As the construction industry grapples with a suicide rate far higher than its rate of workplace fatalities, Mears is positioning itself at the forefront of the response. Coinciding with Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September, the company hosted mental health trainings for crews in the Miami area — the latest step in a broader push by Mears to make suicide prevention a standard part of jobsite safety culture, not an afterthought.
The training was part of a partnership between Quanta Services and MATES North America.
The MATES Program teaches those in the construction industry how to recognize the signs of mental health struggles in others and what to do to help.
“There were statistics that I wasn’t quite aware of,” said Mears Director of Operations Blas Riesgo of the MATES training. “What really stood out to me is that employees in the construction industry are nine times more likely to die by suicide than in a workplace fatality. We need to do a better job of bringing that awareness and providing support.”
Construction workers face many life stressors unique to the industry — long working hours, travel, physical and often chronic pain, time away from family, and the pressure to produce all add up. This is in addition to the stigma that surrounds asking for help.
“Out here it’s stressful with the workload, family life, the area being a tourist area with a lot of traffic, it can get pretty hectic and guys can get overwhelmed with all the work and all the stress,” said Ricardo Diaz, Senior Quality Manager for Mears in Hialeah Gardens, Florida. “Sometimes we don’t realize the amount of suicide going on in the construction industry. [The training] showed us signs we can look for when our co-workers are struggling so we can get them some help or let them know we’re there to help them.”
The session covered General Awareness Training (GAT), which breaks down the stigma around mental health, and progressed into Connector training, aimed at building a network of trusted coworkers who can turn awareness into action.
For Blas and Ricardo, that kind of commitment is where the real value of MATES begins. By giving employees the confidence to recognize when something is wrong, start a conversation, and connect a co-worker with help, MATES is building another layer of protection into safety culture. That goes beyond simply passing along the skills of the trade. It’s an opportunity to demonstrate how to look out for the people working beside you.
What is MATES?
MATES training is a peer-led workplace mental health and suicide prevention program designed specifically for industries like construction, manufacturing, and energy. It breaks down cultural and social barriers to help co-workers recognize distress, talk openly about mental health, and connect struggling peers to professional help.
MATES was established as a nonprofit in Australia in 2008 to reduce the high level of suicide among construction workers. In 2021, the World Health Organization endorsed MATES as a global example of best practice in workplace suicide prevention.
In early 2026, MATES launched a North America Pilot program, supported by Quanta Services, a founding partner. Quanta has helped by funding the pilot and opening its operating units for MATES to establish a suicide-prevention model under North American industry standards. It will start with companies such as Mears, Blattner, Potelco Inc., Service Electric Company, Summit Line Construction, and the Hallen Construction Company, participating before it will be implemented nationwide. With Quanta’s support, MATES will collect feedback and data from implementing its program across multiple sites.
The program utilizes multiple layers to embed suicide prevention into existing systems. MATES uses three tiers of training. Following the GAT and Connector training comes a third stage called ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training). It’s an advanced two-day interactive suicide first-aid workshop that trains designated workers to provide direct crisis intervention and safety planning.
A commitment to supporting employees
Mears is supporting its people in other ways.
Matt Compher, the vice president of Safety, Health and Environment at Quanta Services held a flag dedication ceremony during Construction Suicide Prevention Week. During Construction Suicide Prevention Week, teams at Quanta, Blattner Energy, and Mears paused to stand down and raise the flag in support of suicide prevention and mental health awareness in the industry. The event acknowledged those who have been lost while reaffirming a shared commitment to preventing further loss of life.
Additionally, a Mears campaign illustrated “Know the signs. Know how to support each other”:
- Check in with coworkers: Who seems withdrawn, stressed, angry, exhausted, or different than usual?
- Ask simple, direct questions: Ask, “How are you really doing?” and take the answer seriously.
- Listen without judgment: Don’t try to immediately fix the problem.
- Encourage resources: Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), mental health professionals, or 9-8-8, the suicide and crisis lifeline. Quanta’s EAP can be accessed at 800-327-2189.
- Do not ignore the signs: Stay with them and connect them with immediate help.
- Reinforce culture: Foster a job site culture where asking for help is viewed as strength, not weakness.
If you or a loved one is struggling with mental health, resources are available to help.
