Boston/New York/Los Angeles/Miami/Providence Shawmut Design and Construction, a leading $2 billion national construction management firm, marked Suicide Prevention Week with a series of Toolbox Talks across its jobsites nationwide. The conversations focused on breaking stigma, raising awareness, and providing resources to support the mental health and well-being of construction workers.

With the construction industry facing the second-highest rate of suicide among all occupations, Shawmut’s employee-owners paused work on projects across the country to dedicate safety briefing time to suicide prevention. Discussions covered the warning signs of stress, anxiety, and depression; strategies for support; and where workers can turn for help for themselves and their colleagues.

“Suicide Prevention Week is about creating safe, open spaces for conversations that can save lives,” said Shaun Carvalho, chief safety officer at Shawmut. “We know the pressures our workers face every day, from physically demanding work to tight deadlines, and we are committed to ensuring that every employee-owner knows they are not alone, and that there are resources and people ready to help.”

Throughout the week, Shawmut reinforced its broader Total Worker Health approach, which integrates both physical and mental health into its industry-leading safety program.

Highlights from the week included:

• Toolbox Talks at high-profile project sites including Boston University’s Warren Towers, Sushi Samba in Los Angeles, Excel Miami, and the Brooklyn Public Library’s Canarsie Branch.
• Companywide programming designed to encourage honest conversations about mental health, reduce stigma, and promote awareness of resources available to workers and their families.
• Employee-owners sharing experiences and strategies for managing stress, supporting coworkers, and fostering safer, more supportive jobsite cultures.