Structural Steel Erection for Denver Metro Industrial Buildings

Crane pick plans are written around wind, not the other way around, and on a high-plains site that rule shapes the whole erection schedule. We erect structural steel for industrial buildings, process structures, mezzanines, pipe racks and equipment platforms across the Denver metro, with the crane, the crews and the survey control to set steel plumb and to tolerance.

Steel is the structure that makes everything else possible, and it is also the trade most exposed to schedule risk. Roof deck, wall panels, cranes, conveyors and mechanical equipment all hang from it or sit on it. A column set two sixteenths out of plumb might be invisible on its own, but multiplied across a bay line it becomes a roof-deck problem, a crane-runway problem and a door-frame problem.

We approach erection as a sequence of controlled steps: confirm the foundation, set the base plates, raise the frame in a stable order, plumb and bolt, and release for deck and welding with the engineer's inspector involved at each stage.

Erection Planning Before Steel Arrives

We review the structural drawings and shop drawings for erection sequence, stability during construction and the weight and reach of every pick. The crane is selected from the heaviest and farthest lift, with a ground-bearing check at each setup, and the picking plan marks tie-in points for temporary bracing, guying and the order columns, beams and joists are set.

Anchor bolt locations and base plate elevations are surveyed before steel is released, and we document the survey so the engineer can approve any adjustment in writing. Grout, shim packs and leveling nuts are staged with the first columns, because a base plate without grout for a week is a temporary condition that someone needs to own. Out-of-tolerance bolts are corrected before the first column is set, not after. On tight Denver infill sites, laydown space for steel is limited, so we coordinate delivery windows, use just-in-time staging and plan access routes for tractor-trailers with the fabricator and the haulers.

Fall Protection, Wind and Overhead Work

Ironwork is where falls, dropped objects and rigging failures occur. We use leading-edge fall protection systems, connector training, nets or lanyard anchorage points at the roof level, and controlled decking zones when the deck goes down. Rigging is inspected daily, tag lines are used on every pick and exclusion zones are enforced under suspended loads.

The Marshall Fire of December 30, 2021 brought wind gusts up to 115 mph and evacuation orders to parts of Broomfield and neighboring communities, a reminder that Front Range wind is an operating condition, not an exception. Our crane wind limits are set in the lift plan, announced at the morning meeting and enforced by the operator and the foreman. When gusts approach the limit, picks stop, loads are set down and unfinished frames are checked for temporary stability.

Steel Packages We Erect

We erect columns, beams, girders, joists and joist girders, roof deck, floor deck, bracing, crane runways (the alignment tolerances are covered under high-bay crane-ready buildings) and support steel, as well as stair towers, platforms, catwalks and ladders. We handle bolting, field welding and touch-up, and coordinate with the fabricator on field-fit issues, such as mislocated clip angles or short members.

Structural steel also includes miscellaneous metals such as embeds, lintels, bollards, supports for rooftop equipment and edge angles. For process facilities, we erect pipe rack frames and equipment support structures to the process engineer's alignment requirements, sequencing the steel so piping and equipment can be set as soon as the frame is accepted.

What the Owner Should Settle Early

Denver International Airport's Operation 2045 plan proposes four new concourses with about 100 more gates by 2045, evidence of how much long-span steel the area will absorb and how fabricator and erector capacity will be contested. For advanced manufacturing and other industrial owners, that means locking in fabricator slots and erection windows early, since steel lead time is often the longest in the project.

Other early decisions include connection type, the extent of field welding versus bolting, galvanizing or coating requirements, fire protection of steel and who owns the special inspections. We prepare an erection schedule that reflects realistic fabricator delivery, not the date the owner hopes for, and we flag the dates at which each decision must be made.

Fitting Erection Between Foundations and Dry-In

Steel erection starts when the foundations and anchor bolts are accepted and ends when deck is placed and the frame is released for the trades that follow. We coordinate with drilled pier foundations and tilt-wall industrial buildings crews so bearing elevations and brace points are ready, and so steel and panels do not compete for the same crane or laydown space.

Steel goes up fastest in a clear sequence: bay by bay with bracing installed as we go, working from a braced bay outward to avoid unstable frames. Our steel work supports manufacturing plants and the pre-engineered metal buildings that need secondary framing or mezzanines. After erection, deck and safety cabling go down in the order the roofing and mechanical trades need, and we hand over a frame that has been checked for plumb, bolted and released by the inspector.

Reserve the Erection Window Now

Send the structural drawings and the fabricator's delivery dates. We will propose a crane plan, a sequence and a schedule that holds up when the wind picks up.

Common Questions

What controls the schedule for structural steel?

Shop drawing approval, fabrication lead time and delivery drive the schedule more than field erection does. Once steel is on site, erection proceeds at a rate set by crane capacity, crew size and weather. We recommend placing the steel order as soon as the design is stable and tracking shop drawings weekly.

How windy is too windy to lift steel?

Each pick has a limit set in the lift plan, by the crane manufacturer's chart, load size and sail area. Many operations stop at moderate gusts for large, flat pieces. Our foreman and the operator decide on the day and either can stop a pick. We build weather days into the erection schedule.

Do you coordinate with the fabricator?

Yes, we are in contact with the fabricator from shop drawing review through delivery. We review erection sequence and connections, order deliveries in the order of erection and settle field-fit issues quickly. A good relationship with the fabricator saves days on a tight job.

Who is responsible for steel inspections?

Special inspectors, usually hired by the owner, check bolting, welding and member placement. We schedule inspections ahead of decking and fireproofing, correct deficiencies promptly and keep a record of torque and welding for each connection.

Can you erect steel inside an operating plant?

Yes, with careful planning. We use smaller cranes or monorails, work during shutdowns where required and isolate work areas to protect production. Noise, dust, overhead hazards and fire watch are all coordinated with plant management.

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