THE CRISIS UNDER THE HARD HAT: Why Suicide Prevention Should be a Regular Part of Your Safety Training

Jane Nady, MCPC, M.Ed.
Sep 30
4 min read

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, so as usual my month was fully booked with events/training workshops. One particular project was on a major construction project right here in Central Iowa, delivering a presentation to a large workforce about something far more dangerous than any hazard we typically find on site: suicide.

The truth is stark: the construction industry carries one of the heaviest burdens when it comes to mental health crisis. The CDC reports that men in construction have one of the highest suicide rates of any occupation. We can put up all the guardrails and safety netting in the world, but until we address the turmoil inside the hard hat, we are only doing half the job.

My job—and the whole mission of Imperfect Pathways—is straightforward: we give your teams the essential human skills they need to genuinely look out for each other. We make sure that when a colleague is quietly struggling, the warning signs don't get missed, and the opportunity to step in isn't lost.

Why Silence is the Real Danger

It’s completely normal to feel nervous or even afraid to bring up the topic of suicide. We are conditioned by a lifetime of professional norms to avoid difficult emotional territory. We worry about saying the wrong thing, or crossing a line.

But here’s the absolute, non-negotiable fact: Talking about suicide does not cause it—staying silent is what causes the damage. The reality is, talking about it is the only way to prevent it. The only way to save a life is to find the courage to ask the question.

Our training gives people the structure and confidence they need to step up and have that conversation.

Red Flags on the Job Site: Warning Signs to Look For

We train people to look for shifts in behavior—the things that signal a person may be moving toward a crisis. These are the human warning signs that should trigger an intervention, just like a compromised piece of equipment:

Talk of No Point: Talking about wanting to die, feeling there’s no point, or expressing extreme hopelessness or worthlessness.
Looking for Means: Looking for ways to die.
Withdrawal: Withdrawing from friends, family, or activities they used to care about.
Increased Risk: Increased substance use or risky behaviors.
Sudden Calmness: A sudden calmness or improvement after a period of intense depression.
Mood Swings: Extreme mood swings—ex. intense rage followed by despair.
Functional Decline: Trouble at work/school, missed bills, or not taking care of themselves.
Feeling Trapped: Expressing a feeling of being trapped, unbearable pain, or seeing no way out.
Finalizing Affairs: Giving away prized possessions, making a will, or unusual calls to people to say “final things.”
Physical Changes: Changes in sleep (sleeping much more or much less) or changes in appetite/weight.

How to Intervene: The 5-Step Action Guide

The beauty of this training is that the conversation is built on simple humanity, not clinical expertise. Here is the framework we share:

STEP 1: Begin like any other conversation

Start with what you’ve observed, focusing on their behavior, not their mental state.

“Hey, I’ve noticed you haven’t been acting like yourself lately, and I’m concerned about you.”
“I’ve noticed you seem withdrawn recently. Is everything okay?”
“You’ve seemed really stressed lately. How are you holding up?”

STEP 2: Listen Without Judgment (Be Present)

This is the most important step. Your sole job is to validate their pain with dignity and respect.

Give them your full attention.
Do not interrupt or immediately try to "fix" the situation. Sometimes people just need to be heard.
Validate their feelings: "That sounds hard."

STEP 3: Ask Directly when appropriate

If your concern is high based on their words or behavior, you must use the actual words.

"Are you thinking about suicide?"
"Are you having thoughts of taking your own life?"
"Have you been thinking about hurting yourself?"

STEP 4: Stay with them

If they express suicidal thoughts, do not leave them alone (as long as it is a safe situation for you). Your role is to help connect them to professional help. Call or Text 988 immediately.

STEP 5: Follow up

If this is someone you already have a relationship with, you told them you would, and you feel comfortable doing so, check in consistently. Recovery isn't linear. Let them know you're thinking of them and that they matter.

Remember: You don't need to be a counselor. You just need to be human and supportive.

Critical Off-Limits: What NOT to Do

When someone is vulnerable, your good intentions can easily backfire. Avoid these actions, as they minimize pain and shut down the conversation:

Do NOT tell the person to “snap out of it.”
Do NOT be hostile or sarcastic.
Do NOT minimize, belittle, or dismiss the person’s experiences or feelings.
Do NOT use a patronizing tone.
Do NOT try to “cure” the person.
Do NOT nag the person to do what he or she normally would do.
Do NOT tell them that “it is simply part of the job, get used to it.”
Do NOT make promises you can't keep or over-promise on the outcome.

Leaders: It's Time to Act

To the business owners and corporate leaders reading this: You know physical safety must be a constant. Mental wellness deserves the same commitment. A single workplace tragedy costs far more than dollars; it shatters teams, damages institutional knowledge, and leaves lasting trauma.

That’s why this training can’t be a one-time event—it needs to be a regular, non-negotiable part of your safety schedule. Look at it as a critical infrastructure investment.

At Imperfect Pathways, we’re not here to run generic webinars. We custom-build training that weaves mental health and wellness right into your existing career and leadership development programs. This approach doesn't just reduce risk; it helps you build a compassionate, resilient, and highly desirable workplace culture—that’s the real competitive advantage in this field.

Let's partner to make sure every worker goes home safe, body and mind.

Reach out to Jane Nady at imperfectpathways@gmail.com or visit imperfectpathways.com/training to build the most effective training program for your teams' long-term success.