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21 health literacy to understand the true direct and (hidden) indirect consequences of sub- stancemisuse. DeHerrera also asserts, “the stigma of mental and emotional health in the construction industry has stifled the conversation for many years. ” Finding Solutions for the “Elephant in the Room” The construction industry must continue to illuminate the problem through edu- cation and training while continuing to develop solutions. For example, construc- tion employers are right to be concerned with opioids for the treatment of chronic pain for musculoskeletal injuries to trades workers. Travelers Chief Medical Director Dr. Marcos Iglesias echoes this concern, stating, “The tools we use for treating acute pain are not effective in managing chronic pain, and there is no silver bullet that works in all cases. ” Dr. Iglesias shared that the “approaches that introduce active techniques and equip workers tomanage their chronic musculo- skeletal pain aremost effective. ”Dr. Iglesias shared numerous such examples, including “physical activity, pain management edu- cation, sleep restoration and behavioral approaches, such as fear-avoidance behav- ioral therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and acceptance and commitment therapy. ” Dr. Iglesias concluded,“Since there aremul- tiple options to manage chronic pain, it’s important that you have a shared philoso- phy with your insurance carrier in order to help employees recover functionally from an injury. ” Again, Dr. Iglesias offered perspective for employers on the most important steps to address substance use among employ- ees. Iglesias said, “Effectively addressing substance use in the workplace requires a strong commitment from manage- ment, human resources, supervisors and employees and a coordinated approach to ensure that policies, education, training and support align. ”Dr. Iglesias elaborated on the importance of “a common purpose and sense of accountability being crucial to making a program successful. ”Dr. Iglesias recommends“making information available on the risks of misusing alcohol and drugs, how to avoid misuse and how to improve physical and mental well-being. ” Conclusion DeHerrera believes “we must have the vital conversations in order to promote the solutions and resources for the entire AEC industry. It’s imperative that we con- tinue the educational process for company leaders. ” It is important to keep employ- ees from slipping through the cracks by encouraging and equipping them to seek help. There needs to be greater recogni- tion that alcohol or substance misuse may be the result of another problem or unre- solved issue. It is time to incorporate more about worker’s mental health and well-being into job site safety. It’s time to focus on the holistic health in construc- tion safety AND health. 3 Resources Kaar, Marko. (Aug. 24, 2018). Opioids and Substance Use Disorders in the Construction Industry. Construction Executive. https://www. constructionexec. com/article/opioids-and-sub- stance-use-disorders-in-the-construction-industry National Safety Council. (2020). Opioids at Work Toolkit for Employers. https://safety. nsc. org/rxemployerkit Quest Diagnostics. (Sept. 11, 2019). Workforce Drug Positivity Increases in More Than One-Third of U. S. Industry Sectors Examined. According to Quest DiagnosticsMultiyear Analysis. https://www. questdiagnostics. com/home/physicians/ health-trends/drug-testing/industry-insights/ Quest Diagnostics. (April 11, 2019). Workforce Drug Testing Positivity Climbs toHighest Rate Since 2004, According toNewQuest Diagnostics Analysis. https://www. questdiagnostics. com/home/ physicians/health-trends/drug-testing/ The addiction epidemic is a concerning, ongoing problem in the construction industry. Nicole Shields talked about addiction and other subjects earlier this year in issue 2 of On the Road in an article called Industry Challenges and Opportunities Q&A. You can read that article here: https://on-the-road.thenewslinkgroup.org/flippingbooks/Pub2-2019-2020-Issue2/16/ The following list of websites might be helpful for anyone struggling with mental health issues or addiction: • 24/7 Utah Crisis Line 1-800-273-TALK • AmericanAdditionCentersRecovery. org Admissions navigator, 1-888-497-6809 https://recovery.org/browse/utah • Health University of Utah Addiction Recovery Services https://healthcare.utah.edu/ uni/conditions-treatments/ detoxification-treatment • Hope4Utah https://hope4utah.com/ utah-mental-health-agencies • Utah Addiction Centers 24-hour hotline: 801-766-2233 https://utahaddictioncenters.com • Utah Department of Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health https://dsamh.utah.gov Substance AbuseMental Health Services Administration. (SAMHSA). National Helpline. https://www. samhsa. gov/find-help/ national-helpline Author Biographies Karyn Salerno is a risk and safety specialist for CSDZ in Salt Lake City. She has extensive experience in construction safety and risk management working with construction contractors and associ- ations in the western United States. She is partnering with con- tractors to address physical safety and behavioral health issues. Contact Salerno at ksalerno@csdz. com or 801-910-8436. Cal Beyer is vice president of workforce risk and worker well-being for CSDZ in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is a Certified Wellness Practitioner (CWP). He is a member of the Executive Committee of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention and the Expert Advisory Group of the Center for Workplace Mental Health. Cal was instrumental in the launch of the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention. Contact Beyer at cbeyer@CSDZ. com or 651-307-7883. Reprinted from constructionexec.com , September 30, 2020, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. Copyright 2020. All rights reserved.