Milwaukee Tool Expands Safety Training Focus to Include Mental Health During 2026 Construction Safety Week, Reaching 100K+ Workers Nationwide
Each year, more than 170,000 construction workers are injured on the job in the U.S. – a stark reminder that protecting the people who build America’s infrastructure, homes, and communities requires constant focus and action. At the same time, the industry faces another critical challenge: construction workers experience one of the highest suicide rates of any profession.
During Construction Safety Week (May 4–8, 2026), Milwaukee Tool expanded its jobsite safety training focus to include mental health awareness and suicide prevention; introducing a new partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) to bring mental health awareness and suicide prevention resources directly to the jobsite.
In just five days, more than 200 Milwaukee Tool employees partnered with jobsites, unions, and training centers across the country to deliver:
- 500+ safety training sessions
- 100,000+ workers reached through hands-on demonstrations and instruction
- 200+ hours of direct safety engagement and training delivered
“Safety has always been a core focus for Milwaukee Tool,” said Scott Teson, Senior Vice President of Skilled Trades at Milwaukee Tool. “As the demands on the skilled trades evolve, safety must evolve with them. This is about building on our lonstanding safety commitment to reflect the full realities of the job, including mental health.”
Integrating Mental Health into Jobsite Safety
Through its collaboration with AFSP, Milwaukee Tool is equipping its teams with training from Talk Saves Lives: Construction, part of AFSP’s Hard Hat Courage initiative. This enables Milwaukee Tool professionals to incorporate mental health awareness into existing safety engagements — helping reduce stigma and connect workers with critical resources.
Rather than treating mental health as a separate initiative, Milwaukee Tool is integrating these conversations into existing jobsite safety engagements – embedding awareness and prevention into the environments where workers already received trusted training.
“Construction workers face a mental health crisis that demands action from industry leaders. Milwaukee Tool is setting an example by integrating mental health awareness into the safety training they’re already providing on jobsites,” said Trisha Calabrese, Senior Vice President of Programs, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “Hard Hat Courage exists to equip supervisors and crews with the tools and knowledge to recognize warning signs and connect workers to help. Partnerships like this one show what’s possible when companies prioritize the full wellbeing of their workforce because every life matters and every conversation counts.”
Driving Impact for the Trades
Supporting the long-term strength of the skilled trades requires investment not only in tools and training, but in the overall wellbeing of the workforce. Milwaukee Tool continues to invest more than $10 million annually in safety education, training, and jobsite solutions. This is part of its broader commitment to invest $200 million in the skilled trades by 2030.
From engineering personal protective equipment that improves comfort and compliance, to designing tools that reduce fatigue and repetitive stress injuries, Milwaukee Tool integrates safety into every aspect of the jobsite experience. Its long-standing partnerships with union and non-union organizations, apprenticeship programs, and training centers play a critical role in advancing safety and supporting the next generation of skilled trades professionals.
By expanding its safety training focus and partnering with organizations like the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Milwaukee Tool continues to evolve its approach. This helps ensure workers are supported both physically and mentally so they can perform at their best, sustain long careers in the trades, and return home safely each day.
