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October 17, 2024

Top Construction CEOs Join Industry-Wide Initiative to Combat Suicide Among Workers in Construction

Advisory Council Brings Together Bechtel, Fluor, Stanley Black & Decker, Turner Construction Company, North America’s Building Trades Unions, Kiewit, Clark Construction, DPR Construction, and Skanska to Help Drive Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Efforts

Chief executives from Bechtel, Fluor, Turner Construction Company, North America’s Building Trades Unions, Kiewit, Clark Construction, DPR Construction, Skanska, and Stanley Black & Decker, which includes DEWALT® in its portfolio of brands, have joined together as founding members of a new CEO Advisory Council. This council will guide an industry-wide effort to develop solutions targeting the high rate of suicide among construction workers.

Leaders participating on the council will bring vital expertise and support to an initiative launched earlier this year by Bechtel. Backed by the largest financial pledge in history to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), the initiative aims to develop new research-based programs and resources specifically tailored to the construction industry. To start, the effort, led by a newly established Construction Initiatives team within AFSP, seeks to reach 500,000 U.S. construction workers over the next five years through industry-specific programs and resources aiming to increase awareness of mental health aid and suicide prevention. For more details, read the press release on this partnership.

Today, the establishment of the CEO Advisory Council signifies a strong commitment to bringing stakeholders together and maximizing the collective efforts of its members.

“Suicide prevention and mental health are issues that touch everyone in the construction industry,” said Brendan Bechtel, Bechtel chairman and CEO. “Just like with worksite safety, nothing is proprietary when it comes to saving lives. My fellow industry leaders share this belief and by joining this council, they’ve shown that they are committed to working together to find solutions. I’m deeply grateful for their participation as founding partners. The more we can engage a broad group of leaders and collaborate on solutions, the more effective we will be in providing our people the support they need. We owe it to them, to our colleagues, and to their families to find solutions and prevent these tragedies.”

“It’s powerful to see these top leaders across the construction community coming together to support this unique suicide prevention initiative,” said Robert Gebbia, AFSP CEO. “Their involvement sends a clear message that the industry is committed to finding solutions and making a difference in the lives of its workers. The council members’ insights will be invaluable to our team at AFSP as we develop the programs and resources to make this effort successful. We look forward to their collaboration.”

Founding Members of the CEO Advisory Council include:

The council will meet quarterly to evaluate current mental health programs, identify gaps in support, and design new initiatives that address the unique needs faced by construction professionals. Their efforts will include enhancing training programs, launching awareness campaigns, and improving access to mental health resources throughout the industry.

For further insights, read more from Brendan Bechtel on confronting suicide in the construction community. To learn more about this initiative and how to get involved, visit: Confronting Suicide in the Construction Industry | Bechtel.

About Bechtel

Bechtel is a trusted engineering, construction and project management partner to industry and government. Differentiated by the quality of our people and our relentless drive to deliver the most successful outcomes, we align our capabilities to our customers’ objectives to create a lasting positive impact. Since 1898, we have helped customers complete more than 25,000 projects in 160 countries on all seven continents that have created jobs, grown economies, improved the resiliency of the world’s infrastructure, increased access to energy, resources, and vital services, and made the world a safer, cleaner place.  

Bechtel serves the Energy; Infrastructure; Manufacturing & Technology; Mining & Metals; and Nuclear, Security & Environmental markets. Our services span from initial planning and investment, through start-up and operations. www.bechtel.com