Suicide is a complex issue with many causes, and it has an extensive impact; but suicides are preventable. Unfortunately, our industry continues to have more suicides than any other industry and one of the highest rates of suicide. The rate of suicide in our industry is nearly four times that of the general population. Males still account for nearly 80 percent of all suicide deaths, and nearly 1.4 million Americans make a suicide attempt each year.

Early in my career, job site fatalities and injuries were common. Thankfully, the construction industry concluded this was not acceptable; we addressed the problem through extensive safety training, implementation of better procedures (such as hazard analysis), and the purchase and use of personal protective equipment.