Before the 1880's Bridge Carpenters were the ones who built homes, buildings, and other architecture for the community or colony. However during the 1880's they subsequently became Ironworkers overnight because of the steel framework that was being produced to make buildings so wood was becoming obsolete. It was a very dangerous job, they were paid two-dollars a day and risked their lives on tall buildings in order to put the steel frames in place.
The Industrial Revolution brought about the use of cast iron parts, with these parts, cranes were created, and with cranes much higher buildings could be made. The technology brought about a new tradesman: The Ironworker. Ironworkers used the cranes to life heavy steel girders to the proper place, then rivets were used to attach the girders to the columns of a structure. The mortality rate was the highest of all the trades because of the constant risk they were in on those high structures, compensation was offered to the family if an Ironworker was killed on the job.
There are three types of Ironworkers, each one has a specialty. Reinforcing Ironworker, Structural Ironworker, and Ornamental Ironworker. Reinforcing Ironworkers (Steel Fixers or Rodbuster) work with reinforcement bars to a structure to make sure that it's secure, they tie the reinforcement bars together with tie wire, and they form the rebar so that concrete can be poured over it to make a solid structure. Structural Ironworkers are the ones who put all the cranes together before anything is even built, they also put together joist girders, bar joists, trusses, and metal decking; you'll see Structural Ironworkers with a belt around their waist holding the various tools that they'll need. Ornamental Ironworkers (Finishers) install all the metal windows, erect curtain walls and window wall systems that cover the steel, erect metal stairways, cat walks, gratings, ladders, all types of doors, railings, fencing, gates, metal screens, elevator fronts, platforms and entranceways; they are responsible for all finishing work on a building. Every Ironworker must be certified to use a welder even though an arc welder is specifically reserved for the Ornamental Ironworker.
The Industrial Revolution brought about the use of cast iron parts, with these parts, cranes were created, and with cranes much higher buildings could be made. The technology brought about a new tradesman: The Ironworker. Ironworkers used the cranes to life heavy steel girders to the proper place, then rivets were used to attach the girders to the columns of a structure. The mortality rate was the highest of all the trades because of the constant risk they were in on those high structures, compensation was offered to the family if an Ironworker was killed on the job.
There are three types of Ironworkers, each one has a specialty. Reinforcing Ironworker, Structural Ironworker, and Ornamental Ironworker. Reinforcing Ironworkers (Steel Fixers or Rodbuster) work with reinforcement bars to a structure to make sure that it's secure, they tie the reinforcement bars together with tie wire, and they form the rebar so that concrete can be poured over it to make a solid structure. Structural Ironworkers are the ones who put all the cranes together before anything is even built, they also put together joist girders, bar joists, trusses, and metal decking; you'll see Structural Ironworkers with a belt around their waist holding the various tools that they'll need. Ornamental Ironworkers (Finishers) install all the metal windows, erect curtain walls and window wall systems that cover the steel, erect metal stairways, cat walks, gratings, ladders, all types of doors, railings, fencing, gates, metal screens, elevator fronts, platforms and entranceways; they are responsible for all finishing work on a building. Every Ironworker must be certified to use a welder even though an arc welder is specifically reserved for the Ornamental Ironworker.