Hundreds of sheet metal workers have relocated, or soon will relocate, to megaproject sites in Texas or Indiana to install HVAC systems and architectural siding for multi-acre projects by Samsung and Stellantis, respectively. Whether these workers plan to stay for six weeks or six months, they will find SMOHIT’s new resource pages for Taylor, Texas, and Kokomo, Indiana, helpful in

Ed Robison began his new job as field representative with the Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT), the health and safety arm of the unionized sheet metal industry last summer. He wears many hats in the role, but his top priority is to educate members in their local unions about the resources SMOHIT offers. After entering the apprenticeship in

This spring’s Steps Challenge brought out sheet metal workers and their families to walk together in the name of health, health challenges won and a little friendly competition. Ron Maynor, a Million Steps Winners member from Local 80 in Detroit, took up the Steps Challenges to deal with health issues. He and his daughter survived cancer surgery and treatments, and

From the moment attendees walked into the conference room in Falls Church, Virginia, on July 13, they could tell this Safety Champions Conference, held by the Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT), was going to be different. The large windows letting in summer daylight and the change in color scheme (gone were the safety orange and gold) were only

Racking up the z’s is easier said than done. If you’re already dealing with stress at work and home, busy schedules and the daily news, along with a medical diagnosis like sleep apnea, then getting a good night’s rest can seem impossible. But good sleep is worth the effort, so let’s review how to get some proper shut-eye. We all

SMART members took 21,717,860 steps toward better health during the 2022 Fall Steps Challenge, held from Sept. 19 through Oct. 31. Top walkers included Giselle Sanchez, from Local 49 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who reached the 400,000-step goal, while Dylan Jones, from Local 88 in Las Vegas, topped the 250,000-step goal and Lorena Hayden, from Local 104 in the Bay

At the first Construction Working Minds Summit, held earlier this year in Denver, Colorado, SMOHIT and SMART were jointly honored with the Mental Health Visionary award. The summit was hosted by the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention, United Suicide Survivors International and Johnson Depression Center, and it brought together about 200 stakeholders from 15 different organizations across four countries

SMOHIT-SMART MAP, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) workers’ Member Assistance Program, administered by the Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT), has reignited peer in-person training after COVID-19 put a pause on all in-person events. The peer training events, unlike the three-day SMART MAP general awareness training, are conducted at the local level with rank-and-file members who are

It’s just past dusk, and you’re driving home from a long day. On the side of the road, you see a car pulled over, hazard lights blinking. As you pass, you see a SMART sticker on the car’s windshield — it belongs to a union brother or sister. You pull over. You don’t know how to fix their car. You

At Sheet Metal Workers Local 18 in Waukesha, Wisconsin, the past few years have provided organizers with insight into what members go through in terms of mental health struggles, substance abuse or family pressures. Director of Organizing Hallie Jennerman and Statewide Organizer Craig Holzem have taken that knowledge and made some changes to how apprentices are prepared for their careers. By incorporating

Union to hire second dedicated counselor to field 24/7 calls from union members In 2017, as awareness of mental health and substance use disorder struggles increased, the unionized sheet metal industry launched its Helpline, operated around the clock by a licensed counselor and available to dependent families and members of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation

The SMOHIT Helpline (877-884-6227) launched in 2017 amidst natural disasters, mass shootings and a rise in awareness about the mental health struggles of members of SMART. Operated by a licensed therapist, the Helpline has been continued every year since by the trustees to encourage conversation and help members and their families get through whatever their lives are throwing at them at

As one of his first actions as program director in 2021, Aldo Zambetti created the Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT) Safety Committee, a hand-picked group of longtime safety experts from around the country who meet in person twice a year to discuss specific safety needs of instructors and trainers. The Safety Committee includes Tim Myres, Sheet Metal Workers Local 104 administrator in

On June 9, 2022, 3M Fall Protection announced a stop use/recall of specific 3M™ DBI-SALA® ShockWave™2 Arc Flash Shock Absorbing Lanyards. 3M determined that, for a limited number of devices, a potential manufacturing issue could result in the lanyard not performing properly in the event of a fall, which could result in severe injury or death. There have been no

Congratulations to the winners of our Spring Steps Challenge, which ended on May 31, 2022! Thank you for committing to your health and team spirit during the Steps Challenge. We hope you plan to keep stepping on through the summer! Mark your calendars for our Fall Steps Challenge, which will run September 19 – October 31, 2022. April 25, Team

It was only last year Aldo Zambetti joined the Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT) as its program director, and as of Jan. 1, he moved into the role of administrator. His new position will entail working not just with programs in development, but also with all the programs SMOHIT currently offers, from health screenings to suicide prevention, as

A time-honored tradition at the Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT) Safety Champions Conference is to honor those in the industry who have fostered in practice a true safety culture. The Safety Champions Awards accepts nominations throughout the year and awards those who have taken initiative in the name of the physical and mental well-being of those around them.

For the second year, out of an abundance of caution, the sixth annual Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT) Safety Champions Conference was held virtually April 14 and 15 for contractors, training directors and instructors, business managers and agents, and executives from labor and management across the country. Led by Aldo Zambetti, SMOHIT administrator, and Randy Krocka, SMOHIT program

Everyone has been touched by suicide in some way — whether it’s news of a celebrity who seemingly had experienced no outward problems or a close friend who was struggling with depression or addiction. The numbers are staggering. Suicide was the 10th leading cause of death in the United States in 2019, the second leading cause for those ages 10-34

As the need increases for sheet metal workers, so too has the drive to recruit more women into the trade, and the 21st century workforce looks more diverse than ever before. Health and safety concerns in construction and the trades affect both women and men, but some problems can have a greater impact on women. Interviews and focus groups of

As stress and anxiety take a toll on everyone, and the buzz of smartphones and scheduling apps keeps people in all professions on their toes, many have turned to mindfulness and meditation to help gain a sense of calm in their lives. Far from meditation’s past reputation as a “hippie” alternative activity, many today view mindfulness as just another tool,

Anyone who has kids knows how important sleep — and a bedtime — can be and the difference it can make in the behavior, personality and cognitive abilities of a child the next day. Yet when we become adults, why is sleep the first thing sacrificed when jobs and family require more time? According to an article by the Centers

The SMOHIT Helpline (877-884-6227) launched in 2017 amidst natural disasters, mass shootings and a rise in awareness about the mental health struggles of SMART members. Operated by a licensed therapist, the SMOHIT Helpline has been continued every year since by the trustees to encourage conversation and help members get through whatever their lives are throwing at them at the moment.

The Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT) Helpline has a new counselor ready to take calls from members of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) workers and their families. Jeremy Holburn holds a master’s degree in clinical mental health licensure and is a licensed professional counselor based out of Denver. He will address members’

Recognize your limits, so you can bend and not break Job stress is defined as the physical and emotional harm that occurs when the demands of the work do not match the worker’s abilities or the available resources. Just as you would not overload a piece of equipment past the recommended capacity, you must also take care to observe when

Andy Gilliland, training coordinator at Sheet Metal Workers Local 9 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, knows he can’t save them all. But it doesn’t stop him from trying. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), construction workers die by suicide four times more often than the general population, and data from the National Survey on Drug Use conducted