Above and Below is the official podcast of the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention (CIASP). Hosted by Sonya Bohmann and Zulq Malik, this series explores mental health in construction from every angle—what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to change. With honest conversations, expert insights, and real stories from the field, Above and Below brings awareness to the challenges the industry faces—and the people driving meaningful change.
Episode 36: From Awareness to Action: Building a Suicide Prevention Program with COMPASS
Awareness is important, but what happens when a worker asks for help?
In Episode 36 of Above and Below, Sonya Bohmann speaks with Dr. Bradley Evanoff and Sami Tayeb of Washington University in St. Louis about COMPASS, a practical ten-step framework that helps construction organizations build and sustain suicide prevention programs.
Bradley and Sami explain how COMPASS was inspired by Australia’s MATES in Construction program and adapted to meet the unique needs of the U.S. construction industry. They discuss the role of leadership, labor partnerships, peer connectors, crisis navigation, employee and member assistance programs, general awareness training, and postvention planning.
The conversation also explores the barriers workers may face when seeking care, including limited health benefits, provider shortages, and a fragmented support system. Most importantly, it offers contractors and unions a practical place to begin.
The message is simple: A program does not have to be perfect on day one. Doing something is better than doing nothing. Start where you are, build on the safety systems already in place, and keep moving forward.
21 Sept 2026
Episode 35: It Doesn’t Make You Any Less: Breaking the Silence on Mental Health in Construction
What happens when the person trusted to move the heaviest loads is quietly carrying an unbearable one?
In this episode of Above and Below, Sonya Bowman and Zulq Malik speak with crane operator, union business agent, and mental health advocate Chris about his experiences with depression, anxiety, and alcohol—and the long road toward accepting help. Chris explains how his father’s persistent, judgment-free support helped him take the first step and why sharing his story has become part of his own healing.
Together, they explore the stigma surrounding mental health in construction, the importance of checking in with coworkers, and the responsibility leaders have to make these conversations part of everyday safety culture. They also discuss therapy, employee assistance programs, naloxone, 988, and a new NJIT initiative designed to connect workers and their families with potentially life-saving resources.
It’s an honest, hopeful reminder that asking for help does not make anyone less capable and that a genuine “Are you okay?” can change, or even save, a life.
24 Aug 2026
Episode 34: Mental Health Is a Safety Issue: Tim Irving on Changing Construction's Future
In this episode of Above and Below, host Sonya Bohmann welcomes Tim Irving, retired Deputy Director of OSHA's Directorate of Construction, for a conversation about the evolution of workplace safety and why mental health must be part of it.
Tim shares the personal experience that led him from electrical contracting into a lifelong career in safety, including a devastating workplace incident that forever changed his perspective on protecting workers. He also reflects on the early days of bringing suicide prevention into the construction safety conversation, the resistance he encountered, and the milestones that helped establish mental health as an essential component of occupational safety.
Together, Sonya and Tim discuss the power of data, leadership, collaboration, and culture change, along with the growing movement to ensure mental health is recognized alongside every other workplace hazard. From the creation of OSHA's Suicide Prevention Stand Down to the inclusion of mental health resources in OSHA 10 and 30 training, this conversation highlights how far the industry has come and the work that still lies ahead.
This episode is a powerful reminder that protecting workers means caring for both their physical safety and their mental well-being.
Who has been a guest on Above & Below
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Andrew Theokas
Stephen Dummit
Jason Scholl
Sonya Bohmann
Zulq Malik
Reach and audience
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 9 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
19
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
0
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Questions about Above & Below
Who hosts Above & Below?
Zulq host the show. Published by CIASP.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Above & Below take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
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