Working together to prevent suicide in the construction industry By: Associated Press December 16, 2020
11:52 am
When an employee at a Milwaukee construction firm took his own life, the trauma struck all parts of the company and was felt keenly for a long time. Whenever suicide takes someone we know, our first thoughts are to the loved ones left behind. But the impact on a workplace can also be very deep, leaving former colleagues wondering if there was any sign we missed, any way we could have helped avert such a terrible occurrence.
Our industry is coming together in Milwaukee to help try and bring the rate of suicide down. This includes a local mental health task force that is working with general contractors in the area to get the message out at their jobsites – and meeting once a month to discuss mental health. The Wisconsin Underground Contractors Association and Associated General Contractors Association safety committees have also been focused on this issue. In