Profession structural ironworker

Structural ironworker in construction install iron elements into structures. They erect steel frameworks for buildings, bridges and other construction projects. They set metal rods, or rebar, to form reinforced concrete.

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Personality Type

• Realistic / Conventional

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Knowledge

• Metal thermal conductivity

  The property of metals to conduct heat.

• Rivet types

  The various types of rivets used in manufacturing, such as solid head rivets, blind rivets, drive rivets, semi-tubular rivets, oscar rivets, flush rivets, and others.

• Metal joining technologies

  The various technologies used for the joining and assembling of fabricated metal workpieces.

• Types of sawing blades

  Types of cutting blades used in the sawing process, such as band saw blades, crosscut blades, plytooth blades and others, made from tool steel, carbide, diamond or other materials.

• Types of metal

  Qualities, specifications, applications and reactions to different fabricating processes of various types of metal, such as steel, aluminium, brass, copper and others.

Skills

• Set up reinforcing steel

  Set up reinforcing steel, or rebar, to be used for reinforced concrete construction. Set mats and columns securely in place to prepare for concrete pouring. Use separator blocks called dobies to keep the construction from the ground.

• Interpret 2D plans

  Interpret and understand plans and drawings in manufacturing processes which include representations in two dimensions.

• Operate handheld riveting equipment

  Operate various kinds of tools and equipment used in riveting processes, such a pin hammer and a rivet set, handheld squeezers, a hammer and bucking bar, a pneumatic hammer, a rivet gun, and others.

• Follow health and safety procedures in construction

  Apply the relevant health and safety procedures in construction in order to prevent accidents, pollution and other risks.

• Spot metal imperfections

  Observe and identify various kinds of imperfections in metal workpieces or finished products. Recognise the best fitted manner of fixing the problem, which could be caused by corrosion, rust, fractures, leaks, and other signs of wear.

• Apply spot welding techniques

  Apply and work with a variety of techniques in the process of welding metal workpieces under pressure exercised by electrodes, such as projection welding, radius style electrodes spot welding and eccentric electrodes spot welding.

• Remove rust from motor vehicles

  Remove corrosion from surfaces of motor vehicle bodies.

• Interpret 3D plans

  Interpret and understand plans and drawings in manufacturing processes which include representations in three dimensions.

• Follow safety procedures when working at heights

  Take necessary precautions and follow a set of measures that assess, prevent and tackle risks when working at a high distance from the ground. Prevent endangering people working under these structures and avoid falls from ladders, mobile scaffolding, fixed working bridges, single person lifts etc. since they may cause fatalities or major injuries.

• Apply arc welding techniques

  Apply and work with a variety of techniques in the process of arc welding, such as shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding, submerged arc welding and flux-cored arc welding.

• Work ergonomically

  Apply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.

• Tend metal sawing machine

  Tend sawing machine designed for metal cutting processes, monitor and operate it, according to regulations.

• Align components

  Align and lay out components in order to put them together correctly according to blueprints and technical plans.

• Use safety equipment in construction

  Use elements of protective clothing such as steel-tipped shoes, and gear such as protective goggles, in order to minimise risk of accidents in construction and to mitigate any injury if an accident does occur.

• Inspect construction supplies

  Check construction supplies for damage, moisture, loss or other problems before using the material.

• Operate rust proofing spray gun

  Operate a semi-automatic or handheld spray gun designed to provide the surface of a workpiece with a permanent, corrosion-protective finishing coat, safely and according to regulations.

• Tie reinforcing steel

  Tie together bars of reinforced steel or rebar to ensure stability of the structure before concrete is poured. Use metal wire to tie the bars together at every second, third or fourth intersection as required. Use the standard flat tie or more advances ties such as saddle ties and figure 8 ties to support heavier loads such as workers standing or climbing on the rebar structure.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB