Making mental health a safety priority

By Dani Sheehan. 

Prioritizing mental health and suicide prevention is just as essential to roofing safety as harnesses and hard hats. 

September 8-12, 2025, marks Construction Suicide Prevention Week, a nationwide effort to raise awareness about a challenge that affects every corner of our industry. In a recent episode of Roofing Road Trips®, Megan Ellsworth sat down with Cheryl Ambrose, vice president of enterprise risk management for the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), to talk about how roofing companies can begin addressing mental health in the workplace. With 30 years in construction safety, Cheryl has seen firsthand how the conversation has shifted – and why it can’t stop now. 

A silent risk with devastating numbers 

“Mental health, suicide prevention, wasn’t talked about,” Cheryl explained. “And it wasn’t until probably the early 2010s that the seed was planted for me.” 

For years, conversations about mental health in construction have lagged. But the numbers tell a sobering story. As Cheryl stated, “If you look at an average year, workplace deaths that OSHA tracks, we are averaging about one thousand a year in the construction industry. Yet deaths by suicide are five to six times that every year.” Suicide claims more lives in our industry than jobsite accidents, making mental health a safety issue that must be prioritized. 

“We're losing that many more workers, that many more people, family members, moms, dads, friends, family. And I think that has been, for people who've never heard that statistic, that sort of stops them in their tracks and they go, ‘Wait, we really have something that we need to take a closer look at and try to tackle,’” Cherly continued. 

You don’t have to be an expert to help 

One of the biggest barriers to addressing mental health is fear – fear of saying the wrong thing or not knowing how to help. But as Cheryl pointed out, “One of the most important things I learned is that you don’t have to be a mental health professional to help someone.” 

This year’s Construction Suicide Prevention Week is a reminder that you can take practical steps, supported by NRCA to build a culture where support and safety go together: 

• Normalize the conversation: Use toolbox talks, safety meetings and morning huddles to mention mental health alongside jobsite safety. 
• Know the resources: NRCA offers a list of resources to provide to your crew, posters to hang in your breakroom or educational programs to learn more. 
• Lead by example: Business owners and managers who show vulnerability and openness create safer environments for their teams. 

The roofing industry has “jumped in with both feet,” Cheryl shared, but the work isn’t done. Suicide prevention is not just a topic each September, but a year-round commitment to the well-being of our people. 

Listen to the full episode to learn more about identifying early warning signs and creating a culture of care or explore NRCA’s mental health and wellness resources. Together, we can make sure mental health is part of the safety conversation every day.