Construction site safety demands more than just avoiding physical hazards and injuries. Construction workers experience higher-than-average rates of suicide, overdose, chronic pain and substance abuse. Workers may also face social stigma and limited access to support, preventing them from seeking help. Learn more about mental health hazards and available support resources with this introduction to suicide prevention, substance-use disorders, opioid overdose response, naloxone and more.
About the 2-Hour Mental Health Awareness Course
Satisfies Training Standards for:
Site Safety Training (SST) requirements of NYC Local Law 196
Accessibility Features:
Free audio narration and Live Chat support
Approved by:
New York City Department of Buildings (DOB)
Format:
100% online course
Provides:
Instant digital certificate for two hours of DOB-approved Site Safety Training
Designed for:
NYC construction and demolition workers who need an SST Worker or Supervisor card
Who Should Take 2-Hour Mental Health Awareness?
The 2-Hour Mental Health Awareness course is designed for New York City construction workers seeking an SST Worker or Supervisor card.
NYC Construction workers who require this training may include:
- Construction and demolition workers
- Construction Superintendents
- Site Safety Coordinators
- Site Safety Managers
- Competent Persons
- Journeypersons and forepersons
- Other workers at jobsites that require a Site Safety Plan
For more information on SST requirements, including a list of affected workers and upcoming training deadlines, see our guide to Local Law 196.
Course Details
The 2-Hour Mental Health Awareness course addresses mental health, suicide risk and substance misuse in the construction industry. It explores the effects of emotional stressors, mental health conditions and mind-altering substances on construction workers and overall construction site safety.
The course gives workers and supervisors practical tools to recognize warning signs, respond appropriately and connect affected individuals with assistance. This course has no prerequisites.
Benefits of 2-Hour Mental Health Awareness:
- Train at your own pace
- Offers 0.2 IACET Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
- Audio narration
- Interactive quizzes
- Unlimited attempts at quizzes and final exam
The course takes at least two hours to finish. You must complete the course within 90 days of purchase. Each module features a five-question quiz (80% passing score), and the course ends with a 20-question comprehensive final exam (70% passing score). The exam and quizzes are multiple choice, and you have an unlimited number of attempts to pass. You must complete the final exam in one sitting.
After completing the course, you will instantly receive a digital certificate of completion. To get your SST card, you must finish all your required training and submit your course certificates to Certus Holdco Inc. or another DOB-approved Site Safety Training provider.
» Learn more about DOB course requirements for SST cards
NYC Site Safety Training courses give you the opportunity to earn IACET CEUs through our parent company, Certus Holdco Inc. As an IACET Accredited Provider, Certus Holdco Inc. offers IACET CEUs for its learning events that comply with the ANSI/IACET Continuing Education and Training Standard.
To earn IACET CEUs, you must:
- Complete all lessons in the course.
- Pass the post test with a 70% or above.
- Complete the course evaluation.
Learning Objectives
The primary goal of this course is to explain the importance of mental health in the workplace, specifically as it relates to the construction industry in New York City.
You will learn the impact that substance abuse and addiction, emotional crises and mental health conditions can have on jobsite safety. You will also discover important community and industry resources designed to help workers prevent and treat major mental health hazards.
Upon completing the course, you will be able to:
- Understand how substance use, suicide and mental health problems can affect construction workers and jobsite safety.
- Identify the dangers and effects of alcohol, drugs, tobacco and nicotine.
- Explain ways to reduce risks and respond to an overdose.
- Find resources for substance use treatment and support.
- Recognize warning signs and risk factors for suicide.
- Know when to get professional help for mental health concerns.
- Use helpful communication and support skills related to mental health and substance use.
- Identify resources for mental health support, crisis help and substance use treatment.
- Explain the process for identifying and reporting unsafe conditions on a NYC construction site.
You can find an outline of all course modules below.
Course Outline
The course is divided into six modules covering mental health topics related to construction jobsite safety. Each module ends with a brief quiz, and you must complete a final exam to satisfy your required SST training hours.
Module 1: Course Overview
Topics covered in Module 1 include:
- Course purposes and structure
- NYC DOB Site Safety Training requirements
- How the course satisfies Local Law 196 of 2017 and Local Law 10 of 2026
- Course structure and testing policy
Learning objectives include:
- Identify major mental health factors that influence construction jobsite safety.
- Explain how the course satisfies SST requirements under Local Law 196.
- Understand the course structure, quiz and exam policies, and lesson module topics.
Module 2: Tobacco & Nicotine
Topics covered in Module 2 include:
- The health and safety risks of tobacco and nicotine
- How nicotine withdrawal can compromise on-the-job safety
- How to access treatment and support to quit
Learning objectives include:
- Explain how tobacco use compounds worksite hazards.
- Identify the major health risks of smoking and vaping.
- Describe how nicotine withdrawal symptoms can impair jobsite safety.
- Identify the five types of nicotine replacement therapy and how to use them.
- Name NYC resources available to help workers quit smoking.
Module 3: Suicide Prevention
Topics covered in Module 3 include:
- Risk factors and warning signs of suicide
- How to take practical action when noticing a coworker in crisis
- Understanding risks and protective factors
- Knowing where and how to turn for help
- Hard Hat Courage program resources
Learning objectives include:
- Identify key risk factors and protective factors associated with suicide.
- Recognize behavioral, verbal and mood-based warning signs that someone may be struggling.
- Apply the "Check and Connect" framework to talk with and support a coworker in crisis.
- Identify appropriate resources — including the Hard Hat Courage program — for getting help for themselves or others.
Module 4: General Mental Health
Topics covered in Module 4 include:
- Common conditions and their warning signs
- How to talk about mental health without stigma
- Where to turn for support
- Building support and taking action
- The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Learning objectives include:
- Describe common mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, ADHD and substance use disorders.
- Recognize early warning signs that a coworker (or themselves) may be struggling.
- Apply practical self-care and support strategies, including how to talk about mental health and build a personal support system.
- Identify appropriate resources for getting help — including creating a recovery plan and contacting the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Module 5: Notification and Correction of Unsafe Conditions
Topics covered in Module 5 include:
- How to notify NYC agencies of unsafe conditions on a construction site
- Required reporting channels
- The 311/212-NEW-YORK hotline and specialized units within the DOB
- Who to contact and how quickly to do so
Learning objectives include:
- Describe the process for notifying NYC agencies of unsafe conditions on a construction site, including building owner and QRWI-specific obligations (e.g., the 24-hour RWIP3 reporting requirement).
- Identify the correct agency and contact channel for a given type of report — including the Department of Investigation (DOI), Office of Internal Affairs (IAD) and Buildings Special Investigations Unit (BSIU).
Module 6: Review of Topics
Topics covered in Module 6 include:
- Review of previous lesson modules
- How mental health, substance use and jobsite safety are interconnected
- Key takeaways before the final exam
Learning objectives include:
- Connect mental health, substance use and safety as interconnected topics.
- Summarize the key concepts from all five content modules.