Job Duties Custom List 47-2151.00 — Pipelayers
- Install or repair sanitary or stormwater sewer structures or pipe systems.
Occupations with related tasks Save Table: XLSX CSV
- Shut off steam, water, or other gases or liquids from pipe sections, using valve keys or wrenches.
- Install underground storm, sanitary, or water piping systems, extending piping as needed to connect fixtures and plumbing.
- Assemble pipe sections, tubing, or fittings, using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement, plastic solvent, caulking, or soldering, brazing, or welding equipment.
- Install pipe assemblies, fittings, valves, appliances such as dishwashers or water heaters, or fixtures such as sinks or toilets, using hand or power tools.
- Anchor steel supports from ceiling joists to hold pipes in place.
- Attach pipes to walls, structures, or fixtures, such as radiators or tanks, using brackets, clamps, tools, or welding equipment.
- Modify, clean, or maintain pipe systems, units, fittings, or related machines or equipment, using hand or power tools.
- Maintain or repair plumbing by replacing defective washers, replacing or mending broken pipes, or opening clogged drains.
- Install pipe systems to support alternative energy-fueled systems, such as geothermal heating or cooling systems.
- Install green plumbing equipment, such as faucet flow restrictors, dual-flush or pressure-assisted flush toilets, or tankless hot water heaters.
- Install fixtures, appliances, or equipment designed to reduce water or energy consumption.
- Locate and mark the position of pipe installations, connections, passage holes, or fixtures in structures, using measuring instruments such as rulers or levels.
- Cut, thread, or hammer pipes to specifications, using tools such as saws, cutting torches, pipe threaders, or pipe benders.
- Lay out full scale drawings of pipe systems, supports, or related equipment, according to blueprints.
- Plan pipe system layout, installation, or repair, according to specifications.
- Review blueprints, building codes, or specifications to determine work details or procedures.
- Select pipe sizes, types, or related materials, such as supports, hangers, or hydraulic cylinders, according to specifications.
- Fill pipes or plumbing fixtures with water or air and observe pressure gauges to detect and locate leaks.
- Direct helpers engaged in pipe cutting, preassembly, or installation of plumbing systems or components.
- Inspect, examine, or test installed systems or pipe lines, using pressure gauge, hydrostatic testing, observation, or other methods.
- Install automatic controls to regulate pipe systems.
- Estimate time, material, or labor costs for use in project plans.
- Keep records of work assignments.
- Inspect structures to assess material or equipment needs, to establish the sequence of pipe installations, or to plan installation around obstructions, such as electrical wiring.
- Repair or remove and replace system components.
- Cut openings in structures to accommodate pipes or pipe fittings, using hand or power tools.
- Inspect work sites for obstructions or holes that could cause structural weakness.
- Repair hydraulic or air pumps.
- Weld small pipes or special piping, using specialized techniques, equipment, or materials, such as computer-assisted welding or microchip fabrication.
- Operate motorized pumps to remove water from flooded manholes, basements, or facility floors.
- Shut off steam, water, or other gases or liquids from pipe sections, using valve keys or wrenches.
- Install underground storm, sanitary, or water piping systems, extending piping as needed to connect fixtures and plumbing.
- Assemble pipe sections, tubing, or fittings, using couplings, clamps, screws, bolts, cement, plastic solvent, caulking, or soldering, brazing, or welding equipment.
- Install pipe assemblies, fittings, valves, appliances such as dishwashers or water heaters, or fixtures such as sinks or toilets, using hand or power tools.
- Anchor steel supports from ceiling joists to hold pipes in place.
- Attach pipes to walls, structures, or fixtures, such as radiators or tanks, using brackets, clamps, tools, or welding equipment.
- Modify, clean, or maintain pipe systems, units, fittings, or related machines or equipment, using hand or power tools.
- Maintain or repair plumbing by replacing defective washers, replacing or mending broken pipes, or opening clogged drains.
- Install pipe systems to support alternative energy-fueled systems, such as geothermal heating or cooling systems.
- Install green plumbing equipment, such as faucet flow restrictors, dual-flush or pressure-assisted flush toilets, or tankless hot water heaters.
- Install fixtures, appliances, or equipment designed to reduce water or energy consumption.
- Measure, cut, thread and assemble new pipe, placing the assembled pipe in hangers or other supports.
- Perform rough-ins, repair and replace fixtures and water heaters, and locate, repair, or remove leaking or broken pipes.
- Mount brackets and hangers on walls and ceilings to hold pipes, and set sleeves or inserts to provide support for pipes.
- Excavate and grade ditches, and lay and join pipe for water and sewer service.
- Clean and renew steam traps.
- Cut or drill holes in walls or floors to accommodate the passage of pipes.
- Assist pipe fitters in the layout, assembly, and installation of piping for air, ammonia, gas, and water systems.
- Cut pipe and lift up to fitters.
- Fit or assist in fitting valves, couplings, or assemblies to tanks, pumps, or systems, using hand tools.
- Requisition tools and equipment, select type and size of pipe, and collect and transport materials and equipment to work site.
- Disassemble and remove damaged or worn pipe.
- Clean shop, work area, and machines, using solvent and rags.
- Install gas burners to convert furnaces from wood, coal, or oil.
- Fill pipes with sand or resin to prevent distortion, and hold pipes during bending and installation.
- Immerse pipe in chemical solution to remove dirt, oil, and scale.
- Measure, cut, thread and assemble new pipe, placing the assembled pipe in hangers or other supports.
- Perform rough-ins, repair and replace fixtures and water heaters, and locate, repair, or remove leaking or broken pipes.
- Mount brackets and hangers on walls and ceilings to hold pipes, and set sleeves or inserts to provide support for pipes.
- Excavate and grade ditches, and lay and join pipe for water and sewer service.
- Clean and renew steam traps.
- Install copper or plastic plumbing using pipes, fittings, pipe cutters, acetylene torches, solder, wire brushes, sand cloths, flux, plastic pipe cleaners, or plastic glue.
- Install circulating pumps using pipe, fittings, soldering equipment, electrical supplies, and hand tools.
- Connect water heaters and storage tanks to power and water sources.
- Install plumbing, such as dip tubes, port fittings, drain tank valves, pressure temperature relief valves, or tanks, according to manufacturer specifications and building codes.
- Test operation or functionality of mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and control systems.
- Apply weather seal, such as pipe flashings and sealants, to roof penetrations and structural devices.
- Install solar collector mounting devices on tile, asphalt, shingle, or built-up gravel roofs, using appropriate materials and penetration methods.
- Identify plumbing, electrical, environmental, or safety hazards associated with solar thermal installations.
- Demonstrate start-up, shut-down, maintenance, diagnostic, and safety procedures to thermal system owners.
- Install flat-plat, evacuated glass, or concentrating solar collectors on mounting devices, using brackets or struts.
- Install solar thermal system controllers and sensors.
- Fill water tanks and check tanks, pipes, and fittings for leaks.
- Design active direct or indirect, passive direct or indirect, or pool solar systems.
- Determine locations for installing solar subsystem components, including piping, water heaters, valves, and ancillary equipment.
- Perform routine maintenance or repairs to restore solar thermal systems to baseline operating conditions.
- Install heat exchangers and heat exchanger fluids according to installation manuals and schematics.
- Apply operation or identification tags or labels to system components, as required.
- Cut, miter, and glue piping insulation to insulate plumbing pipes and fittings.
- Install monitoring system components, such as flow meters, temperature gauges, and pressure gauges, according to system design and manufacturer specifications.
- Assess collector sites to ensure structural integrity of potential mounting surfaces or the best orientation and tilt for solar collectors.
- Apply ultraviolet radiation protection to prevent degradation of plumbing.
- Install copper or plastic plumbing using pipes, fittings, pipe cutters, acetylene torches, solder, wire brushes, sand cloths, flux, plastic pipe cleaners, or plastic glue.
- Install circulating pumps using pipe, fittings, soldering equipment, electrical supplies, and hand tools.
- Connect water heaters and storage tanks to power and water sources.
- Install plumbing, such as dip tubes, port fittings, drain tank valves, pressure temperature relief valves, or tanks, according to manufacturer specifications and building codes.
- Unscrew or tighten pipes, casing, tubing, and pump rods, using hand and power wrenches and tongs.
- Lay gas and oil pipelines.
- Dismantle and repair oil field machinery, boilers, and steam engine parts, using hand tools and power tools.
- Guide cranes to move loads about decks.
- Walk flow lines to locate leaks, using electronic detectors and by making visual inspections, and repair the leaks.
- Bolt together pump and engine parts.
- Move pipes to and from trucks, using truck winches and motorized lifts, or by hand.
- Clean trucks used in the fields.
- Bolt or nail together wood or steel framework to erect derricks.
- Dig holes, set forms, and mix and pour concrete into forms to make foundations for wood or steel derricks.
- Supply equipment to rig floors as requested and provide assistance to roughnecks.
- Clean up spilled oil by bailing it into barrels.
- Keep pipe deck and main deck areas clean and tidy.
- Dig drainage ditches around wells and storage tanks.
- Cut down and remove trees and brush to clear drill sites, to reduce fire hazards, and to make way for roads to sites.
- Unscrew or tighten pipes, casing, tubing, and pump rods, using hand and power wrenches and tongs.
- Lay gas and oil pipelines.
- Clean and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or related structures such as manholes, culverts, and catch basins.
- Cut damaged sections of pipe with cutters, remove broken sections from ditches, and replace pipe sections, using pipe sleeves.
- Communicate with supervisors and other workers, using equipment such as wireless phones, pagers, or radio telephones.
- Drive trucks to transport crews, materials, and equipment.
- Inspect manholes to locate sewer line stoppages.
- Operate sewer cleaning equipment, including power rodders, high-velocity water jets, sewer flushers, bucket machines, wayne balls, and vac-alls.
- Prepare and keep records of actions taken, including maintenance and repair work.
- Measure excavation sites, using plumbers' snakes, tapelines, or lengths of cutting heads within sewers, and mark areas for digging.
- Service, adjust, and make minor repairs to equipment, machines, and attachments.
- Locate problems, using specially designed equipment, and mark where digging must occur to reach damaged tanks or pipes.
- Dig out sewer lines manually, using shovels.
- Clean and disinfect domestic basements and other areas flooded by sewer stoppages.
- Withdraw cables from pipes and examine them for evidence of mud, roots, grease, and other deposits indicating broken or clogged sewer lines.
- Ensure that repaired sewer line joints are tightly sealed before backfilling begins.
- Rotate cleaning rods manually, using turning pins.
- Install rotary knives on flexible cables mounted on machine reels, according to the diameters of pipes to be cleaned.
- Start machines to feed revolving cables or rods into openings, stopping machines and changing knives to conform to pipe sizes.
- Update sewer maps and manhole charts.
- Cover repaired pipes with dirt, and pack backfilled excavations, using air and gasoline tampers.
- Requisition or order tools and equipment.
- Break asphalt and other pavement so that pipes can be accessed, using airhammers, picks, and shovels.
- Tap mainline sewers to install sewer saddles.
- Clean and repair septic tanks, sewer lines, or related structures such as manholes, culverts, and catch basins.
- Cut damaged sections of pipe with cutters, remove broken sections from ditches, and replace pipe sections, using pipe sleeves.
- Position, join, align, or seal structural components, such as concrete wall sections or pipes.
- Install sewer, water, or storm drain pipes, using pipe-laying machinery or laser guidance equipment.
- Tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment or to heat or move materials, such as asphalt.
- Lubricate, clean, or repair machinery, equipment, or tools.
- Signal equipment operators to facilitate alignment, movement, or adjustment of machinery, equipment, or materials.
- Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities.
- Measure, mark, or record openings or distances to layout areas where construction work will be performed.
- Clean or prepare construction sites to eliminate possible hazards.
- Dig ditches or trenches, backfill excavations, or compact and level earth to grade specifications, using picks, shovels, pneumatic tampers, or rakes.
- Load, unload, or identify building materials, machinery, or tools, distributing them to the appropriate locations, according to project plans or specifications.
- Perform site activities required of green certified construction practices, such as implementing waste management procedures, identifying materials for reuse, or installing erosion or sedimentation control mechanisms.
- Control traffic passing near, in, or around work zones.
- Operate or maintain air monitoring or other sampling devices in confined or hazardous environments.
- Smooth or finish freshly poured cement or concrete, using floats, trowels, screeds, or powered cement finishing tools.
- Erect or dismantle scaffolding, shoring, braces, traffic barricades, ramps, or other temporary structures.
- Provide assistance to craft workers, such as carpenters, plasterers, or masons.
- Perform building weatherization tasks, such as repairing windows, adding insulation, or applying weather-stripping materials.
- Apply weather-stripping to reduce energy loss.
- Spray materials, such as water, sand, steam, vinyl, paint, or stucco, through hoses to clean, coat, or seal surfaces.
- Raze buildings or salvage useful materials.
- Mop, brush, or spread paints, cleaning solutions, or other compounds over surfaces to clean them or to provide protection.
- Position or dismantle forms for pouring concrete, using saws, hammers, nails, or bolts.
- Grind, scrape, sand, or polish surfaces, such as concrete, marble, terrazzo, or wood flooring, using abrasive tools or machines.
- Place, consolidate, or protect case-in-place concrete or masonry structures.
- Mix ingredients to create compounds for covering or cleaning surfaces.
- Mix, pour, or spread concrete, using portable cement mixers.
- Operate jackhammers or drills to break up concrete or pavement.
- Apply caulking compounds by hand or caulking guns to protect against entry of water or air.
- Tend machines that pump concrete, grout, cement, sand, plaster, or stucco through spray guns for application to ceilings or walls.
- Identify, pack, or transport hazardous or radioactive materials.
- Use computers or other input devices to control robotic pipe cutters or cleaners.
- Perform construction laborer duties at green building sites, such as renewable energy plants or wind turbine installations.
- Position, join, align, or seal structural components, such as concrete wall sections or pipes.
- Install sewer, water, or storm drain pipes, using pipe-laying machinery or laser guidance equipment.
- Empty aircraft lavatory systems or refill them with sanitizer fluid.
- Apply de-icing fluid to aircraft from baskets lifted by truck-mounted cranes.
- Change aircraft oil, coolant, or other fluids.
- Clean aircraft interiors by picking up waste, wiping down windows, or vacuuming.
- Climb ladders to reach aircraft surfaces to be cleaned.
- Complete forms describing tasks completed.
- De-grease aircraft exteriors.
- Guide aircraft to designated areas using hand signals, batons, or other methods.
- Inspect aircraft components to locate cracks, breaks, leaks, or other problems.
- Load baggage or cargo for crew or passengers.
- Mix cleaning compounds or solutions.
- Polish aircraft exteriors.
- Radio to flight dispatchers or other personnel to discuss incoming or outgoing aircraft.
- Refill aircraft potable water tanks.
- Refuel aircraft using hoses connected to fuel trucks.
- Remove exhaust stains from aircraft using cleaning fluids.
- Tow aircraft to gates or hangars using tugs, tractors, or other vehicles.
- Wash the aircraft exteriors using lifts, cranes, detergent, or other equipment.
- Empty aircraft lavatory systems or refill them with sanitizer fluid.
- Inspect, clean, and repair drainage systems, bridges, tunnels, and other structures.
- Set out signs and cones around work areas to divert traffic.
- Flag motorists to warn them of obstacles or repair work ahead.
- Perform preventative maintenance on vehicles and heavy equipment.
- Drive trucks to transport crews and equipment to work sites.
- Erect, install, or repair guardrails, road shoulders, berms, highway markers, warning signals, and highway lighting, using hand tools and power tools.
- Clean and clear debris from culverts, catch basins, drop inlets, ditches, and other drain structures.
- Drive heavy equipment and vehicles with adjustable attachments to sweep debris from paved surfaces, mow grass and weeds, remove snow and ice, and spread salt and sand.
- Haul and spread sand, gravel, and clay to fill washouts and repair road shoulders.
- Remove litter and debris from roadways, including debris from rock and mud slides.
- Dump, spread, and tamp asphalt, using pneumatic tampers, to repair joints and patch broken pavement.
- Perform roadside landscaping work, such as clearing weeds and brush, and planting and trimming trees.
- Apply poisons along roadsides and in animal burrows to eliminate unwanted roadside vegetation and rodents.
- Measure and mark locations for installation of markers, using tape, string, or chalk.
- Paint traffic control lines and place pavement traffic messages, by hand or using machines.
- Apply oil to road surfaces, using sprayers.
- Inspect markers to verify accurate installation.
- Place and remove snow fences used to prevent the accumulation of drifting snow on highways.
- Blend compounds to form adhesive mixtures used for marker installation.
- Inspect, clean, and repair drainage systems, bridges, tunnels, and other structures.
- Install pressure-control devices onto wellheads.
- Maintain and perform safety inspections on equipment and tools.
- Operate controls that raise derricks or level rigs.
- Listen to engines, rotary chains, or other equipment to detect faulty operations or unusual well conditions.
- Prepare reports of services rendered, tools used, or time required, for billing purposes.
- Confer with others to gather information regarding pipe or tool sizes or borehole conditions in wells.
- Operate pumps that circulate water, oil, or other fluids through wells to remove sand or other materials obstructing the free flow of oil.
- Drive truck-mounted units to well sites.
- Interpret instrument readings to ascertain the depth of obstruction.
- Thread cables through derrick pulleys, using hand tools.
- Select fishing methods or tools for removing obstacles such as liners, broken casing, screens, or drill pipe.
- Close and seal wells no longer in use.
- Direct drilling crews performing activities such as assembling and connecting pipe, applying weights to drill pipes, or drilling around lodged obstacles.
- Apply green technologies or techniques, such as the use of coiled tubing, slim-hole drilling, horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing, or gas lift systems.
- Operate specialized equipment to remove obstructions by backing off or severing pipes by chemical or explosive action.
- Perforate well casings or sidewalls of boreholes with explosive charges.
- Examine unserviceable wells to determine actions to be taken to improve well conditions.
- Monitor sound wave-generating or detecting mechanisms to determine well fluid levels.
- Insert detection instruments into wells with obstructions.
- Install pressure-control devices onto wellheads.
- Line drilled holes with pipes, and install all necessary hardware, to prepare new wells.
- Train crews, and introduce procedures to make drill work more safe and effective.
- Observe pressure gauge and move throttles and levers to control the speed of rotary tables, and to regulate pressure of tools at bottoms of boreholes.
- Count sections of drill rod to determine depths of boreholes.
- Push levers and brake pedals to control gasoline, diesel, electric, or steam draw works that lower and raise drill pipes and casings in and out of wells.
- Connect sections of drill pipe, using hand tools and powered wrenches and tongs.
- Maintain records of footage drilled, location and nature of strata penetrated, materials and tools used, services rendered, and time required.
- Maintain and adjust machinery to ensure proper performance.
- Start and examine operation of slush pumps to ensure circulation and consistency of drilling fluid or mud in well.
- Locate and recover lost or broken bits, casings, and drill pipes from wells, using special tools.
- Weigh clay, and mix with water and chemicals to make drilling mud.
- Direct rig crews in drilling and other activities, such as setting up rigs and completing or servicing wells.
- Monitor progress of drilling operations, and select and change drill bits according to the nature of strata, using hand tools.
- Repair or replace defective parts of machinery, such as rotary drill rigs, water trucks, air compressors, and pumps, using hand tools.
- Clean and oil pulleys, blocks, and cables.
- Bolt together pump and engine parts, and connect tanks and flow lines.
- Remove core samples during drilling to determine the nature of the strata being drilled.
- Cap wells with packers, or turn valves, to regulate outflow of oil from wells.
- Position and prepare truck-mounted derricks at drilling areas specified on field maps.
- Plug observation wells, and restore sites.
- Lower and explode charges in boreholes to start flow of oil from wells.
- Dig holes, set forms, and mix and pour concrete, for foundations of steel or wooden derricks.
- Line drilled holes with pipes, and install all necessary hardware, to prepare new wells.
- Install assemblies, such as flashing, pipes, tubes, heating and air conditioning ducts, furnace casings, rain gutters, or downspouts in supportive frameworks.
- Maintain equipment, making repairs or modifications when necessary.
- Fabricate ducts for high efficiency heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to maximize efficiency of systems.
- Fasten seams or joints together with welds, bolts, cement, rivets, solder, caulks, metal drive clips, or bonds to assemble components into products or to repair sheet metal items.
- Transport prefabricated parts to construction sites for assembly and installation.
- Hire, train, or supervise new employees or apprentices.
- Lay out, measure, and mark dimensions and reference lines on material, such as roofing panels, using calculators, scribes, dividers, squares, or rulers.
- Fabricate or alter parts at construction sites, using shears, hammers, punches, or drills.
- Determine project requirements, such as scope, assembly sequences, or required methods or materials, using blueprints, drawings, or written or verbal instructions.
- Maneuver completed roofing units into position for installation.
- Select gauges or types of sheet metal or nonmetallic material, according to product specifications.
- Shape metal material over anvils, blocks, or other forms, using hand tools.
- Trim, file, grind, deburr, buff, or smooth surfaces, seams, or joints of assembled parts, using hand tools or portable power tools.
- Inspect individual parts, assemblies, or installations, using measuring instruments, such as calipers, scales, or micrometers.
- Develop or lay out patterns, using computerized metalworking equipment.
- Convert blueprints into shop drawings to be followed in the construction or assembly of sheet metal products.
- Perform sheet metal work necessary for solar panel installations.
- Verify that heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are designed, installed, and calibrated in accordance with green certification standards, such as those of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).
- Secure metal roof panels in place by interlocking and fastening grooved panel edges.
- Perform building commissioning activities by completing mechanical inspections of a building's water, lighting, or heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
- Fasten roof panel edges or machine-made moldings to structures by nailing or welding.
- Finish parts, using hacksaws or hand, rotary, or squaring shears.
- Install assemblies, such as flashing, pipes, tubes, heating and air conditioning ducts, furnace casings, rain gutters, or downspouts in supportive frameworks.
