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Ironworker

This bridge is a common job for an ironworker
Occupation
Occupation type	Profession
Activity sectors	Construction
Description
Competencies	Patience, steady hand, ability to read plans, physically strong
Education required	None but you need a union card
Fields of employment	Construction site
Related jobs	Carpenter, Laborer, Electrician

Description

An ironworker is a person who works with steel, iron, or any metal material that is used to construct bridges, buildings, and metal ornaments. Practically overnight, bridge carpenters became ironworkers during the 1880’s. It was seen as the new exciting job for pioneers in America; however, it had its drawbacks. For about 2.10 dollars per day, a worker would put their life on the line on high structures. Nowadays, There are three main types of ironworkers, and they are the reinforcing bar ironworker, the structural ironworker, and the ornamental ironworker. A reinforcing bar, or rebar, ironworker uses reinforcing bars to assemble structures by tying the bars together with tie wire. Structural ironworkers construct cranes, install structural beams, and bolt the beams to the columns of a structure. The ornamental ironworker deals with the installation of metal ornaments like a hand rail with a unique design.

Ironworker History

With the industrial revolution, the production of cast iron parts brought about the use of cranes. This heavy equipment was used in the early 1900's to construct high level structures. This new technology brought about a special form of trade workers called ironworkers. They used the crane to lift steel girders into place, and the used rivets to connect the girders to the columns of a structure. The mortality rate of men working in this trade was the highest of all trades, and the ironworker could be lucky to live 10 years without a serious or fatal injury. For the first couple of years of the international union of ironworkers, a couple of men who were concerned with their lack of protection formed a trade union. Their first orders of business were to give widows of ironworkers 50 dollars for a good funeral and to give disabled ironworkers 5 dollars a week to compensate for lost wages. With the increase in union benefits, the ironworker greatly increased its numbers in the early 1900’s. Somewhere around 10,000 workers were considered ironworkers through the union.

In the early 1900's, the ironworker wage was 40 to 50 cents an hour, and it rose to $1.37 an hour for a structural ironworker before dropping to $1.05 during the depression. However, 1940 and 1967 wages rose for structural, ornamental, and rebar ironworkers to $3.40 and $3.29 an hour. By 1970, iron worker wages reached $7.97. Then, they rose to $15.26 in 1980, and they reached $20.88 in 90's. Ironworker rates reached $24.15 an hour in 2002.

Reinforcing Bar Ironworker

• Description

A reinforcing bar, or rebar, ironworker works with reinforcing bars to make structures based off of a certain design. Reinforcing ironworkers assemble structures with reinforcing bars by tying the bars together with tie wire. They place the iron inside of forms, so concrete can be poured over top of the iron to form a solid structure. When reinforcing floors, concrete blocks are used to raise the rebar off of the deck, so no rebar can be seen underneath of the deck of the floor after the forms are stripped. In addition, ironworkers often have to cut the steel that they have for a job to fit into certain positions. For example, the rebar will have to be cut with a cutting torch, so it can fit around a drain. In some instances, welded wire fabric is used to help strengthen concrete; however, it is difficult to place this fabric in the concrete because it must be placed while the concrete is being poured into the forms.

• Wages

The average annual income for a reinforcing bar ironworker in residential construction is an average hourly wage of $23.59 in early 2009 and rebar ironworkers in commercial and industrial construction earn an hourly wage of $39.11.

• Tools

The typical tools of a reinforcing bar ironworker are pliers, tie wire reel, rod buster bag, and a rebar hook. The ironworker’s work pliers is the main tool of a reinforcing bar ironworker. The pliers cuts soft annealed rebar tie wire and twists the wire into place. The pliers have a hook bend handle, and a spring in between the handles for self-opening of the pliers. The pliers cut ACSR, screws, nails and most hardened wire. Also, the pliers is finished with a black oxide paint to resist rust on the tool. A tie wire reel is a lightweight aluminum alloy mechanism used for dispensing tie wire efficiently. A rod buster bag, a pouch, is a split-leather double bottom bag used for holding tools while they are not in use. A rebar hook is a hook made of solid steel that as a snap hook in front, and it fits onto a tool belt easily.

Structural Ironworker

• Description

Before construction can begin, the structural ironworkers put together the cranes that will be used to lift the steel columns, beams, and girders according to blueprints to erect a structure. To hoist the steel, structural ironworkers use cables connected to the crane to lift the beams onto the steel columns. A rope is attached to the beams, so an ironworker can make sure the beams do not rotate too much while in the air. The crane hoists steel into place, and the ironworkers position the beams in place with spud wrenches to align bolt holes. Then, the beams can be bolted down to the steel columns. This process is continued until there are no beams or columns left to construct the structure.

• Wages

The average annual income for a structural ironworker in the early 2000’s was 15.85 dollars per hour; however, a full time structural ironworker could make between 30 dollars per hour to 40 dollars per hour depending on the location of the work.

• Tools

The typical structural ironworker tools are the spud wrench, bolt bag, sleever bars, and beaters. The spud wrench is the most important tool of a structural ironworker because it serves duel purposes. It is a wrench to tighten bolts, and the opposite end of the wrench can be used to align holes of beams with columns. It made from a steel alloy, and it has a smooth tapered end to easily align bolt holes on beams. The bolt bag is a heavy canvas bag used for storing bolts and nuts that erect a structure. A sleever bar is a steel alloy bar used to pry on beams to put them in place. A beater is forged steel head mallet with a lacquered hickory handle for beating on beams to help move them in place.

Ornamental Ironworker

• Description

Ornamental ironworkers install metal windows into structures, erect curtain walls and window wall systems that cover the steel, erect metal stairways, cat walks, gratings, ladders, doors of all types, railings, fencing, gates, metal screens, elevator fronts, platforms and entranceways. A variety of materials are used to make these structures, and this type of work is fastened with welding or bolts to the main structure. a common name for an ornamental ironworker is a finisher because they are responsible for finishing the structures after the structural and rebar work is done.

• Wages

The main wage rate for ornamental ironworkers ranges from $20.89 per hour to $27.01 per hour. The wages are adjusted according to the location of the work and the nature of the work.

• Tools

The main tool of the ornamental ironworker is an arc welder. According to ironworkers.org, welding and burning equipment are considered “tools of the trade.” However, an ornamental ironworker must be certified by the union to weld on steel. Also, they must be able to weld in certain positions specified by the project engineer.

Some structures built by ironworkers

• Golden Gate Bridge
• St. Louis Arch
• Eiffel Tour
• World Trade Center
• Sears Tower