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Courtesy: photo by Susan Kelley\/Cornell University<\/p>\nA new initiative led by Cornell University and major New York construction unions is working to address one of the industry\u2019s most pressing but often overlooked challenges \u2014 mental health and suicide prevention.<\/p>\n
Courtesy: photo by Susan Kelley\/Cornell University<\/p>\n
The program, created by Cornell University\u2019s ILR School Worker Institute in partnership with the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York (BCTC), introduces a peer-based support network designed specifically for construction workers. The initiative encourages workers to support colleagues experiencing emotional distress and connect them with appropriate professional help.<\/p>\n
The program is particularly significant for the construction industry, where workers face intense physical labor, high-risk environments, tight deadlines and financial pressures that can contribute to stress, substance abuse and mental health struggles.<\/p>\n
Chris Scattone, a former ironworker who once faced severe addiction and mental health struggles, now plays a leading role in the initiative. Years ago, a fellow union member intervened when Scattone was in crisis, connecting him with help that ultimately led to his recovery.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomehow I ended up in the middle of the floor, and I remember being in a fetal position, and it was the first time I ever cried for help in my whole life. I remember looking at him and saying, \u2018I don\u2019t want to die, and I need help,\u2019\u201d Scattone said.<\/p>\n
Today, Scattone serves as member assistance program director for the Ornamental and Architectural Ironworkers Union Local 580 and is one of about 20 instructors teaching workers how to recognize and respond to mental health warning signs among their colleagues.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat Cornell is doing is a form of action,\u201d said Scattone. \u201cIt\u2019s not another slogan, it\u2019s not another poster, it\u2019s not another help line to call,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s an in-person action and I respect it, because it\u2019s saying it\u2019s OK to ask for help, and that\u2019s what they\u2019re providing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Peer Support Model for Construction Workers<\/p>\n
The initiative, called the Building Trades Peer Support Network, includes a training program titled \u201cIt\u2019s Not Weak to Speak.\u201d The program teaches union members how to recognize emotional distress in coworkers and provide initial support before directing them to professional services when needed.<\/p>\n
Participants learn practical skills such as how to start difficult conversations, listen effectively and assess crisis levels among colleagues. Workers who complete the training can apply to become designated peer supporters, identifiable by special stickers on their hard hats at job sites.<\/p>\n
The goal is to create a supportive environment where workers feel comfortable speaking about stress, addiction and mental health concerns \u2014 issues that have historically carried stigma in the construction industry.<\/p>\n
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, construction workers have one of the highest suicide rates among all professions, second only to mining. The industry also faces some of the highest drug overdose rates in the workforce.<\/p>\n
The program aims to train approximately 1,000 union members by spring 2026, representing about 1% of BCTC\u2019s membership.<\/p>\n
Addressing Cultural Barriers<\/p>\n
Industry leaders say the biggest challenge is breaking long-standing cultural norms that discourage workers from expressing emotional vulnerability.<\/p>\n
Construction workers often face harsh conditions, demanding deadlines and hazardous environments that place enormous physical and mental stress on employees.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re on work sites where there could be no floors, there could be no walls, there could be rain on you, and snow,\u201d said Robert McCleary, a shop steward at Laborers Union Local 66. \u201cWho wants to go out in 10-degree weather and shovel snow for eight hours, or dig a hole in 90-degree weather?\u201d<\/p>\n
Many workers also carry emotional trauma from witnessing serious workplace accidents.<\/p>\n
\u201cI watched someone get impaled in the face by an I-beam, and he never went home that day. I watched him pass away in someone\u2019s arms right there, on the job,\u201d said Lorenzo Curtis, an instructor at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 3. \u201cThat is stuck with me forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
Historically, workers have been reluctant to discuss mental health challenges due to fears of appearing weak or unfit for the job.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have to be a tough guy \u2013 can\u2019t let anybody know you\u2019re letting your guard down,\u201d McCleary said. \u201cTo bundle it up and have someone tell you \u2018Shut up and go back to work\u2019 \u2013 it\u2019s not the right thing to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cornell\u2019s Role in Building the Program<\/p>\n
Leaders from the Building and Construction Trades Council say Cornell\u2019s Worker Institute played a key role in designing the initiative and structuring the training curriculum.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t believe we could have really created the program and the curriculum without the assistance of Cornell,\u201d said Gary LaBarbera, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York. \u201cThey did an outstanding job in creating the whole program, because it is a system of care and their expertise in that area was invaluable. I can\u2019t even put a price on that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The program includes systems for reporting, documentation, referrals and professional clinical support. Union member assistance program directors are also receiving training to manage the support network effectively.<\/p>\n
Jeff Grabelsky of Cornell\u2019s Worker Institute explained that the initiative was designed through extensive collaboration with union leaders and workers themselves.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe work with organizations to develop a plan that addresses their problems in the workplace,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019re the ones who\u2019ve been on the front lines dealing with the crisis of suicide and stress in the industry. We helped them come together in a more systematic and disciplined way, try to lift up their insights and integrate them into a coherent program.\u201d<\/p>\n
Expanding the Program Across New York<\/p>\n
The long-term vision is to scale the program across New York state\u2019s entire construction workforce, which includes more than 235,000 union members.<\/p>\n
Training sessions involve role-playing exercises where participants practice conversations with colleagues experiencing distress. The goal is not to solve the problem immediately but to provide empathy and connect workers with appropriate support.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey learn basically the very, very key skills of emotional first aid,\u201d said Arianna Schindle, director of training and curriculum design at the Worker Institute. \u201cIt\u2019s simple, but it\u2019s a pretty advanced system. They can meet you, listen to your problem, figure out what level of distress or crisis you\u2019re in, and get you the right referrals or supports for that level.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Courtesy: Photo by Susan Kelley\/Cornell University<\/p>\n
Schindle also emphasized that simply being heard can be the first step toward recovery.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re talking to you because it feels unsolvable. And they need someone to know that it feels hard,\u201d she said. \u201cY\u2019all carry heavy things. That\u2019s a heavy weight you\u2019re taking for someone, to say, \u2018I see how hard it is. I\u2019m here. I got you.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Workers Helping Workers<\/p>\n
Supporters say the peer-to-peer model is particularly effective because it comes from colleagues who understand the realities of construction work.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s different coming from somebody who you know is digging that hole at the same time as you are,\u201d said Scattone. \u201cYou know that they understand your job and how your problems might affect that job. They understand the stressors, they understand the culture.\u201d<\/p>\n
For workers like McCleary, who previously struggled with alcohol abuse and financial difficulties, the program is deeply personal.<\/p>\n
Now sober for more than three years, he believes seeking help should be treated the same way workers help each other on construction sites.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a job steward, I\u2019m a big advocate of doing things together. If I need help at work, I can call over someone to come help me get the job done. What would stop me from calling someone to help me out with my problems that I\u2019m going through?\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re a union.\u201d<\/p>\n