At Gilbane, health and safety means looking out for one another – on the jobsite, in the office, and beyond. It’s a culture where people feel seen, supported, and never alone.
That commitment was on full display recently at our semiconductor project site in Santa Clara, CA, where more than 300 Gilbane team members, trade leaders and allied trades gathered for suicide prevention training led by Lauren McGovern of the Overwatch Project.
The training was direct, honest, and deeply personal.
In a powerful video captured during the event, several Gilbane team members shared personal experiences with suicide and loss, and their insights on mental wellness. Their willingness to speak openly reinforces an important truth: conversations about mental health save lives.
A Critical Issue in Construction
Construction remains one of the industries most affected by suicide in the United States. The work is demanding, physically and mentally. Long hours, high stress, time away from family, financial pressure and a culture that has historically discouraged vulnerability can all take a toll.
Many veterans transition into careers in construction after military service, bringing valuable leadership, discipline and technical expertise to the industry. Veterans face unique mental health challenges as well, including significantly higher suicide rates than the general population. Organizations like the Overwatch Project are working to change that.
The Overwatch Project, an initiative of the nonprofit FORGE, empowers veterans and communities with practical tools to intervene during moments of crisis and help save lives. Their peer-based approach centers on proactive conversations, connection and creating time and distance between a person in crisis and a potentially irreversible decision.
Their message is simple but powerful: asking hard questions can save a life.
Hard People Doing Hard Things
Construction professionals are problem-solvers. They work through difficult conditions, tight schedules and physically demanding environments every day. But strength is not about carrying burdens alone.
At the Santa Clara training, Gilbane team members and trade partners came together to learn how to recognize warning signs, support coworkers and take action when someone may be struggling. The session emphasized that suicide prevention is not about having all the answers, it is about being willing to start a conversation, check in and help someone access support before a crisis escalates.
That proactive mindset aligns directly with Gilbane’s culture of care.
We believe creating safer jobsites means caring for the whole person: physically, mentally and emotionally. Mental health is not separate from safety; it is part of safety.
Leadership Through Action
Gilbane continues to lead conversations around total worker health and mental wellness across the construction industry. By partnering with organizations like the Overwatch Project, we are helping normalize conversations that have too often been avoided.
Importantly, this work is action-oriented. Training equips teams with practical intervention tools and reinforces the responsibility we all share to look out for one another. It empowers workers, supervisors and leaders to recognize when someone may be struggling and confidently step in with compassion and support.
For many veterans and construction professionals alike, peer-to-peer support matters. The shared understanding, trust and camaraderie built on jobsites can become a powerful force for prevention and healing.
Looking Ahead
As Mental Health Awareness Month and Military Appreciation Month remind us, supporting mental wellness requires ongoing commitment, not just a one-time conversation.
Each year, Construction Safety Week reinforces the critical importance of health and safety in our industry. Looking ahead, Safety Week will continue to focus on Total Worker Health, and Gilbane is proud to work alongside industry partners to foster conversations, training and support systems that prioritize both physical and mental wellbeing across our jobsites and teams.
Because protecting people means more than preventing injuries. It means fostering environments where workers feel supported, where asking for help is encouraged and where every person knows their life matters.
And sometimes, the most important thing we can do is simply ask the question.
