Sheet metal & Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association

The efforts of SMART local unions to help Missouri Local Unions 2 and 36 defeat the Missouri right-to-work (RTW) referendum did not go unnoticed by SMART and Building Trades leaders at the 2018 SMART Annual Business Agents’ Conference last week.

As contractors seek to map out 2018 and beyond, there are a number of trends shaping the construction industry, according to Building Design + Construction magazine.

SMOHIT’s Helpline is ready to assist union members and their families overcome just about anything that gets in the way of them being their best.

SMACNA’s Director Nominating Committee met earlier this month to determine the slate of candidates to fill five positions on SMACNA’s Board of Directors.

Welcome new Members!

SMACNA is proud to acknowledge the following 2018 Safety Excellence Award winners, and to salute the top chapters with the highest level of survey participants.

SMACNA’s Women in Construction Leadership Council held their first summit this June in Boston, Massachusetts.

“I believe these tours are invaluable as it helps educators better understand and describe what the sheet metal industry is about,” said Bernie Brill of SMACNA Mid-Atlantic. “The attendees had little first-hand experience about our industry and this opportunity gave them an insight and a better appreciation for the work our contractors perform. It also tied together education, training, and the other characteristics needed for one to succeed in this business.”

The annual Safety Champions Conference is a continuing effort to help create an improved safety culture in the sheet metal industry.

Dave Skelly, director of sales for JM’s Performance Materials and Industrial Insulation Group (IIG), leads the field sales and account management organization responsible for mechanical, HVAC and industrial insulation products in North America.

The Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT) acknowledged the workers, all Local 80 members, for keeping Kevin Koslowski alive until help came. Koslowski had suffered a massive heart attack on the shop floor.

Safety violations in photos and videos distract from the contractor’s message. As leaders in the industry, SMACNA members need to ensure that their personnel in company promotional videos and photos are not unintentionally propagating safety hazards.

SMACNA and SMART are partnering to help local parties effectively respond to Davis-Bacon Surveys that are being conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

How many “near misses” do workers encounter on the job? According to the National Safety Council (NSC) a near miss incident is defined as “an unplanned event that doesn’t result in injury or death, but could have.”

Members can roll up their sleeves, hold out their arms, and learn more about their health at SMOHIT’s free Health Fair and Wellness Screening during SMACNA’s 75th Annual Convention, Sunday, Oct. 14, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT) is committed to minimizing injuries on the job with safety programs like “Safe Me” that drive awareness of exercise, physical fitness, and how to manage stress and minimize fatigue, with the ultimate goal of maximizing health, minimizing injury, and being safer.

U.S. Congressional candidate Young Kim recently toured the shop of SMACNA member Applied Air Conditioning, Fullerton, California, and learned how the facility functions, about the industry, and met with company’s workforce.

As the economy continues to heat up and businesses continue to grow, an unwanted risk emerges in lockstep with the growing economy—an increase in safety-related incidents.

This year, SMACNA won several legislative victories that were significant for industry contractors such as tax incentive measures and combined heat and power initiatives—but more top-priority legislation remains unfinished for the rest of the summer and the upcoming lame duck session.

Members will learn how safety professionals identify “at-risk” behaviors, reduce injuries, and refine their safety programs into company-wide safety cultures during Elevating Your Safety Program to a Safety Culture, Wednesday, Oct. 17, at SMACNA’s Annual Convention in San Diego.

The need to remain cost-effective while enhancing worker safety is increasing the use of virtual reality to train welders in the construction industry.

SMACNA residential contactors are offering tailored solutions for their customers by freshening, purifying, and dehumidifying indoor air with products such as dehumidifiers, air purifiers, and high-efficiency air filters, which can reduce customers’ medical expenses and build company referrals along the way.

To improve energy efficiency, enhance indoor air quality, and help preserve the historic mosaics, SMACNA contractor IFS of Fenton, Missouri, installed a new air-cooled chiller and replaced a single chilled water pump with a new dual-duty standing chilled water pump for redundancy.

MG McGrath Inc. recently completed the most visible, and stunning, elements of the new $524 million Wisconsin Entertainment and Sports Center, fabricating and installing a total of 317,000 square feet of metal panels on the unique exterior of the new Milwaukee landmark.

Sheet metal and HVAC contractors have a number of strategies and tools at their disposal to assist employees who are at risk of suicide and struggling with mental health issues.

A well-managed workplace safety program can be a benefit to construction firms in countless ways—lower insurance rates, healthy employees, and increased productivity.

Handling a change order properly and getting paid can be a big challenge for contractors. SMACNA’s Guidelines for Change Orders manual is a valuable resource that members can rely on for navigating the inevitability of workplace challenges and obtaining proper change orders.

For years, contractors have tackled risk by purchasing insurance programs and managing claims. Today that is no longer enough.

On a scale of 1 to 10, the relationship the SMACNA St. Louis Chapter has with Local Union 36 is undoubtedly a 10.

Workforce development and mental health, two of the biggest issues currently facing the sheet metal and HVAC industry are the main subjects covered in the June issue of the Partners in Progress magazine.