Construction Worker Wellness
A.D. Thompson, Constructor Magazine
For most of the history of the construction industry, says Cal Beyer, the topic of mental health has been taboo. Addressing things like depression and substance misuse were nonstarters.
“We see this often in male-dominated industries — in the military, heavy manufacturing, oil, gas and mining,” he explains. “People talk about ACEs, adverse childhood experiences, which looks at early childhood trauma and construction has high rates of that — separation anxiety, single parents, people raised without a lot of stability.”
The expectation was that folks should leave their issues at home, notes Beyer, vice president, workforce risk and worker wellbeing for Holmes Murphy & Associates, a member of multiple AGC chapters.