On most construction job sites, safety is measured in hard hats, harnesses and hazard controls. But industry leaders are increasingly recognizing another risk that doesn’t appear on inspection checklists: the mental and emotional load carried by workers.
Scott Evans, a suicide survivor with nearly a decade of experience in ready-mix concrete, uses the term "Invisible PPE" to frame mental health as part of job site safety. The concept recognizes stress, fatigue and emotional strain as factors that can affect focus, decision-making and overall wellbeing, all of which influence safety on the job site.
Mental health is a safety matter
It’s easy to spot physical safety issues like missing PPE or unsecured ladders, and the industry has improved in managing those risks. But often, before a serious problem occurs, there are internal warning signs, such as anger or increased absences, that signal someone may be struggling. Despite growing awareness, the industry is still figuring out how to respond to those warning signs.
“I don’t know if we’ve effectively bridged that gap yet,” Scott says.
Research supports this concern. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, construction continues to have one of the highest suicide rates of any industry. The CDC’s most recent analysis found that male construction workers died by suicide at a rate of about 56 per 100,000 workers, compared with roughly 32 per 100,000 across all industries.
Nonprofit organizations such as the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention, which provides education tailored to construction employers and workers, have expanded awareness and resources across the sector in recent years.
The remaining hurdle is making conversations about the topic practical at the crew level. That’s where leadership can step in and affect change.
The role of leadership
While awareness of mental health challenges is growing across the industry, the question many companies face is how to translate that awareness into everyday jobsite practices. Leadership provides awareness and resources, but their true impact depends on whether employees genuinely trust and believe in them. Achieving that goal often comes down to everyday job site interactions. For many supervisors and crew members, the challenge is knowing what to say or how to respond when something feels off.
To help make those conversations more practical, Evans developed what he calls 5 Life-Saving Tools, a job site focused framework designed to help crews recognize signs of distress and respond early. Rather than expecting supervisors to act as counselors or mental health professionals, the framework emphasizes practical steps crews can apply immediately:
- Notice changes in behavior or routine. Crews work closely together, making them the first to recognize when something shifts. A dependable worker who suddenly becomes withdrawn, irritable or frequently absent may be dealing with stress outside the job site.
- Ask direct but simple questions. Conversations do not need to be complicated to be effective. Asking something like, “What’s the heaviest thing you are carrying right now?” can give a struggling worker space to share concerns.
- Share your own story to open a door and reduce stigma. Lived experience can help normalize conversations around mental health and encourage early check-ins among crews, especially when it comes from leadership.
- Connect workers to available resources. Supervisors should know company or community support options before a crisis occurs, including the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which provides free, confidential support 24 hours a day.
- Act early rather than wait for a safety incident or personal crisis. A brief conversation during a break or after a shift can open the door to support before stress turns into a safety risk.
As awareness grows across the industry, leaders increasingly see communication and trust as key elements of a strong safety culture. Safety performance depends not only on physical conditions on the job site, but also on the environment leaders create for their teams.
“I don’t think there’s a magic pill, but I do think you’ll see increased adoption if leaders actually come out and show that they care,” Scott says.
Treating mental health as part of job site safety does not require sweeping policy changes. Often, it begins with small conversations that help workers realize they are not carrying their heaviest burdens alone.
About the author: AEM is the North American-based international trade group representing off-road equipment manufacturers and suppliers, with more than 1,000 companies and 200-plus product lines in the agriculture and construction-related sectors worldwide. AEM has an ownership stake in and manages several world-class exhibitions, including CONEXPO-CON/AGG.
