A silent crisis is unfolding within the construction industry. New research and CDC data reveal a disturbing reality: construction workers face mental health challenges at rates significantly higher than the general population, with alarming implications for workforce well-being and workplace safety. On November 19, 2025, KUTV reported on this emerging crisis that industry leaders and researchers say has been overlooked for too long.
The numbers are sobering and demand immediate attention from contractors, company leadership, and industry organizations nationwide.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), construction has the second-highest suicide rate of any occupation in the nation, behind only mining. This represents a crisis within an industry that employs millions of Americans.
A comprehensive 2025 study conducted by Clayco surveyed more than 2,000 construction workers and executives across the United States, revealing findings that shocked the industry:
"Nearly two-thirds of U.S. construction workers say they've experienced anxiety or depression in the last year," said Darcy Gruttadaro, NAMI's Chief Innovation Officer, in response to the Clayco findings. "Stigma and fear are barriers to workers seeking help. People may not feel like their colleagues will have confidence in them if they come forward."
Why is the construction industry experiencing such severe mental health challenges? Researchers and industry veterans point to several interconnected factors:
Scott Martin, founder of Surviving Life's Pickles and a construction industry veteran, survived his own suicide attempt in March 2024. His perspective is invaluable: "Nobody wants to deal with it; nobody knows how to deal with it," Martin said. "When you're at a job site a lot of the time you are by yourself."
The construction industry's traditional culture of toughness and self-reliance, while creating resilient workers, has also created significant barriers to seeking help. Workers fear being perceived as weak or unreliable if they admit to mental health struggles.
Tyler Nerdin, former owner of Mountain Man Plumbing, left the construction industry due to unsustainable work demands. "Towards the end of my career in construction, weekends were considered mandatory workdays," Nerdin explained. "It was difficult to separate your work from your personal life."
This lack of work-life balance creates chronic stress that compounds over time. Projects with tight deadlines, physical demands, and job site pressures create an environment where workers regularly sacrifice personal time and family relationships for project completion.
Construction workers often work in temporary positions moving from project to project. This job mobility creates challenges in building stable support networks and maintaining consistent mental health resources. Additionally, many construction workers work alone or in small teams at job sites, increasing isolation and reducing opportunities for peer support.
Recognizing the crisis, some construction companies are taking action. Slade Opheikens, President of R&O Construction, has made mental health support a company priority.
"I have depression, I have anxiety," Opheikens said. "I started to hear it so much, especially with a certain generation, that I thought: Is this how people are now identifying or is it what they are struggling with?"
Opheikens discovered a critical barrier to treatment: "Getting the right help has a waiting list of like three months — and that's too long." This accessibility issue means that workers who finally overcome stigma and seek help often face months of delay before receiving care.
For construction company owners and project managers, the mental health crisis presents both a moral imperative and a business opportunity. Addressing worker mental health improves employee retention, reduces project delays caused by absences, and creates a more productive workplace.
Concrete steps contractors can implement include:
Brigham Young University is taking a long-term research approach. Associate Professor James Smith is leading a nationwide study into construction-worker mental health—a topic that he notes has received insufficient academic attention historically.
"It's not something that has gotten a ton of academic attention," Smith said. When asked whether construction is behind other industries in addressing mental well-being, his response was direct: "I would say yes."
The BYU research team is exploring cultural factors, gathering data, and testing theories. However, Smith cautioned that developing concrete solutions will require sustained effort over years, with the study potentially needing 20 years of external funding to fully understand and address the issues.
The Associated General Contractors of Utah (AGC of Utah) launched a proactive response: a statewide Mental Health Summit and a centralized mental-health support hub to help workers and employers navigate resources and training.
"Sharing all the good makes us all better — and that's the same with mental health," said Opheikens, emphasizing the importance of industry-wide collaboration in addressing this crisis.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, crisis support and resources are available:
The construction industry's mental health crisis demands immediate, sustained action. Unlike physical safety—which has become a cultural priority over decades—mental health is just beginning to receive serious attention in construction.
Change requires commitment at multiple levels: company leadership must normalize mental health conversations and create realistic work expectations; industry organizations must continue research and resource sharing; and workers themselves must feel empowered to seek help without fear of stigma or retaliation.
For construction professionals reading this: if you're struggling, reach out. Your life has value. Your well-being matters. Help is available.
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