The U.S. Senate is considering new legislation aimed at tackling one of the construction industry’s most serious and often under-recognised challenges: the disproportionately high rate of suicide among workers.
Introduced by Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, the Constructing the Path to Suicide Prevention Act would seek to improve understanding of the factors that place construction workers at greater risk and provide a stronger basis for developing targeted suicide-prevention measures.
Under the proposed legislation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, would conduct a nationwide study into the specific risk factors affecting workers in the construction industry.
The initiative comes as concerns over mental health continue to grow across a sector that plays a central role in building the country’s homes, offices, roads and other infrastructure, while also facing longstanding challenges involving mental well-being, substance abuse, financial uncertainty and workplace culture.
“From our homes to our offices, our roads to our favourite coffee shops, construction workers are responsible for building America,” Cortez Masto said in announcing the legislation.
“But work in this industry presents distinct mental health risks, and we owe it to construction workers to find solutions. This legislation will give us the tools we need to combat the tragically high rate of suicide among construction workers and work to end the stigma around mental health on the jobsite.”
According to information released by Cortez Masto’s office, construction has the second-highest suicide risk of any industry in the United States.
The scale of the problem is particularly striking. In 2023, almost one in five suicide deaths for which an industry code was reported involved construction workers, even though construction employees represented only around seven per cent of the U.S. workforce.
Supporters of the bill say the figures demonstrate that construction faces a combination of challenges that warrant dedicated research and specific policy responses.
Examining the factors behind the risk
The proposed federal study would focus on construction workers who died by suicide, with researchers seeking to identify the circumstances and conditions associated with the elevated risk.
The investigation would cover a broad range of employment, organisational and personal factors. These would include job and financial stability, alcohol and substance use, access to health-care coverage, employee benefits, employee assistance programmes and other available support services.
The objective would go beyond simply documenting the number of deaths. Supporters want the research to establish a clearer understanding of the working and personal conditions that may contribute to the crisis.
The legislation would also require the Department of Health and Human Services to deliver a report to Congress containing policy recommendations and proposals for future suicide-prevention programmes specifically designed for construction workers.
The focus on construction reflects the particular pressures associated with employment in the sector. Workers can face seasonal fluctuations, project-based employment, economic uncertainty and physically demanding conditions, all of which can contribute to instability and stress.
At the same time, mental health advocates have highlighted a longstanding workplace culture in which workers may feel discouraged from acknowledging difficulties or seeking professional support.
Unions and industry groups back the measure
Advocates hope the legislation will help change the way mental health is discussed across the construction industry and bring greater visibility to a crisis that has affected thousands of workers and families across the United States.
“There is an unacceptably high rate of suicide among construction workers,” said Sen. Mark Warner. “This legislation will give us the resources to understand how we can combat it and better inform suicide prevention programs.”
The proposal has received backing from a coalition of lawmakers and labour organisations, underlining the growing recognition that mental health is an important workplace issue in construction.
Among the organisations supporting the bill are North America’s Building Trades Unions, the Laborers’ International Union of North America, the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters and several Nevada-based building trades councils.
The measure is also supported by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust.
Union support is particularly significant as organised labour has increasingly treated mental health as part of workplace safety. Construction safety initiatives have traditionally focused heavily on preventing physical injuries and fatalities, but labour leaders are increasingly arguing that psychological well-being should receive comparable attention.
Building an evidence-based response
Supporters believe the proposed study could give employers, unions and policy-makers a stronger evidence base for addressing the problem.
By determining which risk factors have the greatest impact, researchers could help identify more effective interventions, improve access to support services and reduce some of the barriers that prevent workers from seeking assistance.
“Construction workers build America – our homes, our roads, and our communities,” said Sen. Mark Kelly. “With an alarming suicide rate in this industry, they should have the resources to take care of their mental health. This bill will help us understand what’s driving those numbers to prevent more deaths.”
The legislation has been referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, where it will be considered.
If enacted, the measure would mark one of the most targeted federal efforts to date to investigate and address suicide risk within the U.S. construction industry. It could also provide the foundation for future policies and prevention programmes aimed specifically at protecting the workers responsible for building communities across America.
