MILWAUKEE — The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), which represents off-road equipment manufacturers and their value chain partners, has always been dedicated to implementing social impact initiatives. When the organization learned that professionals in the construction industry, who are the stakeholders of AEM’s events, have a much higher suicide rate than the national average —about 5% — it became clear that it had to take action.
“We wanted to provide resources to make a difference in this horrible thing that’s happening in the industry,” Brianne Somers, AEM’s Senior Director of Exhibitions Services, said.
In order to make that difference, AEM has partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), which launched construction-specific education, called Hard Hat Courage, earlier this year. This partnership will culminate in programming to be rolled out during AEM’s shows, as well as online education that those in the construction industry can access between events.
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“This partnership is truly, at its core, about saving lives,” Somers said. “We are very honored to have such a large platform of the construction industry and we want to make sure that we’re using our platform to bring these AFSP initiatives to life — and hopefully we can see the direct outcomes of lives saved.”
New Suicide Prevention Content to Be Unveiled at Upcoming Events
AEM will be rolling out its suicide prevention content during The Utility Expo on Oct. 7–9 in Louisville, Ky. Casual education will be happening at the show’s Community Zone, where attendees gather together to network and listen to presentations from the show’s speakers and influencers. In addition, AFSP will disseminate resources in a booth at the event.
Then, on March 3–7, 2026 in Las Vegas, AEM is planning to further present suicide prevention content during the organization’s CONEXPO-CON/AGG, the largest construction event in North America. Attendees will be able to participate in formal education sessions in a classroom setting, view a keynote presentation from the AFSP team and learn more about mental health at a wellness lounge.
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Also, AEM and AFSP are working together to develop additional formal education to help the industry understand and address mental health issues. The organizations are creating initiatives to certify construction-industry leaders in the best practices for suicide prevention. This will allow those in managerial roles to train their teams so difficult conversations about mental health and suicide are a regular part of their workplaces.
“The core mission for both ourselves and AFSP is really to break the silence. We’re trying to provide resources that break the stigma. That’s actually the major barrier to why people do not seek help,” Somers said. “We’re really trying to provide the platform and the reach to start getting these conversations out and in the open so the industry feels that support.”
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