Metal Fabrication Industry

Metal Fabrication Industry

The metal fabrication industry is a hazardous industry. Workers often work with sharp edges, flying sparks and fire. It’s crucial for workers to have the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) to minimize the risk of injury to themselves, especially to their faces and hands. Abolox carries PPE for metalworkers, including gloves that protect from punctures, heat, fire and chemicals.

Metalworkers work with all types of metal, including aluminum, steel, iron, copper and other materials common in the construction and automotive industries. They might form, cut or join metal to build bridges, building supports, vehicles, and more.

Metal Fabrication Types

The metal fabrication industry has main fabrication subindustries, including:

• Forging and stamping.
• Prefabricated metal building manufacturing.
• Prefabricated metal component manufacturing.
• Custom roll forming.
• Sheet metal work manufacturing.
• Fabricated structural metal manufacturing.
• Metalworkers.
• Machinists.
• Machine tool cutting operators.
• Welders.
• Ship builders.

List of Employment and Occupations in the Metal Fabrication Industry

All metalworkers face similar hazards, though some subindustries might see more of certain hazards. For example, a welder might not have to worry about flying shards of metal whereas a machinist might.

Some of the occupations in the metal industry include:

• Assemblers and fabricators: Assemble parts, pieces and finished products.
• Forming machine setters, operators and tenders: Operate the machines that form, shape and taper metal.
• Grinding, lapping, polishing and buffing machine operators: Use grinding tools to remove excess burrs and other material from worked metal.
• Lathe and turning machine operators: Operate the lathes that bore, thread, turn, and form various types of metal, including wires, bar stock and rod.
• Machine tool cutting setters and operators: Operate forming and cutting machines.
• Laborers and material movers by hand: Manually move materials in the metalworking industry.
• Plating and coating operators: Operate the machines used to coat plastic and metal products. The coatings may be decorative or protective.
• Structural metal fabricators and fitters: Fabricate, align, position and fit parts of structural products made of metal.

List of Work Activities in the Metal Fabrication Industry

Various people working in the metal fabrication industry have various jobs. Metal workers shape products from metal. Machinists use tools and equipment to produce metal parts. Structural metal fabricators generally build items by fabricating, fitting and aligning the parts of the metal used for the structure.

Machine tool tenders and cutting setters slit, saw, cut, shear, bend, punch and even straighten metal. Welders join metal pieces together – and sometimes take them apart. Welders use several types of welders, including arc welders, tig welders, spot welders, mig welders, and many more. Those taking things apart often use torches with gas, such as a combination of oxygen and acetylene (oxy-acetylene).

Safety in the Metal Fabrication Industry

Metalworkers should take safety seriously and wear the proper personal protective equipment to minimize injury. Some of the injuries metal workers could sustain include:

• Arm injuries.
• Hand injuries.
• Chemical burns.
• Thermal burns.
• Eye injuries, including impaired vision and blindness.
• Cuts and lacerations.
• Impact injuries.
• Crush injuries.
• Puncture wounds.
• Fall injuries.
• Head injuries, including traumatic brain injuries.

You can protect yourself from many of these injuries by wearing the proper personal protective equipment, including:

• Hard hats.
• The appropriate gloves for the job.
• Hi-vis clothing.
• Goggles and / or safety glasses.
• Face shields.
• Cooling products.
• Welding clothing.
• FR clothing.
• Safety coveralls.

Visit Abolox for Safety Gear

When you need safety gear for protection in the metal fabrication industry, visit Abolox. We carry most personal protective equipment that metalworkers need to stay safe. You can order individual pieces or in bulk. If we don’t have what you are looking for, contact the office, and we’ll source it for you.