Safety concerns for construction workers go beyond physical injuries, says expert
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the construction industry has one of the highest rates of suicide among professions with 6,000 workers dying by suicide in 2022 compared to 1,000 who died from a construction-related work injury.
“Construction safety, health, and well-being are like a three-legged stool,” said Virginia Tech’s Brian Kleiner, head of the Myers-Lawson School of Construction in the College of Engineering. “If one leg is weak, the entire stool is unstable. Also, safety, health, and well-being are not mutually exclusive. For example, a worker with mental health issues may take more safety risks because they are distracted or more focused on mental issues and less able to pay attention to the physical labor.”
Kleiner said numerous factors contribute to instances of suicide, including the demographics of the population. "Most construction workers are in the age range where we see the highest rates of suicide nationwide. Many workers are veterans who struggle with PTSD, and some workers engage in substance abuse with opioid-use frequently traced back to suicides. Another consideration is the correlation between physical and mental health, which can have a domino effect.
“There is no doubt that construction is a physically demanding occupation,” Kleiner said. “Researchers in Australia have shown a relationship between physical pain, such as musculoskeletal disorders, and mental health disorders. The problem is somewhat cyclical: Workers are in pain. Their mental health is affected, which in turn decreases their performance. This leads to increased problems on the job that compounds mental health problems, and so on.”
Currently, the construction industry is facing a worker shortage, and while a high suicide rate doesn't help with reputation, it doesn't impact significantly the number of workers directly. However, there are indirect effects that can greatly impact the remaining workforce. For example, colleagues can be distracted by a suicide and begin to question their own mental health.
To counteract high suicide rates, employers can provide successful interventions like lenient leave policies and having counselors available, ideally 24/7. Most importantly, Kleiner said, employers should be trained in crisis management, including the ability to detect problems before they escalate. “The first line of defense is to talk about it, and that’s a real challenge,” he said.
About Kleiner
Brian Kleiner studies safety, health, and well-being in relation to construction safety. His research considers the whole person and is human-centered, exploring safety factors such as falls from heights, health factors such as musculoskeletal problems, as well as well-being factors such as suicide to holistically evaluate and improve conditions for construction workers.
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Contact Margaret Ashburn in the media relations office at mkashburn@vt.edu or 540-529-0814.
