providing access to resources to improve total human health: physical, mental, emotional, social, intellectual, financial, occupational and spiritual wellness.” As an employer or a coworker, it is essential that you recognize the warning signs of a potential suicide. Those signs include: • Appearing sad or depressed. • Increased tardiness and absenteeism. • Talking about feeling trapped. • Expressing a desire to die. • Decreased productivity at work. • Isolating from others at work. • Extreme mood swings. • Increased use of drugs or alcohol. • Decreased self-confidence. • Feeling hopeless and helpless. • Sleeping too much or too little. • Acting anxious, agitated or reckless. • Neglect of appearance or hygiene. • Withdrawing from family and friends. • A feeling of being a burden to others. • Decreased problem-solving ability. This begs the question: Have you empowered your employees to take action to help address mental health and prevent the tragedy of suicide? The CIASP developed a Suicide Prevention Integration Checklist to assist construction companies in building their mental health promotion and suicide prevention in the workplace. This checklist was designed for company leaders to evaluate who will be responsible for its implementation. Since every company operates differently and has unique needs and resources, some parts of the list might not apply in all situations. The Integration Checklist is broken down into five parts: 1. Corporate attention to and consideration of mental health. 2. Resources in place for employees dealing with mental health issues. 3. Readiness within the company to deal with suicidal employees. 4. Building protective factors. 5. Crisis response. To download the Mental Health & Suicide Prevention for Construction Companies, please scan the QR code. https://www.nahb.org/-/media/ NAHB/advocacy/docs/legal-issues/ construction-liability/trendingnow/suicide-prevention-analysisintegration-checklist.pdf This checklist should not be considered a “one-and-done” portion of a company’s processes and procedures. It should be a fluid, ever-present, update-when-necessary segment that is reviewed, studied and trained frequently. Take action to determine who might be in need. All managers, supervisors and even line employees must be aware of the company’s commitment to addressing risk factors and preventing suicide. CIASP wants to encourage construction industry employers to do whatever it takes to prevent possible suicides. Making suicide part of the company conversation allows people to get comfortable with the topic and be more likely to speak up if help is needed. CIASP asks that everyone STAND up to prevent suicide in the construction industry: Safe: Create a culture in which team members feel safe to ask for help or speak up if concerned about their fellow co-workers. Training: Make suicide prevention training available to all team members so they can recognize the warning signs and be equipped to help those at risk. Awareness: Raise awareness by sharing the message of suicide prevention through organizational activities such as training, safety meetings, toolbox talks, team meetings, newsletters and social media posts. Normalizing: Normalize the topic of suicide prevention as a health and safety priority by talking about suicide, suicide prevention and mental health. Decreasing: Help decrease the risk of suicide in construction by ensuring all team members have access to an awareness of CIASP’s action plans, behavioral health benefits, screening tools, community crisis support, the suicide prevention lifeline and crisis text line. CIASP is not the only organization concerned with suicide prevention in the workplace. ABC National has developed a program to empower employers to help their employees. As stated on abc.org, “ABC members care about their employees. Not only do they want to send them home safe at the end of the shift, but they also want them to live a healthy lifestyle and enjoy the abundance life has to offer through their careers and beyond.” abcmaine.org 15
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