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Text File | 1995-10-24 | 12.2 KB | 252 lines

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Plumbers and Pipefitters

(D.O.T.  806.381-062, 862.261, .281-010, -014, and -022, .361-014,
-018, and -022, and .381 except -010 and -038, .681, .682-010, and
.684-034)

Nature of the Work

Most people are familiar with the plumber who comes to their home to
unclog a drain or install an appliance.  In addition to this,
however, plumbers and pipefitters install, maintain, and repair many
different types of pipe systems.  For example, some systems move
water to a municipal water treatment plant, and then to residential,
commercial, and public buildings.  Others dispose of waste.  Some
bring in gas for stoves and furnaces.  Others supply
air-conditioning.  Pipe systems in powerplants carry the steam that
powers huge turbines.  Pipes also are used in manufacturing plants
to move material through the production process.

   Although plumbing and pipefitting sometimes are considered a single
trade, workers generally specialize in one or the other.  Plumbers
install and repair the water, waste disposal, drainage, and gas
systems in homes and commercial and industrial buildings.  They also
install plumbing fixtures bathtubs, showers, sinks, and toilets and
appliances such as dishwashers and water heaters.  Pipefitters
install and repair both high- and low-pressure pipe systems that are
used in manufacturing, in the generation of electricity, and in
heating and cooling buildings.  Some pipefitters specialize in only
one type of system.  Steamfitters, for example, install pipe systems
that move liquids or gases under high pressure.

   Sprinklerfitters install automatic fire sprinkler systems in
buildings.

   Plumbers and pipefitters use many different materials and
construction techniques, depending on the type of project.
Residential water systems, for example, use copper, steel, and
increasingly plastic pipe that can be handled and installed by one
or two workers.  Municipal sewerage systems, on the other hand, are
made of large cast iron pipes; installation normally requires crews
of pipefitters.  Despite these differences, all plumbers and
pipefitters must be able to follow building plans or blueprints and
instructions from supervisors, lay out the job, and work efficiently
with the materials and tools of the trade.  The following example
illustrates how plumbers install piping in a house.

   Construction plumbers work from blueprints or drawings that show the
planned location of pipes, plumbing fixtures, and appliances.  They
lay out the job to fit the piping into the structure of the house
with the least waste of material and within the confines of the
structure.  They measure and mark areas where pipes will be
installed and connected.  They check for obstructions, such as
electrical wiring, and, if necessary, plan the pipe installation
around the problem.

   Sometimes they have to cut holes in walls, ceilings, and floors.
For some systems, they may have to hang steel supports from ceiling
joists to hold the pipe in place.  To assemble the system, plumbers
cut and bend lengths of pipe using saws, pipe cutters, and
pipe-bending machines.  They connect lengths of pipe with fittings;
the method depends on the type of pipe used.  For plastic pipe,
plumbers connect the sections and fittings with adhesives.  For
copper pipe, they slide fittings over the end of the pipe and solder
the fitting in place with a torch.

   After the piping is in place, plumbers install the fixtures and
appliances and connect the system to the outside water or sewer
lines.  Using pressure gauges, they check the system to insure that
the plumbing works properly.

   Most plumbers work for plumbing contractors.

Working Conditions

Because plumbers and pipefitters frequently must lift heavy pipes,
stand for long periods, and sometimes work in uncomfortable or
cramped positions, they need physical strength as well as stamina.
They may have to work outdoors in inclement weather.  They also are
subject to falls from ladders, cuts from sharp tools, and burns from
hot pipes or from soldering equipment.

   Plumbers and pipefitters engaged in construction generally work a
standard 40-hour week; those involved in maintaining pipe systems,
including those who provide maintenance services under contract, may
have to work evening or weekend shifts, as well as be on call.
These maintenance workers may spend quite a bit of time traveling to
and from work sites.

Employment

Plumbers and pipefitters held about 351,000 jobs in 1992.  About
two-thirds worked for mechanical and plumbing contractors engaged in
new construction, repair, modernization, or maintenance work.
Others did maintenance work for a variety of industrial, commercial,
and government employers.  For example, pipefitters were employed as
maintenance personnel in the petroleum and chemical industries,
where manufacturing operations require the moving of liquids and
gases through pipes.  One of every 6 plumbers and pipefitters is
self-employed.

   Jobs for plumbers and pipefitters are distributed across the country
in about the same proportion as the general population.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

Virtually all plumbers undergo some type of apprenticeship training.
Many programs are administered by local union-management committees
comprising members of the United Association of Journeymen and
Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United
States and Canada, the Mechanical Contractors Association of
America, Inc., the National Association of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling
Contractors, or the National Fire Sprinkler Association, Inc.

   Nonunion training and apprenticeship programs are administered by
local chapters of the Associated Builders and Contractors, the
National Association of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors, the
American Fire Sprinkler Association, and the National Association of
Home Builders, Home Builders Institute.

   Apprenticeships both union and nonunion consist of 4 to 5 years
on-the-job training, in addition to at least 144 hours annually of
related classroom instruction.  Classroom subjects include drafting
and blueprint reading, mathematics, applied physics and chemistry,
safety, and local plumbing codes and regulations.  On the job,
apprentices first learn basic skills such as identifying grades and
types of pipe, the use of the tools of the trade, and the safe
unloading of materials.  As apprentices gain experience, they learn
how to work with various types of pipe and to install different
piping systems and plumbing fixtures.  Apprenticeship gives trainees
a thorough knowledge of all aspects of the trade.  Although most
plumbers are trained through appenticeship, some still learn their
skills informally on the job.

   Applicants for union or nonunion apprentice jobs must be 18 years
old and in good physical condition.  Apprenticeship committees may
require applicants to have a high school diploma or its equivalent.
Armed Forces training in plumbing and pipefitting is considered very
good preparation.  In fact, persons with this background may be
given credit for previous experience when entering a civilian
apprenticeship program.  Secondary or postsecondary courses in shop,
plumbing, general mathematics, drafting, blueprint reading, and
physics also are good preparation.

   Although there are no uniform national licensing requirements, most
communities require plumbers to be licensed.  Licensing requirements
vary from area to area, but most localities require workers to pass
an examination that tests their knowledge of the trade and of local
plumbing codes.

   Some plumbers and pipefitters may become supervisors for mechanical
and plumbing contractors.  Others go into business for themselves.

Job Outlook

Employment of plumbers and pipefitters is expected to grow more
slowly than the average for all occupations through the year 2005.
Construction activity residential, industrial, and commercial is
expected to grow significantly over the next decade.  Building
renovation, including the increasing installation of sprinkler
systems; maintenance of powerplants, water and wastewater treatment
plants, pipelines, office buildings, factories, and other projects
that have large pipe systems; and maintenance of existing
residential systems are expected to spur the demand for these
workers.  However, the growing use of plastic pipe and fittings,
which are much easier to use; more efficient sprinkler systems; and
other technologies will mean that employment will not grow as fast
as it has in past years.  In addition, several thousand positions
will become available each year from the need to replace experienced
workers who leave the occupation.

   Traditionally, many organizations with pipe systems have employed
their own plumbers and pipefitters to maintain their equipment and
keep everything running smoothly.  In order to reduce their labor
costs, many of these firms are relying on workers provided, under
service contracts, by plumbing and pipefitting contractors.

   Because of the temporary nature of construction projects, plumbers
and pipefitters may experience short bouts of unemployment when the
project on which they are working ends.  Because construction
activity varies from area to area, job openings, as well as
apprenticeship opportunities, fluctuate with local economic
conditions.

   Employment of these workers generally is less sensitive to changes
in economic conditions than in some of the other construction
trades.  Maintenance, rehabilitation, and replacement of existing
piping systems as well as the growing installation of fire sprinkler
systems provide jobs for many plumbers, pipefitters, and
sprinklerfitters, even when construction activity declines.

Earnings

According to a survey of workplaces in 160 metropolitan areas,
maintenance pipefitters had median earnings of $18.05 an hour in
1992, with the middle half earning between $16.15 and $19.66.  In
comparison, the average wage for all nonsupervisory and production
workers in private industry, except farming, was $10.59.

   Apprentices usually begin at about 50 percent of the wage rate paid
to experienced plumbers or pipefitters.  This increases periodically
as they improve their skills.  After an initial waiting period,
apprentices receive the same benefits as experienced plumbers and
pipefitters.

   Many plumbers and pipefitters are members of the United Association
of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting
Industry of the United States and Canada.

Related Occupations

Other occupations in which workers install and repair mechanical
systems in buildings are boilermakers, stationary engineers,
electricians, elevator installers, heating, air-conditioning, and
refrigeration mechanics, industrial machinery repairers,
millwrights, and sheet-metal workers.

Sources of Additional Information

   For information about apprenticeships or work opportunities in
plumbing and pipefitting, contact local plumbing, heating, and
air-conditioning contractors; a local or State chapter of the
National Association of Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling Contractors;
a local chapter of the Mechanical Contractors Association; a local
of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the
Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada;
the nearest office of the State employment service or State
apprenticeship agency; or the National Association of Home Builders,
Home Builders Institute, 1090 Vermont Ave.  NW., Washington, DC
20005.

   For general information about the work of plumbers, pipefitters, and
sprinklerfitters, contact:

   National Association of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors, P.O.
Box 6808, Falls Church, VA 22046.

   Associated Builders and Contractors, 729 15th St.  NW., Washington,
DC 20005.

   National Fire Sprinkler Association, P.O.  Box 1000, Patterson, NY
12563.

   American Fire Sprinkler Association, Inc., 12959 Jupiter Rd., Suite
142, Dallas, TX 75238-3200.

   Mechanical Contractors Association of America, 1385 Piccard Dr.,
Rockville, MD 20850.

   Home Builders Institute, 1090 Vermont Ave.  NW., Washington, DC
20005.