Associated Builders and Contractors and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention recently formed a partnership to address mental health and suicide prevention in the U.S. construction industry.
The partnership aims to improve the mental health of construction workers through effective suicide prevention education, intervention, and postvention strategies, as well as to encourage, equip, and empower mental health champions in the workforce, and introduce collaboration between ABC and AFSP chapters nationwide.
“Safety includes total human health—emotional, social, mental, intellectual, financial, occupational and spiritual wellness—and we must continue to raise the bar for safety for the construction workforce of more than 7.5 million,” said Greg Sizemore, ABC vice president of health, safety, environment, and workforce development, in a news release. “Our people are our greatest asset, and this partnership will take our total human health and safety practices to the next level. Going forward, this is the greatest opportunity to leverage and advance world-class safety for our people, both physically and mentally.”
The partnership will:
· Develop and disseminate education resources on mental health and suicide prevention in workplaces and find and take advantage of opportunities to engage workers.
· Support suicide prevention and postvention education in the construction workplace at all levels of the organizations’ chapters and membership.
· Participate in key events where worker safety and health, as well as safety and health practitioners’ and other professionals’ development are addressed.
· Promote and facilitate the transfer of relevant mental health and suicide prevention and postvention research and findings to practitioners and to the construction workforce.
· Share opportunities with ABC and AFSP chapters on supportive programs and events.
Related Stories
| Mar 19, 2013
Senate bill would reform EPA’s lead renovation, repair, and painting rules
A bill to reform the EPA’s Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting Rule (LRRP) was recently introduced in the U.S. Senate.
| Mar 19, 2013
Boston mayor’s energy efficiency disclosure rule under fire
A proposed ordinance in Boston mandating energy audits is coming under criticism from the Greater Boston Real Estate Board and others as being too costly and intrusive.
| Mar 18, 2013
USGBC to GAO: 'Schools need over $271 billion in maintenance fixes'
The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has released its first “State of our Schools” report, highlighting the critical need to modernize school facilities to meet current health, safety and educational standards.
| Mar 14, 2013
Survey: Market demand now key driver for green construction
Construction firms across the world expect 60% of their projects to be environmentally friendly by 2015, according to the SmartMarket Report of McGraw-Hill Construction.
| Mar 14, 2013
Possible tax code changes prompt action from various industries, including construction
With Congress potentially tackling tax reform, businesses, trade groups and others are jockeying to get their voices heard.
| Mar 14, 2013
Concrete Polishing Association of America releases new standards
The Concrete Polishing Association of America(CPAA) Standards Committee, which reflects a cross-section of the concrete polishing industry, has created terminology to define the products and processes used to produce insitu polished concrete.
| Mar 14, 2013
World Green Building Council: Green buildings help mitigate real estate risk
Green buildings can offer benefits to a wide array of stakeholders throughout their life cycle, according to a report released by the World Green Building Council.
| Mar 14, 2013
Sustainability index aims to evaluate REITs on the greenness of their properties
FTSE Group, the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, and the U.S. Green Building Council are working on a sustainability index that measures the portfolios of real estate investment trusts to provide transparency about LEED certification and Energy Star ratings.
| Mar 6, 2013
OSHA: Employers must post injury and illness summaries
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is reminding employers to post OSHA Form 300A, which lists a summary of the total number of job-related injuries and illnesses that occurred during 2012.
| Mar 6, 2013
Study provides guidance to states on linking utility efficiency programs with energy codes
As states increasingly look to utilities to play an active role in supporting building energy codes, a new report from a coalition of energy efficiency advocates, has been issued to provide guidance for how state regulatory commissions and energy offices can best develop and evaluate such efforts.
