Boilermakers |
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Boilers are usually unseen, but nevertheless an important and often forgotten part of industry, The men who built, installed, and repaired boilers were known as boilermakers. They also worked on other big containers that held liquids and gases.
Boilermakers were involved with boilers throughout the process of placing boilers in buildings and then maintaining them. After reading the blueprints marked points of reference on directly on the boiler foundations. In order to guide and help properly put the boilers in place, they attached ropes or chains to the boiler pieces. When necessary they removed uneven edges and reshaped and bent plates using hammers, files, grinders, and cutting torches. They aligned the sections, bolted, and welded the boiler pieces together. After the boilers were assembled and in place the workers tested the parts for leaks or other defects. All of these activities required close contact with asbestos containing materials and frequently rupturing the product and releasing asbestos fibers into the air.
Even after asbestos was banned from new products, boilermakers have been closely in contact with the older asbestos containing products. Boilers usually last more than 35 years. Boilermakers regularly maintain them and upgrade their parts to increase efficiency.
