Case Study: Skilled Welder Shortage Impacts San Francisco Bay Bridge Retrofit (2019)
Project Overview
• Name: San Francisco Bay Bridge Seismic Retrofit
• Location: San Francisco, California
• Year: 2019
• Project Size: $1.2 billion
• Scope: Structural steel retrofit to improve seismic resilience of the bridge
• Lead Agencies/Contractors: California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) /
Category of the Issue, Problem, or Challenge
• Skilled Trades Shortage
• Welding and Fabrication
Summary of the Issue, Problem, or Challenge
The project encountered delays when certified structural welders became scarce due to high demand from multiple West Coast infrastructure projects. Welding quality and schedule suffered as a result.
Root Cause Analysis
- Regional shortage of AWS-certified structural welders.
- Increased competition from other large infrastructure projects.
- Inadequate early labor market assessment and recruitment planning.
- Limited onsite training and re-certification opportunities during project ramp-up.
Impacts Due to the Issue, Problem, or Challenge
• 5-month delay in steel retrofit completion.
• Higher labor costs from overtime and premium wage rates (~$5.2 million).
• Impact on downstream contractor schedules and overall project milestones.
Corrective Actions Taken
- Expanded recruitment efforts nationally, including relocation assistance.
- Partnered with welding schools for accelerated certification programs.
- Increased onsite quality control and supervision to mitigate welding defects.
Lessons Learned
- Skilled welding labor shortages can critically affect structural retrofit projects.
- Early labor market analysis and partnership with training institutions are vital.
- Quality control oversight must be heightened during labor shortages.
Audit & Prevention: Project Control Questions to Ask on Future Projects to Help Control the Situation
- Is there a sufficient supply of certified welders for the project timeline?
- Are accelerated certification or training programs feasible?
- How is welding quality monitored under labor constraints?