Construction workers face high suicide risks

Construction workers have been facing high suicide risks, according to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that analyzed suicide rates across various industries and occupations.

The report found certain occupations, such as construction, have higher rates. There could be several factors leading to this, including gender. Men tend to die of suicide at a significantly higher rate than women.

Sidney Hawkins, a Safety and Training Director at Canyon State Electric (CSE), joined “Arizona Horizon” to share more about the results of this new report.

“It’s always been a high suicide rate, but it’s growing more and more, and we’re also seeing a lot more of the younger generation coming into it. And so it’s just going to get worse,” Hawkins said.

When asked if he was surprised by the results of the report, Hawkins shared he was not surprised and explained why.

“No, because of the job itself, and there’s a lot of problems with the stigma, just the tough industry, and the difficulty of construction,” Hawkins said.

Hawkins shared some of the reasons why the suicide rates are higher among men who work on-site in construction.

“Obviously, the stress of the job, the schedules, the deadlines. We have to do everything to perfection in this field. You’re on your feet 10 hours a day, there are no shortcuts, and at the end of the day, it really comes down to everything has to be perfect, and that is a high amount of stress,” Hawkins said.

Hawkins also talked about his role in 4×5, a non-profit arm of CSE that works toward providing services and resources to those in need.

“As the Safety and Training Director, one of my goals, one of my job duties is to look at leading indicators. And so when I look at the biggest thing that’s causing the most damage, it turned out be poor mental health; four times higher than the national average, five times higher than what we call the ‘fatal four.’ And we just came up with the concept one day and started its own non-profit organization,” Hawkins said.

By creating the 4×5 program, Hawkins and others are hoping to not only begin these conversations around mental health, but they are also working to destigmatize them.

“That’s one of the problems that we have, until we address the actual problem, and recognize that it is a problem and talk it out, and realize that it’s okay to talk it out as men,” Hawkins said.