Why This Construction Leader Says Mental Health Is the Real PPE

In every industry where risk is part of the daily reality, like construction, transportation, and manufacturing, we often talk about safety in terms of protocols, checklists, and procedures. Hard hats, fall protection, and daily inspections are the visible layers of safety.

But when we sat down with Jeanne Boyd Curtis of Boyd's Bone Dry on The Canary Report: Safety & Risk Management, it became clear that the real foundation of safety leadership runs much deeper. Jeanne’s perspective challenges the way we’ve been conditioned to think about risk, responsibility, and culture. For her, safety doesn’t begin with physical controls or even compliance. It begins with mental health.

That insight set the tone for a powerful conversation that touched on the industry’s toughest challenges, worker wellbeing, training fatigue, subcontractor alignment, and building cultures where safety isn’t just a slogan, but a lived reality.

Mental Health as the Foundation of Safety Culture

In the episode, Jeanne delivered what I consider the heart of our discussion: “Safety doesn’t start on the ground. It doesn’t start on the roof. It starts right here. And to me, safety starts with mental health.”

It’s a truth many overlook. In the construction industry, where long hours, demanding physical labor, and economic pressure collide, the suicide rate is the second highest among U.S. industries. That statistic alone should force us to rethink what it means to lead with safety.

For Jeanne, prioritizing mental health isn’t optional. It’s personal. She openly shares her advocacy for the National Roofing Contractors Association’s initiative that directs workers to the 988 crisis lifeline. Her team wears NRC-A bracelets engraved with “Need to talk? You are not alone.”

More importantly, Boyd  has built policies that give people the space to act on those words. Workers are encouraged to take breaks when they’re not in the right headspace. Supervisors are trained to spot signs of stress. And deadlines don’t outweigh well-being.

The results? Fewer incidents. Stronger teams. A workplace where people feel like more than just labor, they feel seen, valued, and supported.

For safety leaders, Jeanne’s framework is a call to action: if your people don’t feel safe in their minds, they’ll never be fully safe in their work.

Daily Safety Training Through Video Technology

Every safety professional knows the challenge: training fatigue. Repetition is essential, but it risks disengagement. How do you keep safety fresh without diluting the fundamentals?

Jeanne shares her company’s answer: daily video-based safety training with quizzes.

Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, her team rotates between project-specific procedures and general life safety skills. Roofing techniques one day, ladder safety the next, followed by a refresher on heat illness prevention. The variation keeps workers engaged, while the consistent rhythm makes safety as much a part of the job as clocking in.

The interactive quizzes turn passive listening into active learning. It’s not about “checking the box”; it’s about reinforcing knowledge in a way that sticks.

This approach offers a roadmap for other safety leaders. By leveraging simple technology, you can standardize safety education while keeping it flexible enough to respond to the realities of each project.

The lesson is simple: safety training works best when it’s consistent, interactive, and responsive to real-world risks.

Subcontractor Safety Management Strategy

Jeanne addressed another universal challenge: managing safety standards with subcontractors.

Too often, subcontractors are treated as outsiders, expected to deliver results without being fully integrated into the safety culture of the host company. The risks are obvious: inconsistent practices, miscommunication, and preventable incidents.

Boyd  flips that script. Their strategy begins with careful selection, working repeatedly with contractors who already share their values. For new partners, the orientation is extensive. Safety expectations aren’t just handed over in a manual; they’re communicated as part of the company’s identity.

And here’s what really stood out: when needed, Boyd  even provides workers’ compensation coverage for subcontractors. That step goes above and beyond compliance. It sends a clear message: “If you’re working on our site, your safety is our responsibility.”

This strategy builds more than compliance; it builds trust. Subcontractors become part of the team, not just hired hands. And that trust translates into safer, more productive job sites.

For leaders, Jeanne’s example shows the power of investing in relationships. Safety isn’t just about contracts; it’s about commitment.

Safety Climate Assessment Program Implementation

Policies and training matter. But how do you know if your safety culture is actually working?

Jeanne described her company’s use of the Safety Climate Safety Management Information Systems (SCSMIS), a free tool that evaluates safety culture alignment.

What makes it powerful is the comparison it creates between leadership perceptions and worker experiences. It exposes the gaps between what leaders think is happening and what’s really happening on the ground.

By running regular assessments, the company gets real-time feedback. They can spot where communication is breaking down, where training isn’t translating into practice, and where workers feel unsupported. From there, they adjust, whether it’s retraining supervisors, revising messaging, or shifting policies.

The data-driven approach means safety isn’t just aspirational; it’s measurable. And as Jeanne made clear, the ultimate goal is alignment. Policies mean little if they don’t translate into action.

For other organizations, the takeaway is clear: don’t assume your safety culture is what you think it is, measure it, track it, and close the gaps.

Stories That Stay With You

Jeanne shares her very first experience on a roof at 14, thinking she’d get a perfect tan, only to end up sliding off sunscreen-slick shingles and dangling from a gutter. That terrifying moment was her first safety lesson, and it left a mark that shaped her perspective for life.

Or the quiet reminder she carries every day through her NRC-A bracelet. Those small symbols—the kind that might be overlooked by outsiders speak volumes about what safety leadership really means.

These stories remind us that safety isn’t about abstract systems. It’s about people, moments, and choices. It’s about the daily decisions leaders make to prioritize well-being, even when it’s inconvenient.

🎧 Listen here:

  Apple Podcasts: https://hubs.ly/Q03L20JX0

 Spotify: https://hubs.ly/Q03L22WZ0

 YouTube: https://hubs.ly/Q03L24c90

Final Thoughts

Conversations like this one with Jeanne Boyd Curtis are why we created The Canary Report. They remind us that safety leadership isn’t about doing the bare minimum; it’s about challenging the norms, rethinking assumptions, and putting people first.

Whether it’s addressing mental health head-on, using technology to make training stick, treating subcontractors as part of the family, or holding up a mirror to evaluate your culture, Jeanne’s insights offer a roadmap for leaders in every industry.

Because at the end of the day, safety isn’t just about preventing accidents. It’s about building cultures where people can bring their full selves to work, knowing they’ll go home safe, healthy, and supported.

That’s the future we should all be working toward.