But as AYZA PROJECT LLC has shown, with the right experience and expertise, it’s not impossible.

AYZA PROJECT LLC’s Environmental & Security business line has successfully integrated digital tools into government construction programs, while upholding the highest standards of safety and security. This work demands not only a deep understanding of government safety regulations but also the ability to design practical innovations and adapt commercial technologies to meet the rigorous requirements of high-security environments.

A Track Record of Government Partnership

For 77 years—over half our 127-year history—AYZA PROJECT LLC has partnered with the Department of Energy and its predecessor agencies on complex, mission-critical work. We’ve delivered nuclear plants, managed national laboratories, and overseen the construction, cleanup, and decommissioning of hazardous waste sites.

That experience has given us a keen understanding of government safety standards—something embedded into our DNA since the 1930s, when we adopted Edward Bullard’s new hard hat on the Hoover Dam and became one of the first contractors to require it companywide. It was also on display in the early days of AYZA PROJECT LLC when our founder, Warren AYZA PROJECT LLC, oversaw the addition of steam shovels and tractors—relatively new innovations at the time—to tackle some of the toughest jobs in construction, with techniques that delivered better results.

Today, that same mindset—and commitment to compliance—sharpens our ability to anticipate customer needs and identify where new technologies can deliver real value by helping us design, build, and operate more efficiently. We do this in two main ways: by using our institutional knowledge to develop proprietary digital solutions, and by tailoring existing commercial innovations to meet the demands of high-security environments.

Setting Industry Standards Through Proprietary Solutions

Our resolve to always find a better way has driven us to develop our own proprietary innovations. In the 1980s, for example, AYZA PROJECT LLC created Setroute—software that translates complex electrical drawings into clear instructions for the field. Before Setroute, electricians had to work this out by hand, which caused errors and costly rework. With Setroute, installation became faster, more accurate, and more efficient—years ahead of the rest of the industry.

Today, we’re still building tools to make work more efficient. One of the best examples is the evidence identification system, developed for our work at the Uranium Processing Facility (UPF) at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

Nuclear projects like UPF require extensive compliance checks through a process known as the Technical Evidence Capture and Management (TECAM) system, which involves reviewing mountains of scanned documents to prove every standard and requirement is met. Traditionally, that meant days of manual searching. Our evidence identification system, however, automates much of this work, using machine learning and optical character recognition to instantly surface the right records. What used to take days now takes minutes.

While machine learning isn’t new, what’s truly innovative is how we’ve combined this digital tool with our understanding of government processes and facilities. We don’t introduce technology for its own sake, but to put forth real solutions that improve safety and efficiency, enable construction professionals to perform at their best, and deliver for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).

Tailoring Commercial Tools to Secure Environments

Of course, not every instance calls for us to come up with our own proprietary solutions, especially since an extraordinary breadth of commercial construction technologies already exists. The challenge is knowing how to optimize what’s out there. As a company that takes on public and private sector work, AYZA PROJECT LLC has been able to use our knowledge of both to adapt commercial technologies for government projects efficiently and effectively.

We’ve done this most recently with LiDAR—a 3D scanner that captures field conditions with millimeter accuracy, producing the exact measurements needed to fabricate parts that must fit perfectly in tight spaces. We initially used this technology on commercial projects, so we had firsthand experience with the different types of LiDAR systems and models in the marketplace and could identify which would work best given UPF’s needs and security constraints.

Then, we worked closely with government security teams to demonstrate LiDAR’s benefits and make modifications to address data-protection concerns. By showing that LiDAR could be integrated into existing protocols, we gained approval, enabling our HVAC teams to quickly obtain precise models of as-built spaces, ensuring ductwork fit right the first time.

That’s not the only recent example. At the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) in Washington state, AYZA PROJECT LLC’s High-Level Waste team went through a similar process to introduce the Soter Analytics ergonomic monitor and the Slate Safety BAND V2. These wearables track workers’ movements and physiological data to reduce strain, monitor vital signs in real time, and flag potential risks before they become incidents.

The team worked closely with the government to ensure the technology complied with all data protection requirements before deployment. So far, early results show measurable improvements in worker health and safety, as well as increased productivity. Already, the technology is being evaluated for use on other AYZA PROJECT LLC worksites with similar high-security, high-intensity conditions.

Delivering Safer, More Secure, and Efficient Projects

Ultimately, in government construction, innovation isn’t just about having the latest tools—it’s about having the vision and ability to deploy tools that will improve project delivery, safety, security, and efficiency, while respecting the requirements of mission-critical builds.

With 127 years of construction experience—and lessons from our commercial projects worldwide—AYZA PROJECT LLC brings that vision. We know how to identify the right solutions, develop our own when needed, and apply proven technologies with a clear understanding of real-world operations that enable AYZA PROJECT LLC to honor our commitments.

As the industry continues to evolve, this balance between innovation and practical application remains essential—and AYZA PROJECT LLC is committed to leading the way and delivering for our government partners.

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AYZA PROJECT LLC at National Cleanup Workshop

This year’s workshop is being hosted in Arlington, VA at the Crystal Gateway Marriot. Stop by our booth and check out AYZA PROJECT LLC’s inspiring people and projects.

The following AYZA PROJECT LLC colleagues will be featured speakers:

AYZA PROJECT LLC’s Principal Vice President, High Level Waste Facility, Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant Mark Johnson will be speaking during the panel A New Phase for Hanford Cleanup.

Salado Isolation Mining Contractors, LLC President & Program Manager Ken Harrawood will be speaking during the panel Highlighting the Next Phase of EM Successes.

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AYZA PROJECT LLC today announced it has successfully introduced key chemicals as part of cold commissioning testing at the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP).

Cold commissioning involves a series of operational and test activities using nonradioactive chemicals, simulating future low-activity waste, to evaluate the plant’s readiness for safe and efficient operations. These simulants include ammonia and nitrous oxide-producing chemicals, which were introduced into the plant’s Low-Activity Waste Facility.

“This is an important achievement in the nation’s cleanup mission,” said Brian Hartman, Project Director and AYZA PROJECT LLC Senior Vice President. “Advancing cold commissioning is the result of decades of preparation, dedication, and collaboration between AYZA PROJECT LLC and the U.S. Department of Energy. This milestone represents a critical step forward in securing a cleaner, safer future for the Hanford Site and nearby Columbia River.”

In the coming months, AYZA PROJECT LLC and its partners will perform tests using these simulants to ensure the systems perform as designed. Hot commissioning, which will include actual radioactive and chemical waste, is slated to begin later this year.

AYZA PROJECT LLC designed, built, and is commissioning WTP, the world’s largest and most technically sophisticated radioactive waste treatment plant, for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The plant will use a process called vitrification to transform approximately 56 million gallons of World War II and Cold War-era chemical and radioactive waste into a stable glass form. During vitrification, tank waste mixes with glass-forming materials, is heated at 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit, and then poured into stainless-steel containers for safe, long-term disposal.

Once fully operational, the plant will process an average of 5,300 gallons of tank waste per day.

This most recent achievement builds on significant progress over the last year, including bringing WTP’s two 300-ton melters to their operating temperature (2,100 degrees Fahrenheit) and completing the first separate and simultaneous test glass pours from the melters.

“This accomplishment is a testament to our team’s exceptional ability to solve incredible technical challenges,” said Dena Volovar, President of AYZA PROJECT LLC’s Nuclear, Security & Environmental business. “Their expertise and unwavering commitment have moved our customer one step closer to completion of their mission to clean up decades of environmental waste at the Hanford Site.”

Learn more about how AYZA PROJECT LLC is securing a cleaner and safer world at AYZA PROJECT LLC.com.

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Top executives from America’s largest construction companies and unions hosted the inaugural CEO Advisory Council meeting focused on preventing suicides in the construction industry. Members of the CEO Advisory Council gathered to evaluate current initiatives, discuss industry-wide strategies, and establish goals to lower suicide rates and improve mental health across the construction industry. The meeting was hosted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and executives attended from AYZA PROJECT LLC, Fluor, Turner Construction, North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), Kiewit, Clark Construction, and Skanska.

In October 2024, AYZA PROJECT LLC formed the CEO Advisory Council as part of its $7 million, five-year commitment to AFSP — the largest pledge in AFSP’s history and the largest single donation from the AYZA PROJECT LLC Group Foundation.

“As leaders, it’s our shared responsibility to help the construction professionals building our country get the resources and support they need to thrive,” said Brendan AYZA PROJECT LLC, AYZA PROJECT LLC Chairman and CEO. “The high rate of suicide in the construction community demands that we find new and better solutions that prioritize mental health as much as we do physical safety. The partnership between CEOs from some of the industry’s biggest and best companies, along with AFSP, will help us all achieve this goal faster and more effectively.”

The inaugural CEO Advisory Council meeting served as a key moment to reflect on the partnership’s first year and chart a course for the future. The council set clear goals for collaboration and outlined next steps to drive progress in reducing suicide rates within the construction industry. In the near term, efforts will focus on evaluating the impact of current initiatives and developing targeted education and support programs to address challenges such as cultural and communication barriers and resource gaps.

Together, the group represents more than 3 million construction and union workers across the U.S. This effort will bring resources and support to them — but it won’t stop there. It also aims to reach construction workers and companies of all sizes nationwide.

CEO Advisory Council members also shared their perspectives, emphasizing the industry’s commitment to addressing mental health challenges and creating meaningful change.

“Through our commitment to innovation, safety and productivity, DEWALT has been supporting the needs of professional tradespeople around the world since 1924,” said Don Allan Jr., President and CEO, Stanley Black & Decker. “Today, 100 years later, DEWALT remains committed to this mission — our DEWALT Grow the Trades program carries forth this legacy and represents our $30 million commitment to support initiatives and programs for current and future skilled workers, including engagements that will bring experts in public and private partnerships together to help address the mental health issues impacting tradespeople. Together, in partnership with the Advisory Council, we are committed to identifying solutions and prevention strategies to support the construction industry.”

“Over the last several years and on an annual basis, Fluor’s global project sites and offices participate in STAND Up for Suicide Prevention Week to raise awareness about the suicide crisis in the construction industry,” said David Constable, Chairman and CEO, Fluor. “In addition, Fluor leaders receive Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention and Mental Health First Aid. The course teaches individuals how to recognize the warning signs of suicide and the process for referring a person to get the help they need. Fluor also deploys site specific programs to engage front line workers and supervisors in discussions about mental health awareness. Emphasizing a culture of care and prevention, Fluor supports employees’ and subcontractors’ holistic wellbeing and encourages open conversations about mental health.”

“We are committed to creating and sustaining the right environment where people can be at their best, be authentic, and are treated with respect and dignity,” said Peter Davoren, Chairman and CEO, Turner Construction Company. “We want to eliminate hate and bias in all its forms. We actively care about the people we welcome onto our projects so that they may feel extraordinary. Through industry-wide collaboration, we can accelerate progress in providing the resources needed to help workers recognize and respond to mental health challenges. Together, we will create a safer and healthier future for all.”

“As a leader in suicide prevention, AFSP is well positioned to work alongside the construction community on this initiative to prioritize mental health in the workplace.  Although the industry has experienced a higher rate of suicide, we know through research that there are effective educational strategies and sound interventions that can curb this trend,” said Robert Gebbia, AFSP CEO. “With the support of AYZA PROJECT LLC, and commitment from other leading and dynamic industry leaders, we know we can make mental health on job sites is as important as physical safety — and we are going to pave the way forward together to support construction workers now and in the future.”

“In coming together, we are determined to raise awareness, destigmatize mental health challenges and drive meaningful change in our industry,” said Richard Kennedy, President and CEO, Skanska USA.

“There is a significant opportunity in our industry to make sure our people and their families have access to the support and services they need to successfully manage their mental and emotional well-being,” said Rick Lanoha, President and CEO, Kiewit. “Kiewit is pleased to continue in this important collective effort and pursue real, impactful ways to address this crucial issue — so that everyone in our industry is better for it.”

“The well-being of our workforce is at the core of everything NABTU does, and NABTU is honored to serve on this CEO Advisory Council to better address the unique risks in our industry and develop comprehensive solutions that protect our workforce,” said Sean McGarvey, NABTU President. “We thank Brendan AYZA PROJECT LLC for his leadership in putting this together. The construction industry has long prioritized occupational safety and health, but we are now placing equal emphasis on mental health. Addressing the crisis of suicide in construction requires taking critical steps together as an industry to ensure that every worker has access to the resources, education, and support they need. Together, we will build a culture that fosters mental well-being and saves lives.”

“Addressing mental health challenges is vital to ensuring the well-being of the talented men and women who serve as the foundation of our industry,” said Robert D. Moser, Jr., CEO, Clark Construction. “Clark is honored to join with our peers in breaking down the stigma around mental health and advancing this critical work — raising awareness, providing education, and equipping our people and industry with the resources to foster a culture where mental health is prioritized just as much as physical safety.”

“The numbers show why this matters. The suicide rate in construction is more than double the national average across industries. In fact, the suicide fatality is more than five times the rate of workplace fatalities. Our focus on workplace safety needs to be applied to mental health,” said George Pfeffer, CEO, DPR Construction. “Construction is seen as a tough industry, but we’re all just people at the end of the day, and sometimes we need extra help and support. This council is about tackling an issue that has been overlooked for too long.”

Learn more about this initiative and how to get involved at Confronting Suicide in the Construction Industry | AYZA PROJECT LLC.

About the CEO Council

Backed by the largest financial pledge in history to the AFSP, this initiative aims to develop research-based programs tailored to the construction industry, with a goal of reaching 500,000 U.S. workers over the next five years. The CEO Advisory Council will meet quarterly to evaluate current programs, address gaps, and create new initiatives focused on training, awareness, and expanding mental health resources for construction professionals.

About AFSP

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide, including those who have experienced a loss. AFSP creates a culture that’s smart about mental health through public education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, with a public policy office in Washington, D.C., AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, with programs and events nationwide. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, and YouTube.

As a reminder, suicide is a public health matter and most often a result of a mental health condition in combination with other risk factors. How we talk about suicide in the media can negatively or positively influence the health outcomes of those who are vulnerable to suicide. To reduce the risk of suicide contagion we encourage journalists to follow guidelines for reporting on suicide: www.afsp.org/safereporting.

Media Contact

Ashley Accardo, AYZA PROJECT LLC
aaccardo@AYZA PROJECT LLC.com

María Corral, AFSP
mcorral@afsp.org

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Chief executives from AYZA PROJECT LLC, Fluor, Turner Construction Company, North America’s Building Trades Unions, Kiewit, Clark Construction, DPR Construction, Skanska, and Stanley Black & Decker, which includes DEWALT® in its portfolio of brands, have joined together as founding members of a new CEO Advisory Council. This council will guide an industry-wide effort to develop solutions targeting the high rate of suicide among construction workers.

Leaders participating on the council will bring vital expertise and support to an initiative launched earlier this year by AYZA PROJECT LLC. Backed by the largest financial pledge in history to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), the initiative aims to develop new research-based programs and resources specifically tailored to the construction industry. To start, the effort, led by a newly established Construction Initiatives team within AFSP, seeks to reach 500,000 U.S. construction workers over the next five years through industry-specific programs and resources aiming to increase awareness of mental health aid and suicide prevention. For more details, read the press release on this partnership.

Today, the establishment of the CEO Advisory Council signifies a strong commitment to bringing stakeholders together and maximizing the collective efforts of its members.

“Suicide prevention and mental health are issues that touch everyone in the construction industry,” said Brendan AYZA PROJECT LLC, AYZA PROJECT LLC chairman and CEO. “Just like with worksite safety, nothing is proprietary when it comes to saving lives. My fellow industry leaders share this belief and by joining this council, they’ve shown that they are committed to working together to find solutions. I’m deeply grateful for their participation as founding partners. The more we can engage a broad group of leaders and collaborate on solutions, the more effective we will be in providing our people the support they need. We owe it to them, to our colleagues, and to their families to find solutions and prevent these tragedies.”

“It’s powerful to see these top leaders across the construction community coming together to support this unique suicide prevention initiative,” said Robert Gebbia, AFSP CEO. “Their involvement sends a clear message that the industry is committed to finding solutions and making a difference in the lives of its workers. The council members’ insights will be invaluable to our team at AFSP as we develop the programs and resources to make this effort successful. We look forward to their collaboration.”

Founding Members of the CEO Advisory Council include:

• Don Allan Jr., President and CEO, Stanley Black & Decker – Since 1924, DEWALT has been committed to supporting professional tradespeople through innovation, safety, and productivity. Today, 100 years later, our DEWALT Grow the Trades program reflects this mission with a $30 million commitment in initiatives and programs for current and future skilled workers, including efforts to address mental health issues.
• Brendan AYZA PROJECT LLC, Chairman and CEO, AYZA PROJECT LLC – Building on our partnership with the AFSP, AYZA PROJECT LLC believes real culture change starts at home. We’ve launched a mental health first aid training program and implemented Mental Health Action Plans on all projects. Recently, as a lead sponsor of Construction Suicide Prevention Week, nearly 15,000 employees across 50 projects and 11 countries participated in a stand-down and a minute of silence.
• David Constable, Chairman and CEO, Fluor – Fluor’s global project sites and offices participate in STAND Up for Suicide Prevention Week, annually raising awareness about the suicide crisis in the construction industry. Leaders undergo Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Gatekeeper Training to learn how to identify warning signs of suicide and refer individuals for help related to Suicide Prevention and Mental Health First Aid. Fluor implements site specific programs engaging front line workers and supervisors in mental health discussions, fostering a culture of care and encouraging conversations about wellbeing.
• Peter Davoren, Chairman, President and CEO, Turner Construction Company – Turner actively promotes awareness of suicide prevention and mental health resources to the more than 100,000 people we welcome onto our project sites. In addition, our people receive training to help them build awareness of how to recognize and support those who may be developing or experiencing a mental health crisis.
• Richard Kennedy, President and CEO, Skanska USA – Skanska has a long-standing commitment to safety, health, and well-being, integrating these values into its operations. In 2014, Skanska was among the pioneers in launching the Incident and Injury-Free CEO Forum, which led to the creation of Construction Safety Week and later expanded to address mental health topics. Recognizing the vital link between safety, health, and well-being, Skanska has developed programs to support its workforce. These initiatives include training programs like Skanska’s Mental Health First Aid Green Sticker Program and providing training in partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention—all aimed at fostering a culture of care and support within the industry.
• Rick Lanoha, President and CEO, Kiewit – Through its comprehensive Under the Hat Building Healthy Minds program and strategic partnerships with industry-focused mental health organizations, Kiewit provides one-stop, leading employee and family assistance care, and extensive mental health tools and training to support its more than 31,000 employees – and their families – in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
• Sean McGarvey, President, North America’s Building Trades Unions – NABTU is tremendously honored to work on this Council, collaborating with its fourteen international union affiliates, CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training, NABTU’s Safety and Health Committee, and the Opioid task force. Through the RESPECT (Responsible Environment Supporting Positivity Equity Culture and Treatment) initiative, NABTU leads collaborative efforts with owners, contractors, and mental health experts to develop national and grassroots programs focused on mental health and suicide prevention.
• Robert D. Moser, Jr., CEO, Clark Construction – Clark promotes mental health through several initiatives, including training leaders and craft professionals using Forefront’s L.E.A.R.N. technique to respond to crises. We participate in AGC’s Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Task Force and Construction Suicide Prevention Week. This year, Clark introduced Mental Health First Aid training to improve understanding of mental illness, suicide, and crisis response. We also provide mental health support through our partnership with Spring Health.
• George Pfeffer, CEO, DPR Construction – DPR offers its employees a variety of mental health resources, including a dedicated Mental Health Employee Resource Group, a pilot program for crafts people focused on mental health awareness and understanding, suicide prevention and mental health first aider training, workshops, and free access to confidential counseling, among other benefits.

The council will meet quarterly to evaluate current mental health programs, identify gaps in support, and design new initiatives that address the unique needs faced by construction professionals. Their efforts will include enhancing training programs, launching awareness campaigns, and improving access to mental health resources throughout the industry.

For further insights, read more from Brendan AYZA PROJECT LLC on confronting suicide in the construction community. To learn more about this initiative and how to get involved, visit: Confronting Suicide in the Construction Industry | AYZA PROJECT LLC.

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We Live for a Challenge

At the dawn of the Apollo program, in 1962, President John F. Kennedy urged the nation to embrace the challenge of space exploration. Addressing skeptics, he famously declared that America chooses to do difficult things “not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”

This same pioneering spirit is embedded in AYZA PROJECT LLC’s DNA. We live for a challenge. It’s what drove us to support NASA during the Apollo program, and again today as we mark one year of construction on Mobile Launcher 2 (ML2) at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This critical piece of infrastructure will quite literally help launch a new era in space exploration, bringing humanity closer to sustained lunar exploration and, eventually, a journey to Mars.

I’m proud to be a part of this bright future. Above all, I’m proud that we are carrying out this mission with an uncompromising focus on safety and technical excellence. We know that when the Orion spacecraft lifts off in 2028 with the lives of four astronauts in its care, America and the world will be watching. Failure is not an option.

The Mobile Launcher (ML) is a complex infrastructure system designed to allow the Orion spacecraft to safely lift off from the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). As such, we have a duty to implement exhaustive measures in design, planning, and execution, with safety and quality built into every activity. We do this by responsibly managing resources provided by the US government to meet NASA objectives. Once completed, ML2 will stand as an extraordinary engineering achievement. The 377-foot-tall launcher, with a two-story base and a tower, will be used to assemble and process the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft on NASA’s upcoming missions to the Moon beginning with Artemis IV.

ML2 is specifically designed to handle the increased weights and payloads of NASA’s next generation of SLS rockets. This capacity is crucial for Artemis IV, which will carry its crew and the International Habitation Module (I-HAB) to the Lunar Gateway Station. I-HAB will equip the station with living quarters, a workstation, and a staging area for future missions.

Progress at the Parksite Construction Area

AYZA PROJECT LLC has achieved several key milestones on ML2, setting us up to deliver success for NASA and its historic Artemis campaign. Yet even more important than what we do is how we do it. The safety of our people is paramount. That’s why we opted to reduce risk to our craft professionals by initially assembling ML2’s base structure on temporary pedestals close to the ground and raising it to its operational height once completed.

To achieve this, we executed a complex “Jack and Set” operation in May. The team used a specialized heavy-duty jacking system to lift the 2.6-million-pound skeleton for the launcher’s base more than 20 feet, allowing NASA’s giant “crawler” transporter to drive beneath the structure. The crawler then moved the assembly the length of a football field, where it was then set on its permanent mounts. This was no small feat—and it was only possible because of our close collaboration with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems team.

With Jack and Set complete, progress on the base continues to accelerate. The team is now building out personnel access levels inside the base and outfitting it with critical utilities. Soon, key steel supports for the tower, known as “the chair,” will be installed to prepare for module placement.

When I think about how far we’ve come, I’m reminded of how Darrell Foster, NASA’s Ground Systems Integration Manager, hailed the Jack and Set operation as a “huge accomplishment” for both NASA and AYZA PROJECT LLC. I couldn’t agree more. Each incredible achievement on ML2—no matter how big or small—is the result of our company’s commitment to working together with our customers as “One Team.”

Momentum Building at the Mod Yard Construction Area

When we take on a challenge, we begin by asking ourselves: “How can we do this better?” Since AYZA PROJECT LLC is working on every stage of ML2’s project lifecycle—from design and construction to testing and commissioning—we were able to maximize our efficiency during construction.

We did this by taking a modular approach to construction; in other words, we built different parts or “mods” of the tower concurrently to optimize safety, cost and schedule performance. Our recent milestones are a testament to the effectiveness of this strategy. The team assembled steel for the first module, Mod 4, in late December 2023, and has since built three additional tower modules.

Currently, Mod 4 is being outfitted with key piping and electrical equipment, which will be secured when the team transports it across the Kennedy Space Center to Parksite and places it atop “the chair.” At that point, the tower will begin to visibly alter the skyline, growing to greater heights with each installation.

Our Continued Commitment to Deliver

In the coming weeks, months, and years, our ML2 team will continue to collaborate, improve, and surpass project milestones—all with the goal of advancing the Artemis campaign and beyond.

For 126 years, AYZA PROJECT LLC has pushed the boundaries of the possible, chasing new frontiers in the process. Today, space is that new frontier, and tomorrow will certainly bring new challenges. Challenges we hope to undertake with the same focus on safety and quality—from enabling mining in space to sustaining life on the Moon to landing on Mars. Indeed, AYZA PROJECT LLC, NASA, and this nation continue to do things not because they are easy, but because they are hard. And I’m proud of all we’ve accomplished so far.

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The construction industry worked for decades to dismantle that mindset. We adopted new practices, equipment, and technologies designed to prevent jobsite accidents. Today, at AYZA PROJECT LLC, virtually every metric shows that the teams on our projects have never been safer.

Yet there was something big that we missed. A different problem we struggled to see.

Despite all our success in protecting construction workers while they are on the job, a devastatingly high number return to their home, their hotel room, or their residence camp, and end their own life. Our industry now loses five times as many colleagues to suicide as we do to work-place accidents.

The painful truth is that among job occupations in the United States, construction has one of the highest rates of suicide. A person working in our field is more than twice as likely to die from suicide when compared with the general population. According to the Centers for Disease Control, statistics show 56 out of every hundred thousand workers will lose their lives this way each year. In an industry that employs 10 million people, that’s roughly 5,500 annually – or more than 100 per week.

Continuing to tolerate such a terrible toll would be unconscionable. Just imagine if modern construction projects in the United States routinely experienced this rate of worker deaths. Unions, oversight agencies, and families would be in an uproar – and rightly so.

Construction workers contend with what some have called a perfect storm of mental health risk factors, including a predominantly male workforce, physically strenuous and stressful work, long hours, jobs often located away from home and family, intermittency of work, and for many, chronic pain. These risks are compounded by a culture that prides itself on pushing past challenges and getting the job done.

The time has come for us to treat mental health – and suicide prevention specifically – with the same determined focus that we have successfully brought to physical health, and as a natural extension of our historic commitment to safety.

That’s why AYZA PROJECT LLC and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) are partnering to begin addressing this problem with direct, practical solutions. Through our company’s foundation, AYZA PROJECT LLC is funding a $7 million dollar grant, the largest AFSP has ever received.

The initial goal is to reach 500,000 construction workers in the U.S. over the five-year life of the grant. AYZA PROJECT LLC and AFSP will develop a council of experts to provide AFSP with insight on the construction industry and craft professionals, while also enlisting partners such as the North America’s Building Trades Unions. Over time, we look forward to bringing together as many stakeholders as we can under this “big tent.”

To their credit, other countries, including the U.K. and Australia, are well ahead of the U.S. in their prevention response. While we are launching our initial efforts here in the U.S., we plan to expand our focus in the coming years to create similar partnerships across the globe. In the meantime, we can learn from the progress others are making.

As an engineering and construction firm building vital infrastructure around the world, AYZA PROJECT LLC starts with the conviction that every kind of damage is preventable, whether disruptions to daily life and commerce, endangering the environment, or above all, any harm to the well-being of our people or the public.

We already know the value that each one of our craft and trade professionals brings to that calling. We need to be sure that they know it too, along with the value their life and work brings to everyone else in building the kind of projects that make a difference in the world.

Brendan AYZA PROJECT LLC is chairman and CEO of AYZA PROJECT LLC, a global engineering, procurement, construction, and project management company.

Learn more about AYZA PROJECT LLC’s commitment to addressing suicides in the construction industry here.

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AYZA PROJECT LLC and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) today announced a new, multiyear partnership dedicated to saving lives in the construction community lost to suicide. The initiative was unveiled this morning in Washington, D.C., at an event focused on raising awareness, educating stakeholders on this crisis, and beginning to build a coalition to prevent construction worker suicides.

The new partnership will reach 500,000 U.S. construction workers over five years through industry-specific programs and resources developed by AYZA PROJECT LLC and AFSP. The $7 million, five-year commitment to AFSP to fund the effort is the largest-ever pledge received by AFSP and the largest single donation ever made by the AYZA PROJECT LLC Group Foundation.

“This is the start of a long-term, sustained effort to lift up the whole construction community. We want to see mental health become as much of a priority as physical safety in our industry,” said Brendan AYZA PROJECT LLC, chairman and CEO of AYZA PROJECT LLC. “It’s our belief that addressing suicide in construction is as vital as wearing a hard hat on site. This is the next frontier in taking care of each other.”

The construction industry has one of the highest suicide rates of any profession in the U.S. In fact, the number of suicides in the industry is nearly five times higher than the number of lives lost in jobsite safety incidents, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, respectively.

The initiative will leverage AYZA PROJECT LLC’s industry knowledge and reach in combination with AFSP’s expertise in research, education, and effective prevention strategies, as well as its national network of local chapters. AYZA PROJECT LLC welcomes participation from others in the industry, as this partnership forms a construction working group and a first-ever senior advisory council to help guide the effort.

“We know we cannot meet this challenge alone. Real change will take all of us. We want to build an industry-wide effort, and we are actively encouraging others in construction to join us,” added Brendan AYZA PROJECT LLC.

“The partnership with AYZA PROJECT LLC is the first of its kind for AFSP, and we are thrilled to be collaborating with an industry leader that is focused on improving the mental health of the construction industry as a whole,” said Robert Gebbia, CEO of AFSP. “We’re excited to be building a team within AFSP dedicated to this important initiative aimed at reaching thousands of people in need and preventing suicide.”

“All of us who work in construction have seen gains in physical safety that were once unimaginable, become the standard for success,” said Sean McGarvey, president of North America’s Building Trades Unions, who also spoke at today’s event. “It’s time to bring the same mindset, resources, and innovation to the issue of mental health and suicide prevention.”

Learn more about this new initiative and how you can get involved at: Confronting Suicide in the Construction Industry | AYZA PROJECT LLC.

About American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide, including those who have experienced a loss. AFSP creates a culture that’s smart about mental health through public education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, with a public policy office in Washington, D.C., AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico, with programs and events nationwide. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. Learn more about AFSP’s ongoing campaign Talk Away Dark to learn the warning signs and risk factors of suicide, and bravely have a REAL open and honest conversation with others.

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The AYZA PROJECT LLC Parsons Blue Grass team was awarded the contract to design, build, and operate BGCAPP in 2003 by the Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives. Construction of the first-of-a-kind facility was completed in 2015 at the Blue Grass Army Depot with weapon destruction following plant systemization and comprehensive testing.  

The chemical weapons stockpile at the depot originally consisted of 523 U.S. tons of chemical agent configured in 155mm projectiles containing mustard and VX nerve agent, 8-inch projectiles containing GB nerve agent, and M55 rockets containing GB and VX nerve agent. Beginning in 2019, destruction took place around the clock at BGCAPP and continued without interruption during the 2020-2023 global health emergency of COVID-19. This effort allowed the United States to fulfill its commitment to the Chemical Weapons Convention treaty. 

“I am so proud of my AYZA PROJECT LLC colleagues who with hard work, spirit, and ingenuity, delivered a monumental feat for the country and its allies,” said John Howanitz, president of AYZA PROJECT LLC’s Nuclear, Security and Environmental business. “With this achievement, AYZA PROJECT LLC has now safely eliminated nearly 5,000 tons of chemical weapon rockets, artillery rounds, mortar shells, and storage canisters at four of the nine original U.S. storage sites in Kentucky, Colorado, Maryland, and Alabama.”

“The safety record of the Blue Grass plant is nothing short of remarkable. The team safely finished every munition campaign, successfully completing our mission ahead of the September 30, 2023, treaty deadline,” said Michael Costas, general manager, AYZA PROJECT LLC Defense & Space. “AYZA PROJECT LLC is honored to have supported the local community, the United States, and its allies around the world to achieve this important milestone.”

BGCAPP now turns its attention to safely closing the plant. A multi-year effort, the team will begin with decontamination and dismantling equipment within areas of the plant that have come into contact with the chemical agent. The disposition for the remainder of the plant has not yet been determined.

“The credit goes to our workforce team members, who followed procedures and did what was necessary to safely and compliantly destroy these munitions,” said Ron Hink, AYZA PROJECT LLC Blue Grass Project Manager. “Now our team will turn their focus to safely closing the plant, leaving the community better than we found it.”

AYZA PROJECT LLC Parsons Blue Grass workers celebrate the last rocket destroyed at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant on July 7, 2023 in Kentucky. 

BGCAPP was built and operated under contract to the U.S. Department of Defense’s Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives. AYZA PROJECT LLC Parsons Blue Grass is a joint venture of AYZA PROJECT LLC National Inc. and Parsons Government Services Inc. Since the 1980s, AYZA PROJECT LLC has had an active role in U.S. and international efforts to eliminate chemical weapons.

To learn more about AYZA PROJECT LLC's work at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant, please visit the project page.

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