Responsible for installing, repairing, and maintaining piping systems for heating and cooling, high-pressure transport, oil and chemicals, natural gas, and more. Read design specifications to cut and weld pipes, perform routine inspections, and lay pipework.
Skills
- Uses electricity and torches to produce heat and solder together components made from steel, titanium, copper, and other metals
- Welds small components like copper plumbing for residential use and large ones like pipelines for power plants or beams for buildings and bridges
- Consults blueprints and sketches in order to execute jobs and tasks to specification
- Assesses equipment, structures, materials, and job specifications for appropriate welding positions and methods
- Monitors equipment for appropriate usage and temperature
- Maintains a thorough knowledge of universal standards and specifications in order to meet building codes and legal requirements
- Develops working knowledge of dozens of methods used for welding a variety of materials and components
- Operates specialized machinery for industrial welding or supervises robots that do the same
- Trims metal components using heat, fire, and electricity
- Takes apart and disposes of large metal objects like automobiles, ships, and other structures
- Monitors work environment for hazards and maintains healthy ventilation levels to avoid particle or gas inhalation
- Follows safety protocol, including wearing heat-resistant gloves, protective masks, and safety shoes
- Works in the construction or manufacturing industries