training program that teaches three skills: how to ask someone directly if they are considering suicide (Question), how to encourage them to seek help (Persuade), and how to connect them with professional resources (Refer). It is recommended for construction supervisors because they have daily contact with workers and are best positioned to notice behavioral changes that may indicate crisis. Multiple building trades unions have endorsed QPR training, and the CIASP offers construction-adapted versions of the curriculum.
How can construction companies reduce suicide risk among their workers?
The most effective approach combines multiple strategies: training supervisors in gatekeeper programs like QPR, making Employee Assistance Programs accessible and well-publicized, addressing chronic pain through non-opioid alternatives, implementing peer support programs staffed by trained construction workers, normalizing mental health conversations in toolbox talks and safety meetings, and planning targeted outreach during high-risk periods such as layoffs, seasonal slowdowns, and after workplace injuries. Companies should establish written mental health policies and partner with organizations like CIASP for resources and guidance.
