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What does a steel worker do?

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
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Steel worker responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real steel worker resumes:

  • Attain diverse professional experience from working in various craft disciplines in maintenance, turnaround and new construction projects.
  • Handle power tools including TIG and gas welding systems.
  • Cut rods to require lengths, using metal shears, hacksaws, bar cutters, or acetylene torches.
  • Assemble steel for hangar bay doors on military bases MIG welding according to blueprints and schematics
  • Operate hoists in order to move castings or roll and turn castings when necessary to make surfaces accessible.
  • Repair products by dismantling, straightening, reshaping, and reassembling parts, using cutting torches and hand tools.
  • Employ a wide variety of hand and power tools including hoists, drills, precision measuring instruments and electronic testing devices.
  • Involve with setting various stubs, beams, and columns to ensure safe dismantle and separation of modulars for highway transport.
  • Signale hoisting equipment and crane operators to lift and position structural-steel members.
  • Operate bobcats, forklifts and other equipment.
  • Gain many certifications within the trade.
  • Blueprint reading and manlift certifications as well as extensive safety training.
  • Secure worksite, direct traffic, and follow all OSHA & DHEC safety regulations
  • Operate sheers and punch presses to manufacture clips and securement.
  • Weld new connection clips, base plates on top of existing columns and other structural members.

Steel worker skills and personality traits

We calculated that 19% of Steel Workers are proficient in Safety Equipment, Overhead Cranes, and Torches. They’re also known for soft skills such as Balance, Hand-eye coordination, and Physical strength.

We break down the percentage of Steel Workers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Safety Equipment, 19%

    Constructed and Assembled Warehouses Connected I-Beams using proper safety equipment and procedures

  • Overhead Cranes, 14%

    Operated Sit Down and Stand Up Forklifts and Overhead Cranes

  • Torches, 5%

    Operated ignite torches, start power supplies, and strike arcs by torching electrodes to metal being welded.

  • Steel Beams, 5%

    Install steel beams for commercial storage capabilities, Operate forklift machine and remove debris from work site

  • Hoisting, 4%

    Signaled hoisting equipment and crane operators to lift and position structural-steel members.

  • CNC, 4%

    Operate grinder, Torch, burn table, CNC Press Brake operator

Common skills that a steel worker uses to do their job include "safety equipment," "overhead cranes," and "torches." You can find details on the most important steel worker responsibilities below.

Balance. The most essential soft skill for a steel worker to carry out their responsibilities is balance. This skill is important for the role because "ironworkers often walk on narrow beams, so a good sense of balance is important to keep them from falling." Additionally, a steel worker resume shows how their duties depend on balance: "climbed and maintained balance on steel framework, stairs and ladders. "

Hand-eye coordination. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling steel worker duties is hand-eye coordination. The role rewards competence in this skill because "ironworkers must be able to tie rebar together quickly and precisely." According to a steel worker resume, here's how steel workers can utilize hand-eye coordination in their job responsibilities: "learned leadership coordination, various safety procedures, and multi-tasking requiring a heavy amount of eye-hand coordination. "

Physical strength. This is an important skill for steel workers to perform their duties. For an example of how steel worker responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "ironworkers must be strong enough to guide heavy beams into place and tighten bolts." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a steel worker: "assisted ironworkers with various physical tasks at industrial construction job sites. ".

All steel worker skills

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Compare different steel workers

Steel worker vs. Wind turbine erector

A billboard installer is in charge of the installation and upkeep of billboards, ensuring it remains in good and presentable condition. It is their job to prepare materials upon learning the project requirements, adhere to guidelines and schedules, climb up high places to attach equipment, and assemble structures as necessary. There are also times when they must apply paint to various surfaces, tighten bolts, replace or fix components, change light bulbs, trim parts, and remove advertisements when the weather condition requires.

If we compare the average steel worker annual salary with that of a wind turbine erector, we find that wind turbine erectors typically earn a $4,948 higher salary than steel workers make annually.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, steel worker responsibilities require skills like "safety equipment," "overhead cranes," "torches," and "steel beams." Meanwhile a typical wind turbine erector has skills in areas such as "solidworks," "matlab," "improves safety," and "cfd." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

On average, wind turbine erectors reach higher levels of education than steel workers. Wind turbine erectors are 10.5% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Steel worker vs. Iron guardrail installer

On average, iron guardrail installers earn a $2,269 lower salary than steel workers a year.A few skills overlap for steel workers and iron guardrail installers. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "torches," "cnc," and "equipment operators. "

Each career also uses different skills, according to real steel worker resumes. While steel worker responsibilities can utilize skills like "safety equipment," "overhead cranes," "steel beams," and "hoisting," iron guardrail installers use skills like "load trucks," "cdl," "augers," and "office furniture."

Iron guardrail installers earn higher levels of education than steel workers in general. They're 5.7% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Steel worker vs. Guard rail installer

On average, guard rail installers earn lower salaries than steel workers, with a $936 difference per year.Using the responsibilities included on steel workers and guard rail installers resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "torches," "hoisting," and "construction sites.rdquo;

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from steel worker resumes include skills like "safety equipment," "overhead cranes," "steel beams," and "cnc," whereas a guard rail installer is more likely to list skills in "safety issues," "traffic control," "dot," and "cdl. "

Guard rail installers typically earn similar educational levels compared to steel workers. Specifically, they're 1.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Steel worker vs. Billboard installer

Billboard installers typically earn lower pay than steel workers. On average, billboard installers earn a $853 lower salary per year.Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. A steel worker uses "safety equipment," "overhead cranes," "torches," and "steel beams." Billboard installers are more likely to have duties that require skills in "safety regulations," "cdl," "ladders," and "osha. "In general, billboard installers earn the most working in the professional industry, with an average salary of $35,331. The highest-paying industry for a steel worker is the hospitality industry.In general, billboard installers hold similar degree levels compared to steel workers. Billboard installers are 1.0% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of steel worker

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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