Different Jobs for Ironworkers
If you have ever wondered how buildings are erected or how transportation infrastructure such as roads, tunnels and bridges withstand heavy use, you only need to turn to an ironworker and ask. Ironworkers use steel to construct the shell of a structure and reinforce the concrete according to the construction plans created by the building designers. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the large number of buildings and infrastructure requiring maintenance, repair and rehabilitation will cause employment opportunities for ironworkers to grow 12 percent through 2018.
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Structural Ironworkers
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Structural ironworkers can be found working on a construction site or in fabricating workshops. Their job differs depending upon which location they work at. Ironworkers working in fabrication shops are building the structural steel to be used on a construction site. These ironworkers are referred to as assemblers and fabricators. Structural ironworkers working on construction sites are referred to as ironworkers or erectors. They assemble and attach columns, girders and beams as required by the construction documents.
Ornamental Ironworkers
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Ornamental ironworkers can be found in fabrication shops and on construction sites. This category of jobs centers around the creation of ornamental items used on construction sites or fabricated elsewhere for a wide variety of other uses such as drawer, door and other hardware, gates, fences and grates. Ornamental ironworkers found on construction sites are installing prefabricated stairs, handrails, window frames and curtain walls (nonstructural walls) as required by the construction blueprints. These items are installed after the shell of the building is completed. The ironworker puts the items into place and verifies they fit and are aligned correctly before welding them into place.
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Reinforcing Ironworkers
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Reinforcing ironworkers handle the steel reinforcement required in concrete construction. Reinforcing ironworkers are also referred to as rebar workers or rod busters. These ironworkers are responsible for placing reinforcement bars into concrete forms as directed by the construction blueprints and supervisors. Blueprints tell the worker how many rebars, what size and the location the bars need to be placed in. Although most rebar is delivered to the construction site pre-cut to the required measurements, there are projects that may call for the cutting, bending and welding of rebar or wire-mesh (a welded wire fabric) on the construction site.
Rigging Ironworker
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Ironworkers are also responsible for preparing the job site for the handling of prefabricated items and other construction needs. This includes assembling and erecting frames and placing derricks and cranes to manage the movement of lumber, reinforcing bar, concrete and prefabricated girders and beams. Some ironworkers choose to specialize in the rigging of these necessary frameworks and the moving equipment and materials. Riggers often work in conjunction with the operators of derricks and cranes to complete the loading and unloading of steel and other items.
Transportation Ironworkers
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Transportation departments in all states require the use of ironworkers to construct and repair bridges, tunnels and roads. Girders, rebar and reinforcement wire mesh are used to build these structures. Ironworkers help span distances in bridges and tunnels and reinforce the concrete for long-term use by heavy vehicles.
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