Editor’s Note:
This is Part Four of a four-part series that explores why construction has the highest rate of suicide of any industry and what can be done about it.
Within four years, a small roofing company in Mississippi was rocked by three suicides by current and former employees.
“You hear about it all the time and don't think it's going to happen to you,” says Christee Holbrook, co-owner and president of Graham Roofing. “You're left with severe grief because we're a small company – we become like family.”
The raw emotion of the loss was felt across the West Point-based business.
“On top of the grief, the next thing is, how do I help the family? How do we go on? How do we help my guys that are still here deal with that grief?” she says. “I had to figure out a way if this happened again or if someone had a mental health issue, how I could get them help.”
She's not alone. Many contractors have found it difficult to find the right tools to help their crews maintain healthy well-being. But some, like Holbrook, are finding ways to develop programs that help employees suffering from mental health issues as well as promote preventive care. We take a look at what Graham and other construction companies are doing to try to reduce construction's high rate of suicide and tear down the boundaries to discussing mental health.
