Furnace, Kiln, Oven, Drier, and Kettle Operators and Tenders
Production Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 51-9051.00
Operate or tend heating equipment other than basic metal, plastic, or food processing equipment. Includes activities such as annealing glass, drying lumber, curing rubber, removing moisture from materials, or boiling soap.
- 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
0.000
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
0.17–0.22· 3 ISCO-08 groups
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.
ILO value for each linked ISCO-08 group
- ISCO-08 7521Wood Treaters0.22
- ISCO-08 8141Rubber Products Machine Operators0.18
- ISCO-08 8181Glass and Ceramics Plant Operators0.17
Task-level exposure
Exposed tasks only18 rated tasks · 2 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (11.1%)
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
- 1 rated task is not in the O*NET 31.0 task list; its score is 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
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 and interpret work orders and instructions to determine work assignments, process specifications, and production schedules.O*NET Task ID 4964 | 1.0 |
Record gauge readings, test results, and shift production in log books.O*NET Task ID 4965 | 1.0 |
Weigh or measure specified amounts of ingredients or materials for processing, using devices such as scales and calipers.O*NET Task ID 4961 | 0.0 |
Press and adjust controls to activate, set, and regulate equipment according to specifications.O*NET Task ID 4962 | 0.0 |
Monitor equipment operation, gauges, and panel lights to detect deviations from standards.O*NET Task ID 4963 | 0.0 |
Confer with supervisors or other equipment operators to report equipment malfunctions or to resolve production problems.O*NET Task ID 4966 | 0.0 |
Examine or test samples of processed substances, or collect samples for laboratory testing, to ensure conformance to specifications.O*NET Task ID 4967 | 0.0 |
Clean, lubricate, and adjust equipment, using scrapers, solvents, air hoses, oil, and hand tools.O*NET Task ID 4968 | 0.0 |
Transport materials and products to and from work areas, manually or using carts, handtrucks, or hoists.O*NET Task ID 4969 | 0.0 |
Stop equipment and clear blockages or jams, using fingers, wire, or hand tools.O*NET Task ID 4970 | 0.0 |
Remove products from equipment, manually or using hoists, and prepare them for storage, shipment, or additional processing.O*NET Task ID 4971 | 0.0 |
Calculate amounts of materials to be loaded into furnaces, adjusting amounts as necessary for specific conditions.O*NET Task ID 4972 | 0.0 |
Feed fuel, such as coal and coke, into fireboxes or onto conveyors, and remove ashes from furnaces, using shovels and buckets.O*NET Task ID 4973 | 0.0 |
Melt or refine metal before casting, calculating required temperatures, and observe metal color, adjusting controls as necessary to maintain required temperatures.O*NET Task ID 4974 | 0.0 |
Replace worn or defective equipment parts, using hand tools.O*NET Task ID 4975 | 0.0 |
Load equipment receptacles or conveyors with material to be processed, by hand or using hoists.O*NET Task ID 4976 | 0.0 |
Sprinkle chemicals on the surface of molten metal to bring impurities to surface and remove impurities, using strainers.O*NET Task ID 4977 | 0.0 |
Direct crane operators and crew members to load vessels with materials to be processed.O*NET Task ID 4978 | 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®, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (17)
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 |
|---|---|
| Press and adjust controls to activate, set, and regulate equipment according to specifications. | Core |
| Monitor equipment operation, gauges, and panel lights to detect deviations from standards. | Core |
| Read and interpret work orders and instructions to determine work assignments, process specifications, and production schedules. | Core |
| Record gauge readings, test results, and shift production in log books. | Core |
| Confer with supervisors or other equipment operators to report equipment malfunctions or to resolve production problems. | Core |
| Examine or test samples of processed substances, or collect samples for laboratory testing, to ensure conformance to specifications. | Core |
| Transport materials and products to and from work areas, manually or using carts, handtrucks, or hoists. | Core |
| Weigh or measure specified amounts of ingredients or materials for processing, using devices such as scales and calipers. | Supplemental |
| Clean, lubricate, and adjust equipment, using scrapers, solvents, air hoses, oil, and hand tools. | Supplemental |
| Stop equipment and clear blockages or jams, using fingers, wire, or hand tools. | Supplemental |
| Remove products from equipment, manually or using hoists, and prepare them for storage, shipment, or additional processing. | Supplemental |
| Calculate amounts of materials to be loaded into furnaces, adjusting amounts as necessary for specific conditions. | Supplemental |
| Feed fuel, such as coal and coke, into fireboxes or onto conveyors, and remove ashes from furnaces, using shovels and buckets. | Supplemental |
| Melt or refine metal before casting, calculating required temperatures, and observe metal color, adjusting controls as necessary to maintain required temperatures. | Supplemental |
| Replace worn or defective equipment parts, using hand tools. | Supplemental |
| Load equipment receptacles or conveyors with material to be processed, by hand or using hoists. | Supplemental |
| Direct crane operators and crew members to load vessels with materials to be processed. | Supplemental |
0.71/ 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 |
|---|---|
| Press and adjust controls to activate, set, and regulate equipment according to specifications. | E2 structured facilities |
| Examine or test samples of processed substances, or collect samples for laboratory testing, to ensure conformance to specifications. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Transport materials and products to and from work areas, manually or using carts, handtrucks, or hoists. | E2 structured facilities |
| Weigh or measure specified amounts of ingredients or materials for processing, using devices such as scales and calipers. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Clean, lubricate, and adjust equipment, using scrapers, solvents, air hoses, oil, and hand tools. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Stop equipment and clear blockages or jams, using fingers, wire, or hand tools. | E0 none |
| Remove products from equipment, manually or using hoists, and prepare them for storage, shipment, or additional processing. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Feed fuel, such as coal and coke, into fireboxes or onto conveyors, and remove ashes from furnaces, using shovels and buckets. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Melt or refine metal before casting, calculating required temperatures, and observe metal color, adjusting controls as necessary to maintain required temperatures. | E2 structured facilities |
| Replace worn or defective equipment parts, using hand tools. | E0 none |
| Load equipment receptacles or conveyors with material to be processed, by hand or using hoists. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 15K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 15K
- Change (2025–35)
- +2.6%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $48,040
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 84311 | 유리 제조 및 제품 가공기 조작원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 84321 | 도자기제품 생산기 조작원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 84339 | 그 외 시멘트 및 광물제품 제조기 조작원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 89119 | 그 외 목재 가공 관련 기계 조작원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 83122 | 화학물 가열 처리 장치 조작원 | Overlapping, not the same | confirmed |
| 84331 | 시멘트 및 석회 제조 관련 조작원 | Overlapping, not the same | confirmed |
| 62099 | 그 외 임업 관련 종사원 | Related, not a match | confirmed |
| 88202 | 소각로 조작원 | Related, not a match | 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 7521Wood Treaters
- ISCO-08 8141Rubber Products Machine Operators
- ISCO-08 8181Glass and Ceramics Plant Operators
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.
- clay kiln burnerESCO 8181.3This occupation is broader
Clay kiln burners bake clay products such as brick, sewer pipe or tiles using periodic or tunnel kilns. They regulate valves, observe thermometers, watch for fluctuations, and maintain the kilns.
- clay products dry kiln operatorESCO 8181.3.1This occupation is broader
Clay products dry kiln operators manage drying tunnels that are meant for drying clay products prior to their treatment in kiln.
- coking furnace operatorESCO 8131.3This occupation is broader
Coking furnace operators monitor the operation of a usually automatic industrial oven that takes in crushed, washed, and blended bituminous coal and heats it to temperatures between 1000 and 2000 °C without the presence of oxygen in order to obtain cokes. The finished cokes are then quenched with water or air and prepared for transport.
- drawing kiln operatorESCO 8181.4This occupation is broader
Drawing kiln operators are responsible for continuous sheet flat glass production by manipulating the drawing kiln that processes molten glass.
- glass annealerESCO 8181.7This occupation is broader
Glass annealers operate electric or gas kilns used to strengthen the glass products by a heating-cooling process, making sure the temperature is set according to specifications. They inspect the glass products through the entire process to observe any flaws.
- kiln firerESCO 8181.10This occupation is broader
Kiln firers operate kilns in order to fire decorations or glazes. They determine the level and uniformity of oven temperature, regulate the temperature, and give directions to a helper in preparing firebox and lighting fires.
- lime kiln operatorESCO 8131.10This occupation is broader
Lime kiln operators control equipment that burns limestone to produce lime or carbon dioxide. They control the flow of the materials, fuel, and air and observe the material flow, air, temperature, fuel charts, and oxygen gauges and make adjustments if necessary. They also keep production records.
- metal annealerESCO 8121.3This occupation is broader
Metal annealers operate electric or gas kilns to soften metal so it can be cut and shaped more easily. They heat the metal to a specific temperature and / or colour and then slowly cool it, both according to specifications. Metal annealers inspect the metals through the entire process to observe any flaws.
- tunnel kiln operatorESCO 8181.3.2This occupation is broader
Tunnel kiln operators control preheating chambers and tunnel kilns to preheat and bake clay products, such as bricks, sewer popes, mosaic, ceramic or quarry tiles. They observe gauges and instruments and adjust by turning valves if necessary. They pull loaded kiln cars in and out of the heaters and move them to a sorting area.
- wood drying kiln operatorESCO 7521.1This occupation is broader
Wood drying kiln operators control the process of applying heat to moist or 'green' wood in order to obtain usable dry wood. Depending on the type of kiln, the drying operator will be responsible for moving the wood into and out of the kiln, temperature control, and ventilation.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| H2806 | Technicien / Technicienne fusion en industrie verrière | This occupation is broader |
| H2809 | Opérateur / Opératrice de poste centralisé en cimenterie | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| H2205 | Opérateur / Opératrice de production en industrie du bois | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| H2803 | Opérateur / Opératrice en Industrie Céramique | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| H2805 | Technicien / Technicienne de l'industrie du verre | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 7811 | Trabajadores del tratamiento de la madera | Overlapping, not the same |
| 8191 | Operadores de hornos e instalaciones de vidriería y cerámica | Overlapping, not the same |
| 8131 | Operadores en plantas industriales químicas | Related, not a match |
| 8141 | Operadores de máquinas para fabricar productos de caucho y derivados de resinas naturales | Related, not a match |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 21412 | Berufe in der Industriekeramik (Verfahrens- und Anlagentechnik) - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | Related, not a match |
| 22312 | Berufe in der Holztrocknung und -konservierung - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | Related, not a match |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 502 | 窯業・土石製品生産設備制御・監視員 | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 532 | 窯業・土石製品製造従事者 | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 536 | 木・紙製品製造従事者 | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 538 | ゴム・プラスチック製品製造従事者 | Related, not a matchprovisional |
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