Blacksmith & Welder (Skokie)

SALARY

$55.76

POSITION SUMMARY

Performs various blacksmith and welding activities in the maintenance of rail vehicle equipment.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Welds, cuts, forges, heats, shapes and bends ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
• Tempers and dresses tool; fabricates and repairs springs involving tempering, potting, case and dichloride hardening.
• Operates furnaces, bulldozers, forging machines, drop-forging machines, belt machines hammers and induction heaters.
• Performs heavy forging, forms heavy plates, links and rings, makes tools and tempers and heat treats new tools.
• Performs electric arc welding, carbon arc welding, cutting and melting, acetylene welding, tungsten (non-consumable) inert gas welding and metal (consumable) inert gas welding.
• Performs brazing operations on silver and brass and welding operations on stainless steel and aluminum.
• Takes accurate measurements as required and reads and interprets blueprints and schematic drawings.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Reporting to this position are the following jobs:

Job Title

CHALLENGES

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Must have a minimum of five-(5) year's verifiable trade experience in a recognized shop.
• Required to submit to and pass drug and alcohol testing as mandated by the Federal Transportation Administration.
• Required to pass a physical examination.
• Required to perform the physical activities associated with this position.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Required to be standing operating hydraulic press, walking to and from within work area and sitting at welding table to weld small parts.
• Required to lift raw materials, (up to 100 lbs.), carrying sheet of steel, converter housing, pushing welding machine, torch cart and pulling welding machine, torch cart and air hose.
• Required to climb ladders, pit stairs, scaffolding and balancing while climbing ladders and stairs.
• Required to stoop to repair rail car and non-revenue equipment floors, to retrieve broken parts, to kneel, to crouch and to craw to repair underneath rail car.
• Required to reach to retrieve radiance rods, small work tools and to hand burning or cutting torch, hammers, goggles and helmets.
• Required to finger and to feel surface of a piece to be welded.
• Required to talk and to hear to co-workers and team work jobs, while performing teamwork jobs, giving instruction and observing surface prior to repair.
• Required to see and to be acute near and far to read blueprints and schematic drawings, while doing lay-out work, to observe surface prior to repair and to see dangerous situations in shop area and color vision while examining welding jobs.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Must possess a comprehensive knowledge of blacksmith and welding techniques.
• Must possess a thorough knowledge of the techniques and operations employed in the brazing of silver and brass.
• Must have a thorough knowledge of the techniques and operations employed in the welding of stainless steel and aluminum.
• Must have a practical knowledge of arithmetic operations, including fractions, decimals and percentages.
• Required to possess the knowledge and skills necessary to use power operated and hand tools including mechanical cutting machines, hydraulic press and electrical welding machines.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Usual blacksmith/welder shop conditions.
• Subject to sparks from grinding metal, torches, oxygen tanks and chemical baths.
• Occasionally works on rail cars and non-revenue equipment parked in the yards inside or outside.
• Works under extreme cold outside on rail cars and non-revenue equipment doing repair in winter months.
• Works under extreme heat inside welding underneath equipment.
• Works outside in wet, humid conditions during raining periods,
• Subject to vibration and noisy conditions from equipment and tools.
• Subject to atmospheric conditions such as: welding fumes, burning rubber, odors from welding rod, dust from shop floors and equipment, and various gases.
• May work at various heights on top of scaffolding and ladders.

EQUIPMENT, TOOLS, AND MATERIALS UTILIZED