WASHINGTON – The February edition of a newsletter from North America’s Building Trades Unions and the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) shows some promising numbers in the efforts to reduce overdose deaths and suicides in construction.
The 2024 overdose and suicide data for construction workers aged 16 to 64 shows drug-related overdose deaths dropped 28.8 per cent from 2023 to 2024.
The number of deaths decreased from 15,900 to 11,300 and the overdose death rate fell from 135.0 to 94.8 per 100,000 workers.
“Although 11,000 workers in our industry dying in a year from an overdose is still much too high, the reduction marks meaningful progress and good news,” the newsletter states.
Deaths by suicide have also declined.
They fell 1.7 per cent from 2023 to 2024 (5,100 to 5,000) and the suicide rate decreased from 43.2 to 41.9 per 100,000 workers.
The groups attribute the declining overdoses to several prevention methods, including:
- Education on risks of prescribed opioids and opioids in general
- Fewer opioid prescriptions between 2019 and 2023
- Widespread availability of naloxone on jobsites and in public
- Decreased stigma around substance use and mental health disorders
- Improved treatment and recovery support in the construction industry
“We are committed to continuing these efforts, as well as further improving peer support for construction workers, mental health and substance use treatment access, and awareness training,” the newsletter notes. “CPWR has developed and collected a range of materials to support construction workers on our Resources to Prevent Opioid Deaths webpage.”
CPWR offers a separate collection of Resources to Prevent Suicides in Construction. Both webpages offer links to free resources such as toolbox talks, hazard alert cards, infographics, relevant research, and training programs.
“To make even more substantial reductions in overdose and suicide deaths, the essential actions our industry is already taking must be accompanied by more upstream efforts like reduction of injuries causing pain, increased availability of paid leave, anti-bullying training and policies, and stronger safety culture,” it reads. “Together they can weave a tapestry of interventions that will lead to continued decreases in these preventable deaths.”
