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Associated Builders and Contractors

Suicide Prevention in Construction Industry

by Shield Wall Media Staff

On the first day of Suicide Prevention Month 2022, Associated Builders and Contractors calls on the entire construction industry to strengthen total human health among its workers and decrease the number of deaths by suicide.

In 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the construction industry had one of the highest rates of death by suicide among their workers, 5,242 in 2018, which was five times higher than U.S. construction worker fatalities on jobsites.

“This is a national tragedy, and we must end these unprecedented, unacceptable and devastating deaths among our colleagues,” said Greg Sizemore, ABC vice president of health, safety, environment and workforce development. “Construction workers work with tools every day, and we must equip these 7.7 million workers with the tools they need to prioritize mental health and protect their emotional wellbeing. They will use them.”

“It is time to shatter the stigma surrounding mental health issues with the goal of creating a zero-suicide industry,” said Sizemore. “Employers can build a resilient workforce by providing access to resources to improve total human health: physical, mental, emotional, social, mental, intellectual, financial, occupational and spiritual wellness.”

Through its partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, ABC provides construction workers and employers with resources including free suicide prevention training, the Suicide Prevention Lifeline call center, the Crisis Text Line, toolbox talks and speakers who can provide in-person, recorded and online education on suicide awareness, prevention and postvention. And under a new federal program, help-seekers can simply call 988 to connect to mental health caregivers. Visit preventconstructionsuicide.com to learn more.

Construction Job Openings Up by 22,000 in July, Says ABC

by Shield Wall Media Staff

WASHINGTON, Aug. 30—The construction industry had 375,000 job openings in July, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. JOLTS defines a job opening as any unfilled position for which an employer is actively recruiting. Industry job openings increased by 22,000 last month and are up 38,000 from the same time last year.

Construction workers quit their jobs at a faster rate than they were laid off or discharged for the 17th consecutive month in July.

“Though we may have collectively experienced peak inflation, it is poised to remain unusually elevated for months to come,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Many factors will keep prices high, including energy crises in Europe and China as well as a dearth of available skilled workers. Today’s JOLTS release is receiving considerable attention because many hoped that job openings would decrease for the second consecutive month in July.

“That did not come to pass,” said Basu. “Economywide job openings bounced back in July and remain more than 60% above pre-pandemic levels. According to ABC’s Construction Confidence Index, the share of contractors who expect to increase their staffing levels over the next half year remains elevated but has declined in recent months. As long as the supply of labor remains inadequate to meet the demand for workers, the industry will continue to experience upward wage pressures.”

Construction Input Prices Up 3% in March, 24% Year Over Year

by Shield Wall Media Staff

Construction input prices rose 2.9% in March, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Producer Price Index data released today. Nonresidential construction input prices expanded 2.8% for the month.

Construction input prices are up 24.4% from a year ago and 39.1% from February 2020, the month before the COVID-19 pandemic began to affect the economy, while nonresidential construction input prices are 25.0% and 39.2% higher, respectively. Natural gas prices are up more than 200% since the start of the pandemic, while crude petroleum prices are up more than 100% over that span.

“Consumers are right to complain about inflation, which has been north of 8% during the past year,” said ABC Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “But America’s contractors have experienced materials price inflation nearly three times that during the same period. For now, there are few signs of relief. Many prices rose on a monthly basis in March, reflecting ongoing upward price momentum, including iron and steel (1.4%), key roofing materials (1.6%) and nonferrous wire and cable (4.4%). 

“For contractors, this is not where the inflation narrative ends,” said Basu. “Despite recent growth in the nation’s labor force participation rate, contractors continue to contend with shortages of skilled construction workers. Supply chain setbacks related to the spread of another omicron variant along with the Russia-Ukraine war will also affect equipment availability. The latest ABC Construction Confidence Index survey indicates that approximately 3 in 4 contractors have suffered an interruption in delivering construction services in recent months. These challenges will persist.

“There is one more significant consideration for contractors,” said Basu. “With inflation running hot, the Federal Reserve will have to work even harder to slow the economy to trim price pressures and expectations. Recession risks are accordingly rising, and while that is unlikely to affect the level of contractor activity in the near term, that could eventually set the stage for a period when demand for construction services declines.”

Submit construction-related news to editor Karen Knapstein.

ABC, AFSP Announce Partnership to Address Suicide Prevention

by Shield Wall Media Staff

Associated Builders and Contractors and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention have announced a collaborative partnership to address mental health and suicide prevention throughout the U.S. construction industry.

The goals of the partnership are to improve the mental health of construction workers through effective suicide prevention education, intervention and postvention strategies; to encourage, equip and empower mental health champions in the workforce; and to introduce collaboration between ABC and AFSP chapters nationwide.

“Safety includes total human health—emotional, social, mental, intellectual, financial, occupational and spiritual wellness—and we must continue to raise the bar for safety for the construction workforce of more than 7.5 million,” said Greg Sizemore, ABC vice president of health, safety, environment and workforce development. “Our people are our greatest asset, and this partnership will take our total human health and safety practices to the next level. Going forward, this is the greatest opportunity to leverage and advance world-class safety for our people, both physically and mentally.”

“Studies show that 1 in 5 Americans will experience a mental health condition this year, and 50% will experience one in their lifetime. This has an impact on workplaces, too, and that is why a partnership with ABC is so important,” said Bob Gebbia, CEO of AFSP. “We commend ABC leadership for the commitment they are giving to the construction workforce and are pleased to help support their efforts with educational programs.”

Specifically, the partnership between ABC and AFSP will:

• Develop and disseminate education resources on mental health and suicide prevention in workplaces and leverage opportunities to engage workers.

• Support suicide prevention and postvention education in the construction workplace at all levels of the organizations’ chapters and members.

• Participate in key events where worker safety and health, as well as safety and health practitioners’ and other professionals’ development are addressed.

• Promote and facilitate the transfer of relevant mental health and suicide prevention and postvention research and findings to practitioners and to the construction workforce.

• Share opportunities with ABC and AFSP chapters on supportive programs and events.