CHAPTER 13
STRUCTURAL STEEL FABRICATION
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this chapter you will be able to do the following:
Describe some of the tools and equipment generally found in the shipfitter
shop, and their use and operation.
Describe the safety procedures and equipment used in structural steel
fabrication.
Describe the basic sections of a blueprint and interpret a blueprint using
standard symbology.
Identify the shapes and sizes of structural steel shapes.
Understand the requirements for making repairs to ships' hulls and general
structures.
INTRODUCTION
restricted access spaces and the handling and storage of
structural steel. Other safety items for welding, cutting,
Structural steel repair is the broadest and most
brazing, and compressed gas storage have been covered
frequent type of repair done by HTs. It is the foundation
in preceding chapters and will not be repeated in this
upon which you will build your knowledge for the rest
chapter. Specific safety requirements for a specific type
of the rate. In structural steel repair, you will use all the
of machinery will be covered in the section of this
knowledge and skills learned in the preceding chapters.
chapter discussing that specific machine.
As a shipfitter working in the shipfitter shop or working
in the HT shop on smaller ships, you will be called upon
RESTRICTED ACCESS SPACES
to weld, braze, cut metals, bend pipe, prep weld joints,
fabricate general shipboard structures, and a host of
As a shipfitter, you will be tasked to work in
other related tasks. This chapter will cover the basics
restricted access spaces such as voids and tanks. A
of structural steel fabrication from reading and
restricted space is defined as a space with only one exit
interpreting blueprints to making cuts in ships' hulls.
or where equipment or structural barriers prevent easy
exit or entrance. When working in these spaces, there
are several safety precautions to keep in mind to prevent
SAFETY
injury or death of personnel. These safety precautions
are as follows:
With any job you are tasked with, whether as a
worker or as supervisor, safety should be your number
Ensure the space has been certified gas free, if
one priority. As a shipfitter, you will be performing
the space is unmanned and ventilation is
numerous tasks involving the operation of large
nonexistent or the space is used to store
equipment, working with heavy metal sections, and
hazardous material.
using heat producing equipment. Each of these jobs
present unique safety considerations before, during, and
after the job is complete. This section will address some
Ensure proper ventilation is available to permit
of the common safety considerations for working in
work in restricted access spaces. When
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