At Safety 2025, mental health was a central theme throughout many presentations. Keynote speakers Shasta Nelson and Liz Bohannon highlighted the importance of relationships and connections, while a panel of experts discussed how mental health issues are contributing to a crisis that directly impacts worker safety. This is especially true in the construction industry, where the suicide rate is four times higher than the general population. It is clear that focusing on mental health must be a priority for our profession.
Is all this discussion about mental health at a safety conference necessary? The short answer is “yes.” When an expert panel at Safety 2025 was asked if employee mental health is the responsibility of EHS professionals, the overwhelming response was “absolutely.” According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Framework for Workplace Mental Health, mental health significantly impacts workplace safety, affecting workers’ physical and psychological well-being, their performance and the overall safety environment.
Unique Challenges for EHS Professionals
During the Safety 2025 closing keynote, attendees were asked to anonymously share something nobody else knows, creating a word cloud on screen. It quickly became apparent that many of our colleagues are experiencing mental health challenges. This is not surprising, as many of our members are being asked to do more with less and work in volatile environments. This stress can not only lead to less productivity but also have detrimental effects on the health of EHS professionals themselves.
A sense of community can help. Research has shown that a sense of community is associated with reduced symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress (Park et al., 2023). Your ASSP network can provide this community. With platforms like Zoom, building and maintaining relationships is easier than ever, extending beyond local chapters to more than 36,000 members. These relationships can have a significant impact on both your career and your mental health.
Building a Culture of Psychological Safety
Organizational culture plays a crucial role in mental well-being. A culture that values health and normalizes conversations about mental health makes it easier for people to seek help. Conversely, the “old school” mentality of “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” can reinforce stigma, making people fear that asking for help is a sign of weakness or may threaten their career. The results of the anonymous word cloud exercise at Safety 2025 show that we still have a ways to go, but we are on the right track. So, what can we do? ASSP members can encourage their organizations to take practical steps:
- Leaders can model vulnerability and prioritize well-being, dismantling stigma by openly acknowledging mental health and showing it is safe to ask for help.
- Peers can reduce stigma by sharing stories and promoting available internal and external resources.
- Organizations can provide training for employees to recognize mental health crises, enabling early intervention. There are excellent programs, including Mental Health First Aid and basic awareness training, that can easily be integrated into toolbox talks and supervisor education.
Through compassionate leadership, peer support and proactive education, workplaces can become environments where every employee feels safe to show up fully, ask for help and thrive. Mental health is not a separate topic from safety; it is a fundamental part of a holistic approach to health.
References
Park, E.Y., Oliver, T.R., Peppard, P.E. & Malecki, K.C. (2023). Sense of community and mental health: A cross-sectional analysis from a household survey in Wisconsin. Family Medicine and Community Health, 11(2), e001971. https://doi.org/10.1136/fmch-2022-001971
Office of the Surgeon General. (2025). Workplace mental health and well-being. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://bit.ly/46ly2Hg