After decades spent working in the construction and mining industries, Molly Sandford is all too familiar with the phrase "drink a cup of cement and harden up".

Key points: Construction workers die by suicide at twice the rate of workers in other industries

Construction workers die by suicide at twice the rate of workers in other industries The Bluehats initiative provides mental health first aid training to construction workers

The Bluehats initiative provides mental health first aid training to construction workers The industry hopes 10 per cent of workers will become Bluehat volunteers

She believes that widespread but outdated attitude toward mental health contributed to the death of her ex-husband, who took his own life in August.

"He had suffered from mental illness for a long time, he was basically told 'cup of cement, you'll be OK', nothing was spoken about," she said.

Ms Sandford is lining up to be one of the first Tasmanian construction workers to get mental health first aid training under the Bluehats Suicide Prevention initiative.

"Even now I think what could have I done … had he had something like the Bluehats, or somebody not telling him to harden up, you know you'll be OK.

"With more help it may have been prevented, as well as with other suicides."

As a mother of eight and familiar face at the Hobart construction site she has worked at for the last 12 months, Ms Sandford is often approached by other workers who need to talk.

"If you see somebody, you gradually get to know who they are, what they're doing, you earn their trust and respect," she said.

"Being able to approach somebody in confidence and say 'I'm struggling', I really need help, it's imperative to have something like this in the construction industry."

Making vulnerability a sign of courage

Molly Sandford believes her former husband may be alive today if support like the Bluehats initiative had been available. ( ABC News: Laura Beavis )

The Bluehats initiative was launched in Victoria in October 2018 in response to a spike in suicides among construction workers.

Dominic Vigilanti from industry redundancy manager Incolink said there were three suicides in 2015 and 15 two years later.

He said construction workers took their own lives at twice the rate of workers in other industries.

Mr Vigilanti manages a team of 12 counsellors in Victoria and six in Tasmania who provide mental health first aid training and attend construction sites.

Under the Bluehats program, all construction workers receive one hour of mental health awareness training.

After a training course volunteers wear a blue hardhat in the workplace to signify they can be approached for support.

"That is what we aiming at Bluehat to be able to do — provide that ear, that support, and refer to professionals when needed," Mr Vigilanti said.

"It's about allowing people to be able to say… 'hey, I need support, and there's nothing wrong with that'.

"It's about making vulnerability a sign of courage."

Construction boss with first-hand experience

Hansen Yuncken Tasmanian construction manager Julian Proud and Incolink's Dominic Vigilanti say suicide is an issue for the industry. ( ABC News: Laura Beavis )

Hansen Yuncken Tasmanian construction manager Julian Proud is a staunch supporter of mental health training in the industry.

He undertook mental health first aid training in 2006 and said it had helped him to save the lives of fellow workers.

"I've personally been involved in four incidents where I've been first to the scene of a person attempting suicide," Mr Proud said.

"[The training] allows you to prepare yourself for that initial engagement with someone who's not travelling that well and to steer that person through to seek counselling or some further help."

CFMEU Tasmania organiser Kevin Harkins said he wanted the industry to also consider how changing employment conditions could affect workers' mental health.

"Casual employment and labour hire companies don't do anything to add to people's security and I think actually add to people's levels of stress," he said.

Incolink is aiming for 10 per cent of workers in Tasmania's construction industry to be trained as Bluehat volunteers.