.What Do Ironworkers Do?

Ironworkers work primarily with materials that are made of iron, steel, and aluminum in the construction industry.  The construction and maintenance of Buildings, Bridges, highways, electrical power plants, towers and factories require the services of Ironworkers.  Reinforced concrete requires steel bars and wire mesh which ironworkers install.  Metal stairways, catwalks, floor grating, ladders and window frames, as well as lamp posts, railings, fences, and decorative ironwork.  Ironworkers assemble most cranes and work intimately with cranes.  Ironworkers install robots, and move machinery.

On the jobsite, once the Crane has been assembled and material has been unloaded ironworkers begin to connect steel columns, beams and girders according to blueprints.  Materials are usually delivered to the jobsite ready for erection--cut to proper size with bolt holes already drilled.  Ironworkers unload all of the steel and store it in a place that is readily accessible on the jobsite.

To hoist steel Ironworkers attach chokers to a beam or girder and hook-it- on to the cable from the crane or derrick.  One ironworker uses hand-signals to direct the crane and another holds a piece of rope attached to the end of the steel to keep it from swinging while in the air.  The steel is hoisted into the framework of the building where there are men who connect the beams and girders to the columns and each other.  Workers use spud wrenches and drift pins to line up bolt holes.  The steel is then bolted together and vertical and horizontal alignment is checked.  When the structure is both plumb and level it is then welded.

Reinforcing ironworkers place rebar inside the forms that hold concrete.  They fasten the bars together by tying wire around them with pliers.  Some concrete is reinforced with wire mesh.  Ironworkers cut and place wire mesh and when concrete is poured over it they pull it up.

Ornamental ironworkers place decorative pieces after the structure of a building is finished.  Ornamental ironworkers install curtain wall which is the external wall of a building and it consists of a grid of aluminum or steel vertical members and horizontal head rails and window sills.  this  forms the framework for any aluminum panels, granite and windows that the building has.