A Democratic senator from Nevada has introduced legislation aiming to reduce suicides among construction workers by authorising a study into the risks they face.
The study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would assess employment and financial stability, substance and alcohol use, access to healthcare, employment benefits and employee assistance programs.
The bill, tabled by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto and called the Constructing the Path to Suicide Prevention Act, would also require the Department of Health and Human Services to recommend prevention strategies to Congress.
This legislation is supported by the North America’s Building Trades Unions and the Laborers’ International Union of North America. It’s cosponsored by senators Mark Warner, Jeanne Shaheen, Ben Ray Luján, Mark Kelly and John Hickenlooper.
“Work in this industry presents distinct mental health risks, and we owe it to construction workers to find solutions,” Cortez Masto said.
“This legislation will give us the tools we need to combat the tragically high rate of suicide among construction workers and work to end the stigma around mental health on the jobsite.”
Mark Warner, senator for Virginia, said: “There is an unacceptably high rate of suicide among construction workers. This legislation will give us the resources to understand how we can combat it and better inform suicide prevention programs.”
In 2023, 17.9% suicides with a reported industry code were linked to those working in construction, while construction workers make up only 7.4% of the American workforce, according to a study by the National Library of Medicine.
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