Gasfitters maintain, install, test, adjust, and repair appliances, lines, equipment and accessories in various sectors. Natural gas, manufactured gas, or mixtures of propane gas and air, propane, propylene, butanes, butylenes and hydrogen are types of gases they will have to be familiar with.

They will work on appliances and equipment including those exceeding 400,000 Btuh or 120 kW. Appliances and equipment would include boilers, burners, makeup air units, furnaces, process burners, commercial equipment and various other gas fired equipment.

 

Gasfitters may work in the residential, manufacturing, and industrial and commercial sectors. They may also be employed in the propane industry to install and service propane vaporizers, temporary heating, and propane metering, dispensing and pumping equipment. They may also be employed by utility companies to repair and extend gas mains, install, repair and service pipes and fittings between mains and buildings. The work environment for gas fitters is varied and may involve working in extreme or adverse conditions. There are some hazards involved in working with electricity, flammable gases and power tools. Work conditions may be stressful as gasfitters and may need to respond to emergency hazardous situations.

 

Industry Changes

 

Canada and the Ozone Depletion Substances

Canada hosted an international meeting in 1987 to design a program to eliminate ozone-depleting substances (Montreal Protocol). The Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer is a treaty among nations designed to protect the stratospheric ozone layer.

The Montreal Protocol stipulates that the production and consumption of compounds that deplete ozone in the stratosphere: chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, carbon tetrachloride, and methyl chloroform, were phased out by 2000 (2005 for methyl chloroform).

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The Environmental Awareness Card is issued on behalf of Provincial Ministries of the Environment to all service persons who have taken an environmental awareness course in accordance with the applicable provincial regulations. Provincial Ministries of Environment in Canada require all individuals who open a system or container holding a controlled refrigerant to be certified. Persons who work on stationary equipment or use refrigerant designed for these systems can become certified by passing an exam. Your Ozone Depletion Prevention (ODP) Card should be carried at all times and is required to purchase refrigerant in most provinces. This card is issued in Canada on behalf of Environment Canada and the Provincial Ministries of the Environment by the HRAI (Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada) to all technicians and service persons who have taken an awareness course in accordance with the provincial regulations.

 

Gasfitters require more computer and digital skills to work in this trade. Increasingly building automation systems incorporate the environmental control systems along with electronic equipment advancement.

 

Safety

 

Safety procedures and practices have become more and more stringent. There are additional requirements for performing hazard assessments, using personal protective equipment and attending safety meetings. Gasfitters must maintain ongoing safety training in a number of areas, including Transport of Dangerous Goods, confined space, hazardous energy isolation, mobile equipment and fall protection. Quality control and quality assurance practices have increased significantly. They must stay up to date and aware of the QC and QA requirements in the jurisdiction where they work.

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Safe working practices and accident prevention are the primary importance to the health and safety of all person(s) at any or all work place environments. All person(s) including employee, employer and government, share this responsibility in order to keep everyone free of any dangers or accidents that may cause an individual(s) serious bodily harm or death.

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The Occupational Health and Safety Acts and Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Regulations, should be consistently reviewed and enforced in every work place environment. Educating and understanding these regulations is everyone’s responsibility in order to keep a safe work place environment. Practicing health and safety is a tremendous contribution to a safe and accident free work place environment.

 

 

Safety Gear & Personal Protective Equipment (P.P.E.)

• air quality monitor

• face shield

• fall-arrest and restraint systems

• gloves (industrial rubber [low/high voltage] and leather)

• hard hat

• hearing protection (plugs, muffs)

• high-visibility clothing

• masks (dust, particle and filter)

• respiratory mask

• safety boots

• safety glasses

• …and much more

 

Tools

• Air Compressor

• adjustable wrench

• bolt cutters

• combination wrench set (imperial and metric)

• gas leak detector solution

• hammers

• hand drill

• hand saw

• pipe cutters

• pipe threader

• pipe wrenches

• plastic pipe cutter

• pliers

• flashlight

• fuse pullers

• screwdrivers

• tape measures

• tin snips

• tube bender

• wire strippers

• …and much more

 

Power Tools

• air tools

• arc welders

• circular saw

• cordless tools (drills, saws)

• crimping tools

• electric drill

• exhaust fans

• grinders (electric or pneumatic, angle, bench, die, pedestal)

• heat gun

• knockout cutters

• lighting equipment

• nibbler

• power pipe threader

• reciprocating saw

• soldering guns

• welding equipment (MIG, TIG)

• manometer

• megohmmeter

• multimeter (voltage, amperage, resistance)

• ohmmeter

• rotameter

• ...and much more

 

Skills

• Ability to work at heights

• Analytical Thinking

• Critical Thinking

• Co-ordination

• Creativity

• Decision Making

• Good understanding of electrical and combustion theory

• Good colour vision

• Interpret drawings and technical manuals

• Lifting and hoisting

• Mechanical aptitude

• Manual dexterity

• Mathematical skills

• Numerical

• Oral Communication

• Patience

• Problem Solving

• Reading Blueprints and schematics

• Strong Mechanical aptitude 

• Writing

• Use of hand signals

• Computer Knowledge

 

General Wages

• Average -   $27.40

• Minimum -  $18.00

• Maximum - $37.80

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Sample Q&A

 

1. How is the thermostat heat anticipator connected on a gas furnace?

a. in series with the thermostat and parallel with the high limit switch

b. in parallel with the thermostat and series with the gas valve

c. in series with the thermostat and parallel with the gas valve

d. in series with the thermostat and series with the gas valve

Ans. D

 

2. When back vents, relief vents or circuit vents are installed, a vent stack is required for which of the following?

a. conjunction with every soil stack provided in a building

b. every 4 storey residential building

c. all buildings other than a residential building

d. every single storey industrial building

Ans. B

 

3. What would be the result if the joint is heated to a red color when soldering a copper pipe to a copper fitting using 95/5 solder with a petroleum base flux?

a. joint will not be hot enough and the solder will not turn as a liquid.

b. joint will be too hot and the flux will burn.

c. joint will not be satisfactory unless purged with Nitrogen.

d. solder would flow into the joint by capillary attraction and make a leak proof seal.

Ans. B

 

4. In relation to a steam heating system, which of the following should be properly installed on the condensate supply pipe of a low-pressure boiler?

a. check valve and shut off valve

b. shut off valve and safety valve

c. pressure gauge and check valve

d. safety valve and check valve

Ans. A

 

5. All valves cause some degree of flow loss due to friction even in the full-open position. Which type of valve causes the greatest reduction in flow even when the valve is open?

1. gate

2. globe

3. plug valve

4. swing check valve

Ans. B

 

6. Which of the following measurements must be taken to measure a burner's performance level?

a. smoke number, the net temperature of the exhaust gases.

b. percentage of CO2 in the exhaust gases, the gas temperature in the connector pipe.

c. percentage of CO2 in the exhaust gases, the net temperature of the exhaust gases.

d. chimney draft, the gas temperature in the connector pipe.

Ans. C

 

7. Which method is used to determine approach of a cooling tower?

a. Measure the temperature difference of the water entering the tower and leaving the tower.

b. Measure the temperature difference of the water leaving the tower and the wet bulb temperature of the air entering the tower.

c. Measure the temperature difference of the water entering the tower and the air entering the tower.

d. Measure the temperature difference of the water leaving the tower and the wet bulb temperature of the air leaving the tower.

Ans. B