Jeff Bradley has been named program administrator for the Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT), the health and safety fund of the unionized sheet metal industry.
Bradley had been serving as the fund’s program director since last year, but his new title reflects all he’s accomplished in less than a year. It also constitutes a move from his St. Louis hometown to Alexandria, Virginia, near Falls Church where SMOHIT headquarters is located.
“We were able to get a lot accomplished before, but now that I’m at the home office it’s a new dynamic,” he said. “Working with the staff here, in person, when we collaborate the ideas and opportunities can just flow.”
Bradley estimates he spends up to 40% of his time on the road, giving presentations and attending conferences where he can promote SMOHIT’s new programs. These include the 12-step programs for alcohol and substance abuse; the Megaprojects app and website guides, to support traveling workers; and naloxone training, to arm members with the means to save the life of someone experiencing an opioid overdose. And, of course, the health screenings SMOHIT has been providing since its beginning.
As program administrator, Bradley is focused on how to get these programs in front of people who are not yet aware of how SMOHIT can help them. To that end, he spearheaded the Megaprojects app and other online projects. Naloxone is now currently available to order on the SMOHIT online store for those who are eligible, he said, along with posters and magnets that promote safety.
“Whatever we’re working on, I’m always thinking about how I can get that on the website and make it easier for members to access,” Bradley said. “We are going to continue to grow and build new programs as we see the needs and opportunities within the trade.”
Bradley entered his sheet metal apprenticeship in 2004 at The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) workers Local 36 in St. Louis, where he spent most of his career. He became a part- and full-time instructor and welding facility representative, as well as serving Local 36 as an organizer, vice president and director of marketing. Bradley earned his associate degree in heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC-R) from Vatterott College, and he holds multiple certifications and training completion certificates. Bradley joined SMOHIT in the spring of 2023 as a field representative, and in the fall of that year he became SMOHIT’s program director.
Jointly sponsored by SMART and the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA), SMOHIT was founded in 1986 to address the impact of decades-long asbestos exposure on those working in the sheet metal industry.
Today, SMOHIT’s mission has broadened to include the total health of its members. By providing industry-leading physical, mental and emotional health and safety solutions, SMOHIT strives to minimize occupational illnesses, address mental health and substance use disorder in the industry, prevent injuries among sheet metal craftspeople and provide diet, exercise and other lifestyle information to address the health and wellness of union members and contractors.
For more information on SMOHIT, visit smohit.org or call 703-739-7130.
