Task statements

  • Fit or assist in fitting valves, couplings, or assemblies to tanks, pumps, or systems, using hand tools.
  • Mount brackets and hangers on walls and ceilings to hold pipes, and set sleeves or inserts to provide support for pipes.
  • Perform rough-ins, repair and replace fixtures and water heaters, and locate, repair, or remove leaking or broken pipes.
  • Cut pipe and lift up to fitters.
  • Measure, cut, thread and assemble new pipe, placing the assembled pipe in hangers or other supports.
  • Assist pipe fitters in the layout, assembly, and installation of piping for air, ammonia, gas, and water systems.
  • 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.
  • Cut or drill holes in walls or floors to accommodate the passage of pipes.
  • Clean shop, work area, and machines, using solvent and rags.
  • Excavate and grade ditches, and lay and join pipe for water and sewer service.
  • Immerse pipe in chemical solution to remove dirt, oil, and scale.
  • Clean and renew steam traps.
  • Fill pipes with sand or resin to prevent distortion, and hold pipes during bending and installation.
  • Install gas burners to convert furnaces from wood, coal, or oil.

Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.