Insulators apply a large variety of materials to insulate low or high temperature mechanical structures from ambient temperatures. They fabricate and install protective covers, coatings, and jacketing on the insulating materials.
The structures include boilers, refrigeration units, furnaces, heat exchangers, pipes, and tanks and may be located in refineries, powerhouses, petrochemical plants, food processing plants, ship engine rooms, or mechanical plants in high-rise buildings or hospitals. Just as other workers in the construction industry, insulators sometimes encounter such dangerous materials as asbestos, lead, and toxic chemicals. They are trained to work with and around them safely, but as a result they must be medically able to wear protective devices and clothing, such as respirators and full-body gear. Insulators may work in very hot or very cold environments, in high places such as on scaffolds and ladders, and in confined spaces. Apprentices lift and carry heavy objects. Job sites change frequently, and apprentices must be willing and able to travel to jobs in any location in the jurisdiction of the apprenticeship program, which includes forty-seven counties in Northern California and ten counties in Western Nevada.
Apprenticeship
The Heat and Frost Insulator Apprentice program involves:
- 8000 hours (usually five years) of on-the-job training
- 800 hours of classes (160 hours a year)
- Most jobs require drug testing
Requirements for application:
- High school diploma or equivalency certificate
- Applicants must have completed a one-year course of high school algebra or geometry with a passing grade. A Verification of Education form will be provided upon application. The applicant must provide the form to his or her high school. Transcripts must be originals, with authorizing signatures and stamps or seals affixed.
- Must have a valid driver's licence. A photo copy will be taken.
Applicants with experience in the trade before entering the apprenticeship may request credit for this experience after indenture. Prior experience will not confer advantage in application.
Written applications will be available and accepted at the beginning of each quarter on the SECOND MONDAY OF THAT MONTH (January, April, July, & October). The time when applications are available will be from 9:00 AM until 2:00 PM, except noon-1:00p.m., at the following locations:
Heat & Frost Insulators JATC Office
3801 Park Rd.
Benicia, CA 94510
(707) 748-0160
and at our location in Reno, NV.
Applicants must appear in person. Date and time of sign-up will be recorded and used in establishing selection.
