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Date: 05/21/2025

Helpers--Pipelayers, Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

Help plumbers, pipefitters, steamfitters, or pipelayers by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include using, supplying, or holding materials or tools, and cleaning work area and equipment.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Immerse pipe in chemical solution to remove dirt, oil, and scale.
    • Cut or drill holes in walls or floors to accommodate the passage of pipes.
    • Cut or drill holes in walls or floors to accommodate the passage of pipes.
    • Fit or assist in fitting valves, couplings, or assemblies to tanks, pumps, or systems, using hand tools.
    • Excavate and grade ditches, and lay and join pipe for water and sewer service.
    • Requisition tools and equipment, select type and size of pipe, and collect and transport materials and equipment to work site.
    • Requisition tools and equipment, select type and size of pipe, and collect and transport materials and equipment to work site.
    • Clean and renew steam traps.
    • 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.
    • Requisition tools and equipment, select type and size of pipe, and collect and transport materials and equipment to work site.
    • Install gas burners to convert furnaces from wood, coal, or oil.
    • Measure, cut, thread and assemble new pipe, placing the assembled pipe in hangers or other supports.
    • Cut pipe and lift up to fitters.
    • Excavate and grade ditches, and lay and join pipe for water and sewer service.
    • Disassemble and remove damaged or worn pipe.
    • Measure, cut, thread and assemble new pipe, placing the assembled pipe in hangers or other supports.
    • Mount brackets and hangers on walls and ceilings to hold pipes, and set sleeves or inserts to provide support for pipes.
    • Fill pipes with sand or resin to prevent distortion, and hold pipes during bending and installation.
    • Clean shop, work area, and machines, using solvent and rags.
    • 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.
    • Fit or assist in fitting valves, couplings, or assemblies to tanks, pumps, or systems, using hand tools.
    • Clean and renew steam traps.

    Skills

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    3
    Workplace Documents
    3
    Graphic Literacy
    4

    Abilities

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    Knowledge

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    Career Video

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    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 34690/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 16.68/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 560
    • Yearly Projected Openings 60

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Attention to Detail
    • Cooperation
    • Persistence
    • Integrity
    • Initiative
    • Adaptability/Flexibility

    Tools

    • Adjustable widemouth pliers
    • Adjustable wrenches
    • Air compressors
    • Alternating current AC arc welder
    • Augers
    • Backhoes
    • Ball peen hammer
    • Bandsaw wheel
    • Bench vises
    • Blocks or pulleys
    • Blow torch
    • Bolt cutters
    • Boring or sinking machinery
    • Box end wrenches
    • Calipers
    • Caulking guns
    • Circuit tracers
    • Compactors
    • Deburring tool
    • Detection apparatus for non metallic objects
    • Dewatering pumps
    • Diagonal cut pliers
    • Diaphragm pumps
    • Digital camcorders or video cameras
    • Direct current DC arc welder
    • Drain or pipe cleaning equipment
    • Drain or toilet plunger
    • Dredgers
    • Drill press or radial drill
    • Dump trucks
    • Explosimeters
    • Flat hand file
    • Flow sensors
    • Fluid regulators
    • Forklifts
    • Gas detectors
    • Gas generators
    • Gas welding or brazing or cutting apparatus
    • Graders
    • Hacksaw
    • Hammer drills
    • Hand reamer
    • Hex keys
    • Hoists
    • Hole saws
    • Hose cutter
    • Hydraulic truck cranes
    • Impact hammers
    • Impact wrenches
    • Industrial threading die
    • Inspection mirror
    • Integrated tool carriers
    • Jacks
    • Ladders
    • Laser measuring systems
    • Leak testing equipment
    • Level sensors or transmitters
    • Levels
    • Light trucks or sport utility vehicles
    • Liquid leak detectors
    • Locking pliers
    • Manlift or personnel lift
    • Metal band sawing machine
    • Metal detectors
    • Metal inert gas welding machine
    • Metal markers or holders
    • Moisture meters
    • Mud pumps
    • Nut drivers
    • Offset socket wrenches
    • Ohmmeters
    • Oil gun
    • Open end wrenches
    • Pipe bending mandrel
    • Pipe bending tools
    • Pipe extractors
    • Pipe layer
    • Pipe or tube cutter
    • Pipe reamer
    • Pipe vises
    • Pipe wrenches
    • Pneumatic drill
    • Pneumatic grinders
    • Pneumatic hammer
    • Pneumatic sanding machines
    • Power drills
    • Power flaring tool
    • Power grinders
    • Power saws
    • Power screwguns
    • Pressure indicators
    • Pressure or steam cleaners
    • Pry bars
    • Pullers
    • Ratchets
    • Round file
    • Safety harnesses or belts
    • Scaffolding
    • Screwdrivers
    • Sewage pumps
    • Sheet metal grooving machine
    • Shielded metal arc welding or stick welding machine
    • Shovels
    • Sledge hammer
    • Slings
    • Slip or groove joint pliers
    • Soldering iron
    • Specialty wrenches
    • Spot welding machine
    • Square file
    • Staple guns
    • Strap wrenches
    • Sump pumps
    • Swaging tools
    • Tachometers
    • Tampers
    • Tape measures
    • Tapping machine attachment
    • Thermographs
    • Threading die hand tool
    • Threading machine
    • Tinners snips
    • Tongs
    • Torx keys
    • Tracer or duplicating or contouring lathe
    • Track excavators
    • Track loaders
    • Trenching machines
    • Tube end finisher
    • Tungsten inert gas welding machine
    • Two way radios
    • Vacuum gauges
    • Vibration testers
    • Voltage or current meters
    • Water pumps
    • Water samplers
    • Welder torch
    • Welding masks
    • Wheel bulldozers
    • Wheel loaders
    • Winches
    • Wire brushes
    • Wire or cable cutter

    Technology

    • Office suite software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software

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