Horizontal Thinking: The Road Forward Artwork

Boom Goes The Stigma

Welcome to Boom Goes The Stigma! BGTS is a production of the Construction Suicide Prevention Partnership (CSPP). According to the CDC, the construction industry has the second-highest rate of suicide and has one of the highest rates of death from overdoses. Our country loses more construction workers to suicide than to Jobsite injuries or accidents. BGTS is a tool that normalizes and elevates the conversation around mental health. On every episode, guests from within and outside the construction industry discuss critical issues, share stories, and, most importantly, blow up the stigma of talking about mental wellness as a sign of weakness.

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Boom Goes The Stigma

Horizontal Thinking: The Road Forward

February 08, 2023 • Hunter Moen, Anna Klein, Max Margolis

We are excited to share our conversation with John Hickey, the Executive Director of the Asphalt Pavement Association of Oregon.

In leading the Asphalt Pavement Association, John focuses on maintaining a culture of continuous improvement in the paving industry – which requires working on diverse issues such as pavement design and research, recruiting the next generation of workers, infrastructure funding, and, of course, safety.

In our conversation, John highlighted the unique challenges facing “horizontal construction.” We discussed how new and potential policies and practices can improve the industry. We learned the excellent benefits of a job in the pavement industry. We appreciate John taking the time to talk to us!

If you need support or feel distressed, there is always hope and help. You can call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, to speak with a trained crisis intervention specialist.

You can also reach out to the Alcohol & Drug Helpline at 800-923-4357.

To learn more about the CSPP and Boom Goes The Stigma, visit: suicide-stops-here.org

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