Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons
49-9045.00
Updated 2025

Build or repair equipment such as furnaces, kilns, cupolas, boilers, converters, ladles, soaking pits, and ovens, using refractory materials.

Sample of reported job titles: Cell Reliner, Cupola Repairer, Furnace Repairer, Hot Repairman, Ladle Liner, Ladle Repairman, Refractory Bricklayer, Refractory Technician, Refractory Worker

Occupation-Specific Information

Tasks

  • Reline or repair ladles and pouring spouts with refractory clay, using trowels.
  • Chip slag from linings of ladles or remove linings when beyond repair, using hammers and chisels.
  • Mix specified amounts of sand, clay, mortar powder, and water to form refractory clay or mortar, using shovels or mixing machines.
  • Measure furnace walls to determine dimensions and cut required number of sheets from plastic block, using saws.
  • Dry and bake new linings by placing inverted linings over burners, building fires in ladles, or by using blowtorches.
  • Remove worn or damaged plastic block refractory linings of furnaces, using hand tools.
  • Climb scaffolding, carrying hoses, and spray surfaces of cupolas with refractory mixtures, using spray equipment.
  • Spread mortar on stopper heads and rods, using trowels, and slide brick sleeves over rods to form refractory jackets.
  • Dump and tamp clay in molds, using tamping tools.
  • Transfer clay structures to curing ovens, melting tanks, and drawing kilns, using forklifts.
  • Reline furnaces using ramming material.
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Technology Skills

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Hot Technologies are requirements most frequently included across all employer job postings.

Occupational Requirements

Work Activities

  • Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
  • Performing General Physical Activities — Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment — Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
  • Controlling Machines and Processes — Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
  • Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Detailed Work Activities

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Work Context

  • Exposed to Contaminants — 100% responded “Every day.”
  • Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets — 100% responded “Every day.”
  • Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled — 96% responded “Every day.”
  • Duration of Typical Work Week — 96% responded “More than 40 hours.”
  • Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable — 95% responded “Every day.”
  • Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures — 75% responded “Every day.”
  • Time Pressure — 78% responded “Every day.”
  • Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body — 58% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
  • Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection — 69% responded “Every day.”
  • Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
  • Exposed to Hazardous Equipment — 17% responded “Once a month or more but not every week.”
  • Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls — 64% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
  • Exposed to Hazardous Conditions — 85% responded “Every day.”
  • Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings — 62% responded “Every day.”
  • Spend Time Standing — 48% responded “More than half the time.”
  • Health and Safety of Other Workers — 27% responded “High responsibility.”
  • Contact With Others
  • Physical Proximity — 52% responded “Moderately close (at arm's length).”
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team — 34% responded “Extremely important.”
  • Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions — 43% responded “Continually or almost continually.”
  • Exposed to High Places — 56% responded “Every day.”
  • Spend Time Walking or Running — 32% responded “More than half the time.”
  • Freedom to Make Decisions — 54% responded “Some freedom.”
  • In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment — 38% responded “Every day.”
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate — 40% responded “Very important.”
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams — 62% responded “Every day.”
  • Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results — 23% responded “Very important results.”
  • Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions — 37% responded “Every day.”
  • Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People — 35% responded “Once a month or more but not every week.”
  • Exposed to Whole Body Vibration — 31% responded “Every day.”
  • Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment — 49% responded “Extremely important.”
  • Frequency of Decision Making — 38% responded “Once a week or more but not every day.”
  • Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers — 20% responded “Very high responsibility.”
  • Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities — 33% responded “Important.”
  • Importance of Repeating Same Tasks — 46% responded “Important.”
  • Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions — 26% responded “Once a week or more but not every day.”

Experience Requirements

Job Zone

Title
Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed
Education
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Related Experience
Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Job Zone Examples
These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, tellers, and dental laboratory technicians.
SVP Range
(4.0 to < 6.0)

Training & Credentials

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Certifications
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Apprenticeship Opportunities

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Worker Requirements

Skills

  • Operations Monitoring — Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Repairing — Repairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
  • Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Equipment Maintenance — Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
  • Operation and Control — Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Knowledge

  • Mechanical — Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
  • Production and Processing — Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Education

How much education does a new hire need to perform a job in this occupation? Respondents said:

  • 75%
     
    High school diploma or equivalent required
  • 17%
     
    Post-secondary certificate required
  • 7%
     
    Some college, no degree required

Worker Characteristics

Abilities

  • Arm-Hand Steadiness — The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Extent Flexibility — The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
  • Near Vision — The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Control Precision — The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Manual Dexterity — The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Multilimb Coordination — The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Oral Comprehension — The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Gross Body Equilibrium — The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position.
  • Trunk Strength — The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
  • Oral Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Problem Sensitivity — The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
  • Selective Attention — The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Deductive Reasoning — The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Finger Dexterity — The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Inductive Reasoning — The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Speech Recognition — The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Interests

Interest code: RC
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  • Realistic — Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.
  • Conventional — Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Work Styles

  • Cautiousness — A tendency to be careful, deliberate, and risk-avoidant when making work-related decisions or doing work.
  • Dependability — A tendency to be reliable, responsible, and consistent in meeting work-related obligations.

Workforce Characteristics

Wages & Employment Trends

Median wages (2024)
$28.15 hourly, $58,540 annual
State wages
Local wages
Employment (2024)
1,100 employees
Projected growth (2024-2034)
Decline (-1% or lower)
Projected job openings (2024-2034)
100
State trends
Top industries (2024)

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024 wage data and 2024-2034 employment projections . “Projected growth” represents the estimated change in total employment over the projections period (2024-2034). “Projected job openings” represent openings due to growth and replacement.

Job Openings on the Web

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