Metal Fabricators build, assemble and repair products made of steel or other metals for use in a wide variety of manufacturing and construction industries. They must be familiar with the properties of metal and know how to operate specialized metalworking machines. Metal Fabricator is a nationally designated trade under the Inter-provincial Red Seal Program. (Find out about Red Seal in the Trades Lingo section.)

What do these workers do?
(Source: BC Work Futures)

Assemble reinforcing frameworks. Concrete is tremendously strong when compressed but relatively brittle when bent. Steel wire and bar is laid before the concrete is poured. When the concrete sets around the framework, the resulting wall or floor is tremendously strong and able to resist loads and forces from the side without failing. Structural metal and platework fabricators assemble the materials, cut to length, and tie together the intersecting latticework of rods and bars before the concrete workers come to pour the slab or column.

Unload and organize steel beams. This is an important part of the job. As materials are delivered to the construction site they must be lifted by crane and organized into the right order for assembly by crane.

Fabricate platework and beams. Steel beams and lattice girders are fabricated in the yard of a steel fabricators to the blueprint specifications of civil engineers. These are numbered and shipped to construction sites for assembly. Some modification and fabrication takes place on the site.

Fit steel beams. This is the high wire act of the profession. As part of a team of closely coordinated workers, which sometimes includes the crane operator, you manoeuver and position beams then, after meticulously checking them for being plumb and level, you bolt them together permanently.

Create ornamental ironwork. You install and fabricate iron decorative railings and frameworks.

Build non-structural frameworks. Structural metal and platework fabricators and fitters also build the framework for large non-structural walls and install the support structures for elevator shafts and escalators.

Assemble steel beam structures. Some bridges and radio towers are built from steel beams and latticework assemblies. The structural steel worker places, trues and fits the many components together that make up these structures.

Read the full Metal Fabricator (Fitter) Profile (60kb pdf).

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