National
| Median wages (2008) |
$25.13 hourly, $52,260 annual |
| Employment (2006) |
18,000 employees |
| Projected growth (2006-2016) |
Faster than average (14% to 20%)
|
| Projected need (2006-2016) |
9,000 additional employees |
47-2011.00 - Boilermakers
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.
Sample of reported job titles:
Boiler Maker, Boilermaker, Boilermaker Mechanic, Service Technician, Boiler Technician, Boiler Mechanic, Boilermaker Pipe Fitter, Boiler Welder, Boilermaker Welder
Tasks
- Examine boilers, pressure vessels, tanks, and vats to locate defects such as leaks, weak spots, and defective sections so that they can be repaired.
- Bolt or arc-weld pressure vessel structures and parts together, using wrenches and welding equipment.
- Inspect assembled vessels and individual components, such as tubes, fittings, valves, controls, and auxiliary mechanisms, to locate any defects.
- Repair or replace defective pressure vessel parts, such as safety valves and regulators, using torches, jacks, caulking hammers, power saws, threading dies, welding equipment, and metalworking machinery.
- Attach rigging, and signal crane or hoist operators to lift heavy frame and plate sections and other parts into place.
- Bell, bead with power hammers, or weld pressure vessel tube ends, in order to ensure leakproof joints.
- 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.
- Install manholes, handholes, taps, tubes, valves, gauges, and feedwater connections in drums of water tube boilers, using hand tools.
- Study blueprints to determine locations, relationships, and dimensions of parts.
- Straighten or reshape bent pressure vessel plates and structure parts, using hammers, jacks, and torches.
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Tools & Technology
Tools used in this occupation:
| Hammers — Claw hammers; Lead hammers; Non-sparking hammers; Sledgehammers |
| Hoists — Chain falls; Chain hoists; Pneumatic hoists; Utility hoists |
| Levels — Digital levels; Engineers' levels; Laser levels; Spirit levels |
| Punches or nail sets or drifts — Blacksmiths' punches; Center punches; Pin punches; Tube drifts |
| Welding tools — Adaptors; Electrode ovens; Ground clamps; Regulators |
Technology used in this occupation:
| Computer aided design CAD software — Autodesk AutoCAD software |
| Computer based training software — Health and safety training software |
| Office suite software — Microsoft Office software |
| Spreadsheet software — Microsoft Excel |
| Word processing software — Microsoft Word |
