Chief executives from Bechtel, Fluor, Turner Construction Company, North America’s Building Trades Unions, Kiewit, Clark Construction, DPR Construction, Skanska, and Stanley Black & Decker, which includes DEWALT® in its portfolio of brands, have joined together as founding members of a new CEO Advisory Council that will guide an industry-wide effort to combat the high suicide rate among construction workers.
According to a news release, leaders participating on the council will bring vital expertise and support to an initiative launched earlier this year by Bechtel.
“Backed by the largest financial pledge in history to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), the initiative aims to develop new research-based programs and resources specifically tailored to the construction industry,” the release stated.
Led by a Construction Initiatives team within AFSP, the council seeks to reach 500,000 U.S. construction workers over the next five years through industry-specific programs and resources aiming to increase awareness of mental health aid and suicide prevention.
“Suicide prevention and mental health are issues that touch everyone in the construction industry,” said Brendan Bechtel, Bechtel chairman and CEO. “Just like with worksite safety, nothing is proprietary when it comes to saving lives. My fellow industry leaders share this belief and by joining this council, they’ve shown that they are committed to working together to find solutions. I’m deeply grateful for their participation as founding partners. The more we can engage a broad group of leaders and collaborate on solutions, the more effective we will be in providing our people the support they need. We owe it to them, to our colleagues, and to their families to find solutions and prevent these tragedies.”
“It’s powerful to see these top leaders across the construction community coming together to support this unique suicide prevention initiative,” said Robert Gebbia, AFSP CEO. “Their involvement sends a clear message that the industry is committed to finding solutions and making a difference in the lives of its workers. The council members’ insights will be invaluable to our team at AFSP as we develop the programs and resources to make this effort successful. We look forward to their collaboration.”
Founding members of the CEO Advisory Council include:
- Don Allan Jr., President and CEO, Stanley Black & Decker – Since 1924, DEWALT has been committed to supporting professional tradespeople through innovation, safety, and productivity. Today, 100 years later, our DEWALT Grow the Trades program reflects this mission with a $30 million commitment in initiatives and programs for current and future skilled workers, including efforts to address mental health issues.
- Brendan Bechtel, Chairman and CEO, Bechtel – Building on our partnership with the AFSP, Bechtel believes real culture change starts at home. We’ve launched a mental health first aid training program and implemented Mental Health Action Plans on all projects. Recently, as a lead sponsor of Construction Suicide Prevention Week, nearly 15,000 employees across 50 projects and 11 countries participated in a stand-down and a minute of silence.
- David Constable, Chairman and CEO, Fluor – Fluor’s global project sites and offices participate in STAND Up for Suicide Prevention Week, annually raising awareness about the suicide crisis in the construction industry. Leaders undergo Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Gatekeeper Training to learn how to identify warning signs of suicide and refer individuals for help related to Suicide Prevention and Mental Health First Aid. Fluor implements site specific programs engaging front line workers and supervisors in mental health discussions, fostering a culture of care and encouraging conversations about wellbeing.
- Peter Davoren, Chairman, President and CEO, Turner Construction Company – Turner actively promotes awareness of suicide prevention and mental health resources to the more than 100,000 people we welcome onto our project sites. In addition, our people receive training to help them build awareness of how to recognize and support those who may be developing or experiencing a mental health crisis.
- Richard Kennedy, President and CEO, Skanska USA – Skanska has a long-standing commitment to safety, health, and well-being, integrating these values into its operations. In 2014, Skanska was among the pioneers in launching the Incident and Injury-Free CEO Forum, which led to the creation of Construction Safety Week and later expanded to address mental health topics. Recognizing the vital link between safety, health, and wellbeing, Skanska has developed programs to support its workforce. These initiatives include training programs like Skanska’s Mental Health First Aid Green Sticker Program and providing training in partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention—all aimed at fostering a culture of care and support within the industry.
- Rick Lanoha, President and CEO, Kiewit – Through its comprehensive Under the HatTM Building Healthy Minds program and strategic partnerships with industry-focused mental health organizations, Kiewit provides one-stop, leading employee and family assistance care, and extensive mental health tools and training to support its more than 31,000 employees – and their families – in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
- Sean McGarvey, President, North America’s Building Trades Unions – NABTU is tremendously honored to work on this Council, collaborating with its fourteen international union affiliates, CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training, NABTU’s Safety and Health Committee, and the Opioid task force. Through the RESPECT (Responsible Environment Supporting Positivity Equity Culture and Treatment) initiative, NABTU leads collaborative efforts with owners, contractors, and mental health experts to develop national and grassroots programs focused on mental health and suicide prevention.
- Robert D. Moser, Jr., CEO, Clark Construction – Clark promotes mental health through several initiatives, including training leaders and craft professionals using Forefront’s L.E.A.R.N. technique to respond to crises. We participate in AGC’s Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Task Force and Construction Suicide Prevention Week. This year, Clark introduced Mental Health First Aid training to improve understanding of mental illness, suicide, and crisis response. We also provide mental health support through our partnership with Spring Health.
- George Pfeffer, CEO, DPR Construction – DPR offers its employees a variety of mental health resources, including a dedicated Mental Health Employee Resource Group, a pilot program for crafts people focused on mental health awareness and understanding, suicide prevention and mental health first aider training, workshops, and free access to confidential counseling, among other benefits.
The council will meet quarterly to evaluate current mental health programs, identify gaps in support, and design new initiatives that address the unique needs faced by construction professionals.
Source: Bechtel
