What Does A Pipefitter Do ?
What does a pipefitter do?
Pipefitters install and maintain pipes that carry substances ranging from water and steam to fuel and industrial or volatile chemicals. They typically work in industrial environments that use heavy-duty piping like refineries, factories and energy plants. The duties of a pipefitter are often similar to that of a plumber, but they tend to work with more high-pressure industrial systems as opposed to low-pressure residential systems. A pipefitter may also design and improve elaborate systems of specialized pipes, which requires more advanced knowledge and skills. A pipefitter's daily workload can differ depending on their specialty and where they work. Some of their primary duties, regardless of specialization, include:
Overseeing pipefitting projects
When working on a pipefitting project, a pipefitter might complete a range of important duties. A few of these duties might include:
- Adhering to safety precautions: When working with a system, pipefitters establish processes and protections to minimize risk when using mechanical equipment and hazardous materials.
- Reading and designing blueprints: Pipefitters read blueprints to install piping systems accurately, and they may also design and document the blueprints themselves.
- Installing complex pipes: Pipefitters adjust and join pipes together and ensure that they're installed properly.
- Maintaining and repairing pipes: After completing installations, these tradespeople return to the site regularly to perform maintenance and repairs and conduct routine inspections.
- Responding to emergency calls: On occasion, pipefitters might respond to calls about broken pipes and coordinate emergency repairs to replace parts or develop solutions to minimize downtime.
- Testing and inspecting pipes: When performing regular maintenance, pipefitters test their systems to identify issues with piping systems and take steps to correct them.