You have trained for years to master your craft and to advocate for the people doing it. That includes how to keep workers safe, not just physically but in every way that matters. Hard Hat Courage gives union leaders and industry representatives a clear framework for confronting high rates of suicide in the industry. It empowers them to embed mental health into member programs, apprenticeship training, and peer-support networks as a natural extension of worker safety.

Hard Hat Courage is the construction industry's collective commitment to save lives by making it safe to talk about mental health. The program was developed to confront high rates of suicide in the construction community — and it was built to fit union culture: peer-led, practical, and grounded in collective responsibility. Ask to bring Hard Hat Courage to your jobsite, union or industry program so your members have the tools to support each other and normalize conversations about mental health.

• Toolbox Talks: Short, practical conversations that safety professionals can use in safety meetings, orientations, or jobsite check-ins to bring mental health and suicide prevention into everyday safety culture. Use them to build awareness, support early conversations, and help crews look out for one another. All Hard Hat Courage Toolbox Talks are available in English and Spanish.

• Building a Critical Incident Response Plan: Be ready to respond when a worker may be in crisis. Download this construction-specific guide for clear, practical steps that safety professionals can use to prepare teams, respond to suicidal thoughts or risk of self-harm, and connect workers to support when needed.

• Jobsite Posters and Stickers: Make mental health safety visible on every jobsite. Equip your crews with clear, consistent messaging that reinforces support is available. You can print 988 stickers through your preferred vendor and distribute them directly to your members, so the message travels with them each day. In addition, place posters in high-traffic areas to strengthen awareness of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Sticker and poster files are available now.

• Talk Saves Lives: Construction: Bring life-saving awareness to your workforce. Connect with us by emailing [email protected] to learn how Talk Saves Lives: Construction can equip your members with the knowledge and confidence to recognize warning signs and take action. Whether you want us to deliver the program or train your team to lead it, we’ll help you build a safer, more supportive jobsite.

• Listen. Engage. Act. Direct. (LEAD) program: Prepare your union and industry leaders to take meaningful action when it matters most. Connect with us by emailing [email protected] to bring LEAD training to your workforce. LEAD is a two-hour, interactive workshop that uses real-world scenarios and practical, step-by-step guidance to build skills in recognizing warning signs, starting conversations, and responding in moments of crisis.

Unions and industry associations have always stood alongside members in their hardest moments, and loss is no exception. When a member is lost to suicide, the impact moves through the entire local. Hard Hat Courage offers resources and guidance for after a suicide loss to help union and industry leadership support grieving members, communicate with care, and prevent further harm after a suicide loss. 

• After a Suicide Toolkit: This toolkit is designed to help you take action now by putting key practices, roles, and protocols in place before a crisis happens, while also providing clear, practical guidance to follow in the immediate aftermath of a suicide. It equips construction safety leaders to support grieving teams, navigate complex stakeholder communication, and respond with clarity and confidence when it matters most.

• Caring Communities: Guidance for Supporting Survivors of Suicide Loss: This program is a one-hour presentation, offered in person or virtually, that provides practical strategies to support loss survivors. Participants gain a clear understanding of suicide as a complex health issue, its impact on survivors, and concrete ways to offer meaningful support across workplace settings. The program also connects people to trusted resources that can extend care beyond the immediate response.

  Bring Caring Communities to your organization by emailing [email protected] to strengthen your ability to support your team when they need it most and to foster a more compassionate, resilient workplace culture.

• Healing Conversations: Personal Support for Survivors of Suicide Loss: When suicide impacts an individual, many people may find it helpful to connect with someone who has also experienced a similar loss. The Healing Conversations program is designed to provide that support. Union and trade locals should be aware of this resource and share it as needed.

• Surviving a Suicide Loss: Resource and Healing Guide: This guide provides information about coping with loss, the survivor loss community, and resources to help with your journey. (English) (Spanish)