Boilermakers

Nature of work

Boilermakers build, test and repair air-tight and liquid-tight containers like boilers and storage tanks. The name originated from workers who would make boilers, but they may work on projects as diverse as bridges to blast furnaces to the construction of mining equipment.

Boilermakers may specialize in rigging and hoisting, preparation and layout, or welding aspects of the trade.

Boilermakers work for boiler manufacturing, metal fabricating, shipbuilding, construction, electric power generation, rail transport, petrochemical and coal products, and similar industrial companies. Apprentices are included in this group.

Job duties

Boilermakers:

• Read blueprints or specifications to plan the sequence of work to be done.
• Lay out, shape, and cut metal and other materials using hot and cold methods.
• Set up and operate heavy metal working machines like brakes, rolls, shears, flame cutters and drill presses to cut, shape and form metal into parts or sections.
• Fit and weld metal parts or sections together to build boilers, vessels, tanks, heat exchangers, piping, and other heavy-metal products.
• Build and install boilers and other heavy-metal products according to specifications using hand and power tools.
• Inspect, test, and complete repairs on pressure and non-pressure systems.
• Assemble and use cranes and other hoisting equipment to move and place materials.
• Test finished structures using a variety of methods.

Sample job titles

• boiler fitter
• boiler installer
• boiler repairer
• boiler shop mechanic
• boilermaker
• construction boilermaker
• industrial boilermaker
• industrial construction boilermaker
• maintenance boilermaker

Skills

• Strength, stamina, and use of proper lifting techniques to work with heavy parts and equipment.
• Coordination and manual dexterity.
• Mechanical aptitude.
• Problem solving skills.
• The ability to tolerate chemical odours.
• The ability to work as a team.
• Flexibility to work shifts and to travel.
• The ability to work with tools, equipment and machinery at tasks that require precision and variety.
• Comfortable working in confined spaces and at heights.
• The ability to make decisions.

Job requirements

• High school or equivalent.
• Training through a 5,400-hour apprenticeship program with three apprenticeship levels: to become an apprentice you first need to have a job - enter an apprenticeship agreement either directly through an employer or after graduating from a college-level pre-apprenticeship program; learn on the job, mentored by a certified journeyperson who signs off on skills in a logbook.
• Trade Qualifier option, 8,100 hours and other criteria.
• Certification for boilermakers is compulsory in Nova Scotia.
• Write and score a minimum of 70% on the Red Seal exam for boilermakers.
• Red Seal Endorsement (RSE) allows for interprovincial mobility.

Other considerations

• Setting: both indoors and outdoors in all weather conditions, at heights, confined spaces, and harmful atmospheres.
• Risks: physically demanding, controlled hazardous environments.
• The normal work week is 40 to 70 hours, with paid overtime.
• Boilermakers travel to where there is work and may be away from home for extended periods of time.
• Experienced boilermakers may advance to supervisory positions like foreperson or superintendent. Experience can also give them opportunities in quality control and quality assurance, inspections, and training.
• New technologies, new materials, higher-quality welds and welding material, and larger lifts and lifting capacity have created many changes in this group.
• The contractor environment is increasingly competitive and the trade very mobile because of the size and complexity of construction projects, often in remote areas.
• Jobs in the construction industry are affected by seasonal changes and economic conditions. Work may be on a project basis. Workers should be prepared for periods of unemployment.
• Apprentices usually earn a percentage of the journeyperson (fully qualified) rate. This percentage increases as each level of the apprenticeship program is completed.
• Everyone has fair access to participate and succeed in the apprenticeship system. Everyone who develops the necessary skills and abilities should be able to succeed in the trades and trade qualification system. Work environments in the province support women and equity-seeking communities.

Regulations

Contacts