Construction Suicide Prevention for Leaders: Building a Culture of Support

0.50 Hrs
SKU: JCOM-00115

This leadership training addresses the critical mental health crisis in the construction industry, where suicide rates are twice that of the general population and account for five times more deaths than work-related injuries. Designed specifically for construction leaders, the course provides essential knowledge and practical tools to identify warning signs and risk factors specific to construction workers, understand the unique challenges of construction culture, and implement effective intervention strategies using the TASC method. Through real industry stories and expert insights, participants will learn to develop organizational policies that promote mental health awareness, model supportive leadership behaviors that foster psychological safety, and create proactive workplace practices that normalize mental health conversations. The training emphasizes the leader’s role in building a culture where “It’s OK to not be OK” and equips participants with the skills to conduct supportive conversations, establish crisis response protocols, and ultimately transform their workplace into an environment that protects lives and supports a healthier workforce.

Course Details

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Identify warning signs and risk factors of suicide specific to construction workers
  • Explain why suicide prevention is critical to the construction industry
  • Describe how to implement practical intervention and support strategies to help a coworker in crisis
  • Develop organizational policies and practices that promote mental health awareness
  • Model supportive leadership behaviors that foster a culture of psychological safety

Specs

Course Level
Intermediate
Languages
English
Compatibility
Video

Author | Justin Azbill, Ph.D.

Serving in the construction industry as a leader that advocates for the good of trade professionals has been Mr. Azbill’s career mindset. He has built a career reputation as an Operational and Thought Leader that understands the importance of leveraging vulnerability and experience to gain buy-in. Mr. Azbill has over 30 years of experience in Leadership and Safety / Risk Management, having held key management positions with Kiewit Power, Suffolk Construction, Cannistraro, Callahan Construction, and Milwaukee Tool. Mr. Azbill currently leads several Peer-to-Peer groups focused on Psychological Safety as he is an industry advocate for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. Mr. Azbill leads from the front in the Mental Health space engaging the industry with his "The Human Side of Leadership" program focused on gaps in leadership and soft skills training (Operational / Emotional Intelligence), Keynote speaking on the importance of preventative measures "Selfcare / Shadow-work” and is a Founding Member of the Safety Social S4S (Safety for Safety) Peer Group meeting. Mr. Azbill holds several accredited safety certifications and licenses and attended Johnson County Community College, the University of Kansas, Thomas Edison University, and National University earning his PhD in Organizational Leadership. Mr. Azbill is a sitting member on numerous safety advisory committees and serves as the ISEA Education Committee Chair and is a Board of Trustees member Director at Large for the Construction Industry Alliance of Suicide Prevention.

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