Hard Hat Courage initiative reaches 188,000 workers with mental health resources

Bechtel and AFSP held an event in Washington, D.C., unveiling the partnership, focused on raising awareness, educating stakeholders on the construction mental health crisis (Image: Bechtel)

The Hard Hat Courage campaign, developed by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) in partnership with Bechtel and backed by a coalition of leading contractors, has provided construction-specific wellbeing resources and training across the sector. More than 165,000 people engaged with the programme during Construction Suicide Prevention Week in September (8-12 September).

AFSP has expanded its network of partners to scale the initiative, working with the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), Construction Suicide Prevention Week, and firms including APM. The partnership with NCCER means Talk Saves Lives: An Introduction to Suicide Prevention in the Construction Industry is now available through NCCER’s learning management system.

Robert Gebbia, AFSP CEO, said, “Confronting suicide in the construction community through this work is one of AFSP’s strategic priorities because of its high rates of suicide relative to other industries. Together, every organization in our Hard Hat Courage initiative coalition will add to the impact, equipping even more of the construction workforce with the tools to practice self-care and support each other and helping construction companies to prevent and address suicide in their industry.”

During Construction Suicide Prevention Week, stand-downs were held across 1,222 jobsites, Toolbox Talks were introduced, and more than 1,300 workers took part in training sessions. Since the August launch of HardHatCourage.com, more than 360 resources have been downloaded.

Boyd Worsham, NCCER president and CEO, added, “The construction industry has a long tradition of looking out for one another, and it has become clear that responsibility of supporting your fellow crew member is more important than ever. Our mission has always been to provide training that allows craft professionals to succeed in life-changing careers. Partnering with AFSP extends that mission. We want to give craft professionals the tools to care for themselves and each other, so they can build safe, rewarding careers.”

The initiative has set a target of reaching 500,000 craft professionals within five years. AFSP will also deliver tailored programmes at industry trade shows, including The Utility Expo in October.

The campaign is supported by a CEO Advisory Council that includes Bechtel, Clark Construction, Dewalt, DPR, Fluor, Kiewit, NABTU, Skanska and Turner.