Construction employers are facing increasing pressure to address worker well-being alongside physical jobsite safety, making suicide prevention an important workforce issue. Associated Builders & Contractors of Georgia will devote its September Business Over Breakfast meeting to suicide prevention and practical resources for construction professionals.
The Sept. 11 event will feature Mary Catherine Yates of Safety Consultants USA. The session will examine suicide-related risks within the construction workforce, warning signs that coworkers and supervisors may observe, and approaches for starting conversations with workers who may be struggling.
The program is scheduled during Suicide Prevention Month and is intended to give construction leaders and other business-side professionals practical information that can be shared with crews.
Resources discussed during the session will include Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention toolbox talks, a short suicide prevention video for safety meetings, an anonymous online screening resource and the Stand Up for Suicide Prevention pledge.
The event also emphasizes that construction personnel do not need to be mental health professionals to recognize warning signs or initiate a conversation with a colleague.
The September meeting is part of ABC of Georgia's recurring Business Over Breakfast program, which brings members together to discuss issues affecting construction businesses. Meeting subjects are selected based on current member and industry interests.
The Sept. 11 session will run from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at Associated Builders & Contractors of Georgia, 8975 Roswell Road, Atlanta.
Suicide prevention is increasingly being treated as part of broader construction safety and workforce strategies. For construction owners and contractors, providing supervisors and crews with practical resources can complement traditional safety programs and address worker well-being as part of overall workforce management.
Source: ABC Georgia.
