Suicide Prevention in Mining: How to Look Out for Your Crew

This National Suicide Prevention Month, the mining industry faces a hard truth: mental health in mining is a safety issue. Mining has the highest suicide rate among men of any U.S. industry, and the people best positioned to help are often the coworkers who stand beside each other every shift. Here's what every miner, supervisor, and company leader can do to help.

The Mining Industry Suicide Rate

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mining had the highest suicide rate among men of any major U.S. industry group, at 72.0 per 100,000, followed by construction at 56.0. That's more than double the overall rate of 32.0 per 100,000 among working men, according to CDC's 2023 analysis of 2021 data.

Behind every number is a person: a coworker, a parent, a friend, a neighbor. And there's reason for hope. Suicide is preventable.

Why Miner Mental Health Is at Risk

No single factor explains the numbers, but the demands of the work matter. As MSHA Safety Services notes, long shifts and time away from family can take a toll on miners' mental health, and uncertainty about job stability can lead to stress and anxiety. Remote sites, rotating schedules and physically demanding conditions add to the pressure.

There's a related challenge, too. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reports that mine workers have higher rates of substance use disorders, opioid use, and fatal overdoses than workers in most other industries, which is why NIOSH and MSHA developed a resource guide to help operators respond.

Then there's the culture of toughness. Miners are proud, capable, and self-reliant, qualities that serve them well on the job. But that same pride can make it hard to admit when something isn't right. Many workplaces still carry a stigma against discussing mental health and breaking that stigma is where every one of us can help.

Mental Health Is a Safety Issue

Every shift in mining starts with a safety check. We inspect equipment, call out hazards and look out for the person next to us. That culture has made modern mining safer than ever. But one of the most serious risks our workforce faces won't show up on a pre-shift inspection.

The good news is that the instincts that keep us safe can help here, too. We speak up when something looks wrong. We don't walk past a hazard. When we treat a coworker's mental health as seriously as their physical safety, and talk about it just as openly, we make it easier for people to speak up before a hard time becomes a crisis.

How to Help a Coworker Who's Struggling

You don't need to be a counselor to make a difference. Four simple steps can guide you.

1. Pay attention. Any noticeable change in behavior can be a warning sign. Maybe a coworker has gone quiet, seems tired and distant, is drinking more, or is quicker to anger. Pay attention if someone talks about feeling like a burden, or jokes about depression or suicide. Those jokes are often a way of testing the waters.

2. Start a conversation. Pick a comfortable moment, like a ride to the site or a task you're working on together. Side-by-side conversations often feel easier than face-to-face ones. Mention what you've noticed, without blame. Something as simple as "You haven't seemed like yourself lately. Everything okay?" can open the door.

3. Keep it going. Listen more than you talk. Resist the urge to fix everything, and don't brush off what they're feeling or change the subject. Acknowledge that what they're dealing with sounds hard. If you're still worried, ask directly: "Are you thinking about suicide?" It may feel uncomfortable, but as the National Alliance on Mental Illness explains, research shows that asking directly won't put the idea in someone's head; it simply lets them know someone cares enough to have a hard conversation. If they say yes, stay calm and thank them for trusting you.

4. Stick to your role. You're a friend, not a counselor. Your job is to connect them to help. Encourage them to talk to others they trust, point them to your company's Employee Assistance Program, or call or text a crisis line together. In the U.S., that's 988. And don't stop at one conversation. Check in with them often afterward.

What Mining Leaders and Companies Can Do

Individual conversations matter, and so does the environment around them. MSHA Safety Services points out that empathetic managers create a supportive environment, while authoritarian styles can increase stress. Leaders set the tone by talking openly about mental health, respecting downtime and making it clear that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

The Chapman Institute highlights practical steps such as mental health first aid training for supervisors, peer support networks with trained colleagues, and leaders sharing personal stories about managing stress. Confidential access to counseling, whether through an EAP, telehealth or on-site support, removes barriers for workers who might otherwise stay silent.

Mining's existing safety routines offer a natural starting point. A short toolbox talk on mental health during a pre-shift meeting, a suicide prevention session built into regular safety training, or a 988 sticker on every hard hat can normalize the conversation and keep help within reach. MSHA's Health Resource Locator also helps miners find nearby services, including mental health facilities and drug and alcohol treatment facilities.

Mental Health Resources for Miners: Help Is Available

If you're struggling, you are not alone, and reaching out takes the same courage you bring to work every day. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers free and confidential support 24/7. You can call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. You can also text TALK to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

Minerals make modern life happen. People make mining happen. This September, and every month, let's look out for our crews the way we always have: by noticing, speaking up and making sure no one works through a hard time alone.