A Detailers Role

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A Structural Steel Detailer is a person who provides detailed shop drawings to enable the fabrication, transportation and erection of structural steelwork on building and construction projects. 

 In order to produce these detailed drawings, the Structural Steel Detailer interprets the information provided in the design documents provided by the design professionals for a proposed project as follows:

• The dimensional elements of the structure are generally ascertained from the Architect's documents by the Structural Steel Detailer. The Architect usually has overall responsibility for documenting the design & dimensional intent of the structure.

• The structural steelwork elements of that structure are determined from the Engineer's documentation. The Engineer is often a sub consultant of the Architect and usually is responsible for documenting the structural framing design including structural steel members sizing and appropriately designed connections.

• Any work requested of the Structural Steel Detailer other than documented by the consultants above, falls outside the definitive role of the Structural Steel Detailer. For instance, assisting the Architect or Engineer to resolve problems with the design is additional to the role normally associated with the production of detailed Structural Steel shop drawings. Any additional work would only be carried out subject to a separate commercial agreement and on the basis that overall responsibility for the design remains with the design professionals.       

It is not the role of the Structural Steel Detailer to assume any part of the design role of the Engineer or Architect, either in setting out or rectifying the structural or dimensional requirements of the proposed structure. 

Structural Steel Detailers are not designers of steel member sizes or associated structural connections and cannot be held responsible for structural dimensions. In any event, they are not legally able to accept this role.

It is not the role of the Structural Steel Detailer to generate RFI's so as to complete the design documentation. RFI's are only for the clarification of the design documents.

While it is the Structural Steel Detailers responsibility to report any discrepancies that are discovered in the design documents, it is not the Structural Steel Detailers responsibility to discover discrepancies, including those associated with the coordination of the various design disciplines. 

The quality of the design documents is the responsibility of the entities that produce those documents.