Saving Lives on the Job: Mental Health Training for Construction Teams

Originally Published as: Suicide Prevention: The Importance of Mental Health
First Aid Training in Roofing: A Call to Action

---

Suicide remains one of the most urgent — and often unspoken — crises facing the construction industry. According to the CDC, construction workers die by suicide at a rate nearly four times higher than the general population. These numbers are heartbreaking, but they also highlight an important truth: the silence and the stigma surrounding mental health can sometimes be deadly.

As leaders, colleagues, and friends, we can take steps to help change this narrative. By training employees, opening lines of communication, and creating workplaces where it is safe to talk about mental health, companies can help save lives.

Roofing and construction professionals face unique pressures: physical demands, seasonal work, travel, financial stress, and often a “tough it out” culture. Many workers may feel they can’t show vulnerability or ask for help. This makes it even more important for employers and peers to acknowledge mental health as a core safety issue just like fall protection or PPE.

Mental health is just as important as physical safety on the jobsite. Yet, for many of us in the roofing industry, resources and training around mental health have been hard to come by. At Graham Roofing, we have learned this lesson through heartbreaking experiences, and today I want to share why I believe every company and every leader should get trained in Mental Health First Aid, especially as we recognize Suicide Prevention Month.

A Hard Reality: When Tragedy Strikes at Work

In 2019, our company faced a crisis. An employee was struggling with a serious mental health challenge. I needed help with how to manage this situation both for the employee struggling and all our other employees that watched what was happening. I searched for resources and found almost nothing. Fortunately, he received help from his pastor and a local counseling group. That same year, two of our employees died by suicide. As a leader, I was devastated and left asking, How do I help my team deal with this?

In those moments, I called in a local counselor to help my employees process their grief. It was the only thing I knew to do. Then in 2021, tragedy struck again when a long-time former employee took his own life. Once more, we leaned on the counselor, but I knew we needed a better plan.

Finding Real Resources 

Determined to find answers, I discovered Mandy McIntyre through National Women in Roofing. She had faced similar crises in the company that employed her. She had done some research and had a way forward. She was going to certified to teach others Mental Health 1st Aid Training. So, in 2022, I took the Mental Health First Aid certification program through MHFA, with Mandy facilitating the class. Finally, real help, real tools, and real training.

After completing the course, we incorporated a mental health program into our Safety Manual and Employee Handbook. We trained another team member as well, knowing that prevention and preparation matter most before the crisis comes.

---

---

Putting Training Into Action

Not long after receiving training, we had to terminate an employee for a major safety violation. It was clear he was struggling with mental health challenges, and our team equipped with Mental Health First Aid training managed the situation carefully.

When he became upset, we immediately drew on our training. We kept him calm, contacted our local Community Counseling Center which had an after-hours Mental Health Mobile service, and stayed with him until professional help arrived. The team created a plan for his care, and to our relief, he called the next day saying he had finally gotten the help he needed. Weeks later, he checked in again to share that he was still in therapy, taking his medication, and on track.

This is what it looks like when training saves lives.

Why Training Matters for Roofing Professionals

Roofing is tough, both physically and mentally. We deal with high-stress environments, long hours, and dangerous conditions. The reality is that suicide rates are significantly higher in construction compared to many other industries. As leaders, we owe it to our teams to be prepared.

Mental Health First Aid gives us the skills to:

• Recognize early warning signs of a mental health crisis.
• Approach conversations with compassion and confidence.
• Connect employees with real resources in the moment they need it most.

My Ask: Get Trained Before You Need It

The worst time to search for resources is in the middle of a crisis. Suicide Prevention Month reminds us that preparation is everything. At Graham Roofing, our journey has been painful—but it has also been transformative.

My ask is simple: get trained on Mental Health First Aid before you need it. Do it for your family, friends, team, your coworkers, and your industry. Together, we can break the silence, remove the stigma, and make sure no one feels alone when facing mental health challenges. 

---

Christee Roberson grew up in Columbus, Mississippi and graduated Cum Laude in 1995 from Mississippi University for Women earning a B.S in Accounting.

After working at Graham Roofing since 1997, Christee became the majority owner of Graham Roofing Incorporated in West Point, MS in 2018. She has built and maintains important relationships with customers, vendors, contractors and community leaders while overseeing the day-to-day operations of the company. Christee pushes Graham Roofing to lead the industry in professionalism, high safety standards, and ethical behavior.

She has led Graham Roofing to be more involved with the local education system through material donations, guest lectures, event sponsorships, and through advisory board positions.

Christee is passionate about educating and mentoring the future workforce for the State of Mississippi. She is one of the founding members of the FORGE Foundation. FORGE is a local 5013c comprised of a group of local businesses who are passionate about seeing the skilled trades industry thrive. She is current chair for National Women in Roofing (NWiR) and serves on various boards such as Associated Builders and Contractors of MS (ABC MS) and BuildMS (formerly MCEF).