Contractors, Construction Unions Pushing Mental Health Reforms

Workers in the construction trade commit suicide at a higher rate than those in any other major industry group except mining, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Faced with that sobering statistic, a construction advocate organization and construction unions are partnering to raise awareness about mental health issues faced by laborers in the industry.

The Building Trades Employers' Association, which represents 1,200 New York union contractors, last month launched a new mental health safety platform at its annual safety conference. Among other reforms, the association wants the Department of Buildings to incorporate mental wellness into its safety plans and for the city to report annually on suicides categorized by industry. The initiatives include proposals for mental wellness to be discussed as part of on-site safety orientations and for the city to pass a law requiring that Narcan, a medication used to reverse the effect of a drug overdose, be available on larger construction sites.

“A key priority for the Building Trades is ensuring that all construction workers return home to their families at the end of each shift by advocating for their health and safety on the job site, and this includes their mental wellbeing,” said Gary LaBarbera, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York. “Our tradesmen and tradeswomen are the backbone of our middle class and countless key initiatives moving forward throughout our city, and it is clear that more must be done to support their mental and physical wellbeing so that they may take full advantage of the opportunities created by a career in the unionized construction industry.” Read more in The Chief.