Trigger Warning: this article mentions suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling please call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
Georgia’s construction industry is one of the state’s fastest-growing sectors, but industry leaders say the demands placed on workers are making mental health support an increasingly important part of workplace safety.
Construction contributes $80.9 billion to Georgia’s economy and supports roughly 250,000 workers statewide, according to the Associated Builders & Contractors of Georgia’s Economic Report. But behind that growth is a workforce facing long hours, tight deadlines, labor shortages, travel demands and the pressures of working in a high-risk environment.
In recognition of June as Men’s Health Month, the association has expanded its training programs, suicide prevention initiatives and partnerships aimed at reducing stigma around mental health. The efforts include partnering with the Mental Fitness Company “My Steady Mind” to offer mental fitness training for members, including a “Pause When Pissed” workshop and a Mental Fitness Course. The initiative reflects a broader effort to move mental health from a side conversation to a workplace priority.
“Construction leaders have worked hard to build cultures of safety and improve physical protections on the jobsite, but mental health requires a different approach,” Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Georgia President Bill Anderson said. “You can see when someone isn’t wearing PPE; you can’t always see when someone is struggling mentally.”
Construction workers face pressures that extend beyond the physical demands of the job. Projects often require workers to travel long distances or spend months away from their families. Job sites can be high-pressure environments where workers must remain focused while operating heavy equipment, power tools and electrical systems.
“There are some job sites that take a worker away from their family for months at a time … just the pressure of being away from family and loved ones can be another pressure point,” Anderson said.
The industry’s demographics can also make mental health challenges harder to address. Construction remains predominantly male and includes a significant veteran population. Anderson said many workers still feel pressure to handle problems on their own rather than seek help. Combined with a culture that has historically emphasized toughness and self-reliance, mental health concerns can go unaddressed until they reach a crisis point.
Anderson noted that construction has a high suicide rate and said changing that culture is a key part of the industry’s response.
“It’s okay to talk about it,” Anderson said. “It’s not like, ‘Oh, you’re not a tough guy’ just because you bring this up.”
“Those challenges can have consequences beyond worker well-being. Anderson said mental health affects safety and job performance because distracted or overwhelmed workers may struggle to remain focused in hazardous environments.”
“If you’re not 100% there mentally, then you can’t really focus on the other aspects of safety on the job site,” he said.
To address the issue, ABC of Georgia partnered with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, to promote awareness of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.The organization also provides services from mental health champions within each chapter who are certified to lead suicide prevention training.
The association reported that awareness of the 988 hotline among Georgia construction workers has reached 67.2%, compared with 48.7 percent among the state’s general population. ABC of Georgia has also committed to conducting three Total Human Health training events this year and incorporating mental health into its safety benchmarking efforts.
Anderson said the industry’s focus is evolving from awareness to action.
“Now mental health is also really just as important as the [physical] safety of the workers,” he said.
Creating a healthier workplace starts with culture, Anderson said. Supervisors and company leaders can encourage workers to speak openly about mental health concerns, incorporate wellness discussions into safety meetings and make resources visible on jobsites. “Workers can reach out to supervisors, designated mental health champions or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.”For workers who may be struggling, Anderson urged them to seek support rather than suffer in silence.
“There are a lot of resources out there,” he said. “We want to help you, we can help you … be tough enough to talk and speak up about it.”
“Anderson also encouraged community members to check in on friends, family members and co-workers who may be struggling.”
As construction companies continue emphasizing physical safety on jobsites, ABC of Georgia hopes mental health will become an equally visible part of protecting workers and strengthening the industry’s workforce.
