Career:
Structural Iron and Steel Worker
Job Description: Raise, place, and unite iron or steel girders, columns, and other structural members to form completed structures or structural frameworks. May erect metal storage tanks and assemble prefabricated metal buildings.
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What Structural Iron and Steel Workers do:
- Connect columns, beams, and girders with bolts, following blueprints and instructions from supervisors.
- Fasten structural steel members to hoist cables, using chains, cables, or rope.
- Bolt aligned structural steel members in position for permanent riveting, bolting, or welding into place.
- Pull, push, or pry structural steel members into approximate positions for bolting into place.
- Hoist steel beams, girders, and columns into place, using cranes, or signal hoisting equipment operators to lift and position structural-steel members.
- Read specifications or blueprints to determine the locations, quantities, or sizes of materials required.
- Assemble hoisting equipment or rigging, such as cables, pulleys, or hooks, to move heavy equipment or materials.
- Unload and position prefabricated steel units for hoisting as needed.
- Cut, bend, or weld steel pieces, using metal shears, torches, or welding equipment.
- Verify vertical and horizontal alignment of structural steel members, using plumb bobs, laser equipment, transits, or levels.
- Fabricate metal parts, such as steel frames, columns, beams, or girders, according to blueprints or instructions from supervisors.
- Force structural steel members into final positions, using turnbuckles, crowbars, jacks, or hand tools.
- Ride on girders or other structural steel members to position them or use rope to guide them into position.
- Dismantle structures or equipment.
- Erect metal or precast concrete components for structures, such as buildings, bridges, dams, towers, storage tanks, fences, or highway guard rails.
- Drive drift pins through rivet holes to align rivet holes in structural steel members with corresponding holes in previously placed members.
- Insert sealing strips, wiring, insulating material, ladders, flanges, gauges, or valves, depending on types of structures being assembled.
- Place blocks under reinforcing bars used to reinforce floors.
- Hold rivets while riveters use air hammers to form heads on rivets.
- Catch hot rivets in buckets and insert rivets in holes, using tongs.
What work activities does a Structural Iron and Steel Worker do?
| Importance | Activities | |
|---|---|---|
Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials. |
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Controlling Machines and Processes - Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles). |
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Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things. |
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Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment - Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft. |
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Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
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Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
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Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects. |
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Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. |
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Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment - Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used. |
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Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
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Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks. |
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Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
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Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others. |
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Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
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Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. |
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Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. |
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Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity. |
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Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance. |
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Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. |
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Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. |
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Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. |
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Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. |
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Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. |
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Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members. |
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Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills. |
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Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them. |
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Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment - Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles. |
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Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts. |
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Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
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Communicating with Persons Outside Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail. |
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Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. |
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Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork. |
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Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money. |
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