Work life impacts home life and home life impacts work life.  The responsibility of the employer towards mental health is rapidly evolving. In construction, the suicide rate is 4 times the general population and mental health impacts countless other significant injuries.  Bob Swanson spent over 45 years in the construction industry, including many years as the president of a large contractor in the Twin Cities.  After becoming a suicide loss survivor, he became a passionate advocate for mental health in the construction industry.  Bob shares firsthand insights into the challenge and the important role that employers share – including leaders, project managers, safety directors, and all roles in an organization.  While Bob’s personal experience is in the construction industry, many of his messages and perspectives apply far beyond the build marketplace.  We are honored to share his story and message in ilume this month. 

Bob shares some additional perspective in this short article here

https://www.iupat.org/news/suicide-is-taking-its-toll-in-construction/#:~:text=The%20suicide%20rate%20for%20construction,100%2C000%20in%20the%20United%20States

After listening to Bob’s message, some of these resources might be helpful

If you need immediate help, contact the national suicide prevention hotline at 800-273-8255.

Mental Health First Aid Training – https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Minnesota – https://namimn.org/