Boilermaker

Construct, assemble, maintain, and repair stationary steam boilers and boiler house auxiliaries. Align structures or plate sections to assemble boiler frame tanks or vats, following blueprints. Work involves use of hand and power tools, plumb bobs, levels, wedges, dogs, or turnbuckles. Assist in testing assembled vessels. Direct cleaning of boilers and boiler furnaces. Inspect and repair boiler fittings, such as safety valves, regulators, automatic-control mechanisms, water columns, and auxiliary machines.

O*NET reports this occupation under titles such as: Boiler Installer; Boiler Mechanic; Boiler Repairman; Boiler Service Technician (Boiler Service Tech); Boiler Technician (Boiler Tech); Boilermaker; Boilermaker Mechanic; Boilermaker Pipe Fitter; Boilermaker Welder; Industrial Boiler Service Technician (Industrial Boiler Service Tech)

Tasks

• Conduct pressure tests on vessels, such as boilers.
• Study blueprints to determine locations, relationships, or dimensions of parts.
• Examine boilers, pressure vessels, tanks, or vats to locate defects, such as leaks, weak spots, or defective sections, so that they can be repaired.
• Inspect assembled vessels or individual components, such as tubes, fittings, valves, controls, or auxiliary mechanisms, to locate any defects.
• Lay out plate, sheet steel, or other heavy metal and locate and mark bending and cutting lines, using protractors, compasses, and drawing instruments or templates.
• Bell, bead with power hammers, or weld pressure vessel tube ends to ensure leakproof joints.
• Locate and mark reference points for columns or plates on boiler foundations, following blueprints and using straightedges, squares, transits, or measuring instruments.
• Shape or fabricate parts, such as stacks, uptakes, or chutes, to adapt pressure vessels, heat exchangers, or piping to premises, using heavy-metalworking machines such as brakes, rolls, or drill presses.
• Position, align, and secure structural parts or related assemblies to boiler frames, tanks, or vats of pressure vessels, following blueprints.
• Clean pressure vessel equipment, using scrapers, wire brushes, and cleaning solvents.
• Repair or replace defective pressure vessel parts, such as safety valves or regulators, using torches, jacks, caulking hammers, power saws, threading dies, welding equipment, or metalworking machinery.
• Attach rigging and signal crane or hoist operators to lift heavy frame and plate sections or other parts into place.
• Straighten or reshape bent pressure vessel plates or structure parts, using hammers, jacks, or torches.
• Shape seams, joints, or irregular edges of pressure vessel sections or structural parts to attain specified fit of parts, using cutting torches, hammers, files, or metalworking machines.
• Bolt or arc weld pressure vessel structures and parts together, using wrenches or welding equipment.

Knowledge

• Mechanical
• English Language
• Mathematics

Skills

• Critical Thinking
• Reading Comprehension
• Active Listening
• Speaking
• Active Learning
• Monitoring

Abilities

• Control Precision
• Near Vision
• Problem Sensitivity
• Deductive Reasoning
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
• Manual Dexterity
• Finger Dexterity
• Multilimb Coordination
• Inductive Reasoning
• Oral Comprehension
• Written Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Written Expression
• Fluency of Ideas
• Information Ordering
• Category Flexibility
• Flexibility of Closure
• Perceptual Speed
• Visualization
• Selective Attention
• Reaction Time
• Static Strength
• Trunk Strength
• Extent Flexibility
• Far Vision
• Auditory Attention
• Speech Clarity