MY JOURNEY: ALDO ZAMBETTI

Aldo Zambetti: Administrator, Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT)

I entered the industry through my father, who was also a sheet metal worker. That was more than 40 years ago. The second half of my career has been devoted to education. I was a full-time instructor and apprentice coordinator at Local 19 in Philadelphia for 16 years, and then I was the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) specialist for the International Training Institute. Last year, I took on the role of administrator for SMOHIT, which oversees the safety aspect of our trade.

In just the last five years, “safety” in our industry has come to mean far more than it did when I started with SMART. Physical health and safety on the job site through OSHA trainings, PPE, and other tactics, are still very important, but in the last five years, the mental health of our members has become paramount. Men working in construction have one of the highest suicide rates—four times higher than the general population. That means the mental health of our members became our primary mission. While I started because my dad was in the trade, I’m in the trade today to help my brothers and sisters go safely home to their families every night.

In my current position, one day is never the same as another. Lately, I’ve been busy traveling and spreading the word to reach as many SMART members as possible about mental health in our industry—whether it’s speaking at the SMART Leadership Conference, working with the SMOHIT team to provide online or live classes, or attending the SMACNA Annual Conference, I’m working with industry and mental health experts to let our brothers and sisters know they’re not alone. I’ve been collaborating with Justin Crandol, SMACNA director of safety, on various initiatives.

In the upcoming months, SMOHIT will hire a second counselor for The Helpline, which is open all day, every day, to members and their dependent family members. More and more members are taking their mental health seriously, calling for help, and getting the referrals they need—and more will be able to. In an industry known for its strong-and-silent nature, that’s a huge step. Right now, the biggest challenge is reaching members and getting them to realize their mental health is important. We can’t keep losing brothers and sisters to suicide and substance use disorder. Each and every one of them is valuable to us, their families, and the global community.

For those considering a career in sheet metal, remember that if you’re going to be a part of the sheet metal worker family, there are responsibilities. It’s more than just a job you clock in and out from. It’s a family. We’re all responsible for one another. There are a lot of different titles for sheet metal workers— fabricators, installers, architectural specialists who hang off the side of buildings, instructors, apprentices, welders—but there is one commonality for all of them. Whether you’re a first-day apprentice or a journeyperson on the day of your retirement, you can always help a brother or sister out. It can be as easy as grabbing a tool or a bottle of water on a hot day; asking, “How are you doing?” in the hallway and meaning it; or checking in on someone during a hard time. Sometimes, being present and available to your fellow members, and taking care of yourself in the meantime, is the best thing you can do.

I can do my job more easily because of the ongoing relationship between SMART and SMACNA on the national level and because contractors are empathetic to our members’and their employees’ needs. Contractors contact me regarding SMOHIT materials and resources for their employees, including virtual and live classes and links to valuable information. It is because of the commonality between SMART and SMACNA, those conversations and that sharing of information happens. ▪