Builders Should Treat Mental Health and Substance Abuse as Safety Issues

Safety
Published

Every week during National Safety Month, NAHB and other partners will focus on a different aspect of jobsite safety. This week is mental health and substance abuse.

Everyone agrees that substance abuse carries a very real safety issue on jobsites. But how should you address an employee or contractor that you suspect is impaired? And is your goal to treat them and have them return to work safely as soon as possible?

NAHB has numerous resources that can help identify and address substance abuse issues and create a path for return to work, including resources for tackling Opioids in the Home Building Industry and a video toolbox talk on Substance Misuse.

Mental health issues may not be considered a safety concern, but workers who are distracted by or fatigued due to their mental health circumstances may pose a real danger to themselves and others on jobsites.

Although mental health is a tricky issue for many, the most powerful and direct first step to addressing them with a worker is a simple, “How are you doing?” When someone knows they are supported, seeking professional help is much easier.

NAHB also has resources to help home builders navigate these tricky conversations. Check out the various resources on the Mental Health and Wellbeing page, and watch the video toolbox talk on Mental Health, also embedded below.

It can be difficult to talk about mental health and substance abuse, but in an era of labor shortages and heightened stress, it’s a business necessity to keep workers safe and on the job.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Material Costs

Aug 29, 2025

NAHB's Monthly Update Features Canadian Lumber Duties Talking Points

The update provides the latest messaging framework to help members articulate housing priorities and latest news related to the Canadian lumber imports and builder sentiment.

Advocacy | US Economy

Aug 28, 2025

Podcast: Congressional Priorities and the Trump Economy Heading into Fall

On the latest episode of NAHB podcast Housing Developments, NAHB CEO Jim Tobin and COO Paul Lopez discuss how the rest of the year looks as Congress gets ready to return to Washington next week.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Aug 29, 2025

Multifamily Absorption Rises in the Second Quarter

The percentage of new apartment units that were absorbed within three months after completion rose in the second quarter, according to the Census Bureau’s latest release of the Survey of Market Absorption of New Multifamily Units (SOMA).

Economics

Aug 28, 2025

Mortgage Rates Move Lower, Hitting 10-Month Low

Average mortgage rates in August continued their steady decline and are now at their lowest rate since last November.

Economics

Aug 27, 2025

Wood-Framed Home Share Increased in 2024

Wood framing continues to dominate the U.S. single-family home construction market, according to NAHB analysis of 2024 Census Bureau data.