Insulation Workers, Mechanical
Construction and Extraction Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 47-2132.00
Apply insulating materials to pipes or ductwork, or other mechanical systems in order to help control and maintain temperature.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Moderate· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.044
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.13
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Exposed tasks only13 rated tasks · 1 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (7.7%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- 4 rated tasks are not in the O*NET 31.0 task list; their scores are kept as published for O*NET 27.2.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
| Task (O*NET 20.1) | Claude.aiRaw / share % | APIRaw / share % |
|---|---|---|
Read blueprints and specifications to determine job requirements.47-2132.00 | 0.0026100.0 | 0.0145100.0 |
| Not observed on any surface — 12 task(s) — These tasks have no row in the source for this release. The 0 in the share row is a display-stage composition ratio; absence is what the — in the raw row states. | ||
Measure and cut insulation for covering surfaces, using tape measures, handsaws, knives, and scissors. | —0 | —0 |
Fit insulation around obstructions, and shape insulating materials and protective coverings as required. | —0 | —0 |
Determine the amounts and types of insulation needed, and methods of installation, based on factors such as location, surface shape, and equipment use. | —0 | —0 |
Install sheet metal around insulated pipes with screws to protect the insulation from weather conditions or physical damage. | —0 | —0 |
Apply, remove, and repair insulation on industrial equipment, pipes, ductwork, or other mechanical systems such as heat exchangers, tanks, and vessels, to help control noise and maintain temperatures. | —0 | —0 |
Select appropriate insulation, such as fiberglass, Styrofoam, or cork, based on the heat retaining or excluding characteristics of the material. | —0 | —0 |
Cover, seal, or finish insulated surfaces or access holes with plastic covers, canvas strips, sealants, tape, cement, or asphalt mastic. | —0 | —0 |
Prepare surfaces for insulation application by brushing or spreading on adhesives, cement, or asphalt, or by attaching metal pins to surfaces. | —0 | —0 |
Remove or seal off old asbestos insulation, following safety procedures. | —0 | —0 |
Distribute insulating materials evenly into small spaces within floors, ceilings, or walls, using blowers and hose attachments or cement mortar. | —0 | —0 |
Move controls, buttons, or levers to start blowers, and to regulate flow of materials through nozzles. | —0 | —0 |
Fill blower hoppers with insulating materials. | —0 | —0 |
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Read blueprints and specifications to determine job requirements.O*NET Task ID 13560 | 0.5 |
Measure and cut insulation for covering surfaces, using tape measures, handsaws, knives, and scissors.O*NET Task ID 13554 | 0.0 |
Fit insulation around obstructions, and shape insulating materials and protective coverings as required.O*NET Task ID 13555 | 0.0 |
Determine the amounts and types of insulation needed, and methods of installation, based on factors such as location, surface shape, and equipment use.O*NET Task ID 13556 | 0.0 |
Install sheet metal around insulated pipes with screws to protect the insulation from weather conditions or physical damage.O*NET Task ID 13557 | 0.0 |
Apply, remove, and repair insulation on industrial equipment, pipes, ductwork, or other mechanical systems such as heat exchangers, tanks, and vessels, to help control noise and maintain temperatures.O*NET Task ID 13558 | 0.0 |
Select appropriate insulation, such as fiberglass, Styrofoam, or cork, based on the heat retaining or excluding characteristics of the material.O*NET Task ID 13559 | 0.0 |
Cover, seal, or finish insulated surfaces or access holes with plastic covers, canvas strips, sealants, tape, cement, or asphalt mastic.O*NET Task ID 13561 | 0.0 |
Prepare surfaces for insulation application by brushing or spreading on adhesives, cement, or asphalt, or by attaching metal pins to surfaces.O*NET Task ID 13562 | 0.0 |
Remove or seal off old asbestos insulation, following safety procedures.O*NET Task ID 13563 | 0.0 |
Distribute insulating materials evenly into small spaces within floors, ceilings, or walls, using blowers and hose attachments or cement mortar.O*NET Task ID 13564 | 0.0 |
Move controls, buttons, or levers to start blowers, and to regulate flow of materials through nozzles.O*NET Task ID 13565 | 0.0 |
Fill blower hoppers with insulating materials.O*NET Task ID 13566 | 0.0 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (9)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Measure and cut insulation for covering surfaces, using tape measures, handsaws, knives, and scissors. | Core |
| Fit insulation around obstructions, and shape insulating materials and protective coverings as required. | Core |
| Determine the amounts and types of insulation needed, and methods of installation, based on factors such as location, surface shape, and equipment use. | Core |
| Install sheet metal around insulated pipes with screws to protect the insulation from weather conditions or physical damage. | Core |
| Apply, remove, and repair insulation on industrial equipment, pipes, ductwork, or other mechanical systems such as heat exchangers, tanks, and vessels, to help control noise and maintain temperatures. | Core |
| Select appropriate insulation, such as fiberglass, Styrofoam, or cork, based on the heat retaining or excluding characteristics of the material. | Core |
| Read blueprints and specifications to determine job requirements. | Core |
| Cover, seal, or finish insulated surfaces or access holes with plastic covers, canvas strips, sealants, tape, cement, or asphalt mastic. | Core |
| Prepare surfaces for insulation application by brushing or spreading on adhesives, cement, or asphalt, or by attaching metal pins to surfaces. | Core |
0.36/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Measure and cut insulation for covering surfaces, using tape measures, handsaws, knives, and scissors. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Fit insulation around obstructions, and shape insulating materials and protective coverings as required. | E0 none |
| Install sheet metal around insulated pipes with screws to protect the insulation from weather conditions or physical damage. | E0 none |
| Apply, remove, and repair insulation on industrial equipment, pipes, ductwork, or other mechanical systems such as heat exchangers, tanks, and vessels, to help control noise and maintain temperatures. | E0 none |
| Cover, seal, or finish insulated surfaces or access holes with plastic covers, canvas strips, sealants, tape, cement, or asphalt mastic. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Prepare surfaces for insulation application by brushing or spreading on adhesives, cement, or asphalt, or by attaching metal pins to surfaces. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 27K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 28K
- Change (2025–35)
- +5.1%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $58,340
- Typical education needed for entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78330 | 단열공 | This occupation is narrower | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 7124Insulation Workers
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
Insulation workers apply and repair insulating materials to buildings, boilers, pipes or refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment.
Tasks
- (a) cutting insulation material by size and shape;
- (b) applying slabs and sheets of insulating or sound-absorbing materials to walls, floors and ceilings of buildings;
- (c) blowing and packing insulating or sound-absorbing materials into cavities between walls, floors and ceilings of buildings with power-driven machines;
- (d) examining plans, specifications and work sites to determine the type, quality and quantity of insulation material required;
- (e) applying insulating materials to exposed surfaces of equipment such as boilers, pipes and tanks;
- (f) insulating refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment.
Example occupations
Acoustic insulation worker · Boiler and pipe insulation worker · Insulation installer · Insulation worker · Refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment insulation worker
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- insulation workerESCO 7124.1This occupation is narrower
Insulation workers install a variety of insulation materials to shield a structure or materials from heat, cold, and noise from the environment.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| F1626 | Calorifugeur / Calorifugeuse | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
| F1613 | Etancheur / Etancheuse | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 7292 | Instaladores de material aislante térmico y de insonorización | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 33312 | Berufe in der Isolierung - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 669 | その他の建設従事者 | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources