Your work. Your records.
Structural Metal Fabricator Workplace Guide
Structural metal fabrication moves from stock layout through fitting and assembly, sometimes across several workers. If a workplace dispute concerns dimensions or rework, identify the operation you performed and the drawing revision available at that point.
Call now(800) 800-5555Free initial case evaluation. Representation depends on work state and case eligibility. This guide explains record preparation; it does not determine whether a legal claim exists.
A record map for your role
What to organize first
Drawing version
Note the revision used during your assigned work and when any replacement reached you.
Incoming condition
Record any issue with stock or a partially assembled unit that you reported before working on it.
Inspection handoff
Identify when your operation was ready for review and who requested a correction.
Start with the work you actually do
Fabricate, position, align, and fit parts of structural metal products.
O*NET classifies this occupation as Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters (51-2041.00). Its description covers a typical occupation, not every workplace or individual job. It does not establish employee status, overtime eligibility or employer misconduct.
- Verify conformance of workpieces to specifications, using squares, rulers, and measuring tapes.Source task 10036 · updated 08/2024
- Study engineering drawings and blueprints to determine materials requirements and task sequences.Source task 10042 · updated 08/2024
- Position, align, fit, and weld parts to form complete units or subunits, following blueprints and layout specifications, and using jigs, welding torches, and hand tools.Source task 10035 · updated 08/2024
- Lay out and examine metal stock or workpieces to be processed to ensure that specifications are met.Source task 10038 · updated 08/2024
A reference point for your pay records
May 2025 wage estimates by state
Compare your pay records with published BLS estimates for Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters (SOC 51-2041). These describe an occupation across employers. They are not a required pay rate, an overtime calculation, or evidence of discrimination or unpaid wages.
Select your work state to see its published pay range. No personal pay information is requested or sent.
The 25th and 75th percentiles mark the middle half of the estimated wage distribution; the median is its midpoint. Actual pay can differ with experience, employer, location and duties. Hourly and annual figures are shown as published, without converting one into the other.
All published state estimates for this occupation
| State | Hourly 25th | Hourly median | Hourly 75th | Annual median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $22.16 | $25.11 | $29.22 | $52,220 |
| Alaska | $25.13 | $30.49 | $32.49 | $63,420 |
| Arizona | $21.52 | $23.15 | $24.01 | $48,150 |
| Arkansas | $17.91 | $19.84 | $25.22 | $41,260 |
| Connecticut | $23.26 | $28.25 | $34.26 | $58,760 |
| Delaware | $18.33 | $22.57 | $29.05 | $46,940 |
| Florida | $17.97 | $22.54 | $24.61 | $46,880 |
| Georgia | $21.17 | $24.05 | $29.33 | $50,010 |
| Hawaii | $17.64 | $21.03 | $28.63 | $43,750 |
| Idaho | $21.63 | $27.95 | $32.47 | $58,140 |
| Indiana | $22.66 | $28.93 | $32.96 | $60,180 |
| Iowa | $22.41 | $24.69 | $28.84 | $51,360 |
| Kansas | $18.64 | $23.00 | $27.47 | $47,840 |
| Kentucky | $23.31 | $26.56 | $26.56 | $55,250 |
| Louisiana | $18.30 | $23.62 | $28.13 | $49,120 |
| Maine | $27.46 | $31.13 | $31.13 | $64,760 |
| Michigan | $20.61 | $23.05 | $28.95 | $47,950 |
| Minnesota | $23.06 | $27.03 | $29.07 | $56,210 |
| Mississippi | $16.93 | $20.46 | $24.37 | $42,550 |
| Missouri | $21.32 | $25.77 | $30.16 | $53,610 |
| Nebraska | $20.49 | $23.47 | $27.29 | $48,820 |
| New Hampshire | $24.65 | $25.92 | $30.98 | $53,920 |
| New Mexico | $22.00 | $23.41 | $28.74 | $48,700 |
| New York | $22.26 | $26.48 | $29.60 | $55,080 |
| North Carolina | $19.13 | $23.55 | $28.64 | $48,990 |
| North Dakota | $25.41 | $26.17 | $27.53 | $54,430 |
| Ohio | $21.79 | $25.14 | $28.13 | $52,300 |
| Oklahoma | $20.14 | $24.22 | $28.38 | $50,380 |
| Pennsylvania | $22.92 | $24.83 | $28.31 | $51,640 |
| South Dakota | $19.65 | $24.42 | $28.50 | $50,800 |
| Tennessee | $21.90 | $24.26 | $28.00 | $50,460 |
| Texas | $20.40 | $23.31 | $28.24 | $48,490 |
| Utah | $20.74 | $23.14 | $29.14 | $48,130 |
| Virginia | $22.71 | $25.93 | $31.36 | $53,940 |
| West Virginia | $22.00 | $22.54 | $26.62 | $46,880 |
| Wisconsin | $23.08 | $27.07 | $28.78 | $56,310 |
| Wyoming | $18.43 | $24.88 | $35.82 | $51,740 |
“Not published” preserves unavailable or suppressed source cells. “Above reporting limit” preserves a top-coded source value without inventing a number. A missing state estimate does not establish service eligibility. The data describe wage and salary employment; they do not measure self-employment income.
Source: BLS May 2025 state workbook · OEWS tables · BLS technical notes. Use your own schedule, pay statement and compensation terms to identify the question you want reviewed.
Describe the assigned fabrication stage
Record the general component type, material condition and task sequence you were given. Note when a drawing or job order changed. Keep layout work, fit-up and final assembly separate so responsibility is not assigned solely from the finished unit.
Trace measurements and correction
Describe the dimension or alignment concern and who reviewed it. Record when rework was requested and whether a prior operation affected the part you received. Separate your own measurement from a later finding you learned secondhand.
Protect drawings and customer information
Use your own time records and permitted employment instructions. Do not export customer drawings, proprietary jigs or detailed production files. Identify the relevant drawing version and inspection record location for authorized review.
Choose your next step
Review the workplace retaliation guide, unpaid wages guide, or discrimination guide if those concerns fit your experience. A job title alone does not establish a claim.
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