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Construction has some of the highest suicide rates of any sector in the world - up to 3.5 times the U.S. national average - and ranks as the #1 industry for deaths by suicide.
Isolation, uncertainty and a “culture of toughness” are some of the top factors contributing to these rates. One of the best ways to support safety and improve mental health on the job site is to empower construction workers to watch over one another and to learn how to address the problem. That’s where we want to help.
This National Suicide Prevention Week, September 5-11, MindForge is working to increase awareness of mental health and suicide prevention on the construction site by partnering with Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP) and LivingWorks, two organizations determined to provide resources for suicide prevention and mental health promotion to create a zero suicide industry.
MindForge is now offering CIASP’s six-part Suicide Prevention video series for free and distributing information on LivingWork’s paid content to our users. The CIASP content will be provided to all MindForge users at no cost in order to support the company’s mission of achieving zero construction deaths on any job site. All content will be hosted indefinitely through our platform.
"Our goal at MindForge is to build a platform that improves communication and learning among construction teams. We’re proud to be able to use our platform to distribute life-saving information from CIASP and LivingWorks, and help raise awareness about suicide risk in the construction industry."
Stokes McIntyre, President of MindForge
We are also proud to pilot this initiative with our partner, Jordan Foster Construction, who has already started distributing this training content to its team.
“The MindForge partnership complements our Total Worker Health initiative. Jordan Foster’s goal is to make sure we provide cutting-edge training and education to our field associates. Mental well-being is a hidden, deadly risk. The MindForge partnership is just one more way we can do our part to protect our associates. We are proud to be at the forefront of this important initiative.”
Tricia Kagerer, Executive Vice President Risk Management at Jordan Foster
If you’re a MindForge user and would like to learn more about how to incorporate CIASP or LivingWorks content into your training, contact Stephen Villarreal. If you’re not a current MindForge user and would like to learn more, reach out to us here.
About CIASP:
CIASP aims to better equip companies to adequately address mental health concerns and reduce the risk of suicide among the construction workforce. They are dedicated to changing the statistics surrounding suicide deaths in construction by educating and equipping organizations, industry service providers and construction professionals to STAND Up for suicide prevention and address it as a health and safety priority.
About LivingWorks:
LivingWorks’ programs have been leading the field of suicide prevention for more than 35 years. Their 50+ peer-reviewed studies and government reports provide evidence and validation of participant learning, skill development, positive impact and understanding of how to co-create safety. The programs teach trainees to recognize when someone is thinking about suicide and how to connect them with help and support.