Cleaning, Washing, and Metal Pickling Equipment Operators and Tenders
Production Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 51-9192.00
Operate or tend machines to wash or clean products, such as barrels or kegs, glass items, tin plate, food, pulp, coal, plastic, or rubber, to remove impurities.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Low· 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
0.20–0.28· 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 8112Mineral and Stone Processing Plant Operators0.21
- ISCO-08 8122Metal Finishing, Plating and Coating Machine Operators0.20
- ISCO-08 8171Pulp and Papermaking Plant Operators0.28
Task-level exposure
Show 10 hidden tasks11 rated tasks · 1 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (9.1%)
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
- All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.
- 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 |
|---|---|
Record gauge readings, materials used, processing times, or test results in production logs.O*NET Task ID 14375 | 1.0 |
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 (11)
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 |
|---|---|
| Operate or tend machines to wash and remove impurities from items such as barrels or kegs, glass products, tin plate surfaces, dried fruit, pulp, animal stock, coal, manufactured articles, plastic, or rubber. | Core |
| Add specified amounts of chemicals to equipment at required times to maintain solution levels and concentrations. | Core |
| Drain, clean, and refill machines or tanks at designated intervals, using cleaning solutions or water. | Core |
| Measure, weigh, or mix cleaning solutions, using measuring tanks, calibrated rods or suction tubes. | Core |
| Observe machine operations, gauges, or thermometers, and adjust controls to maintain specified conditions. | Core |
| Set controls to regulate temperature and length of cycles, and start conveyors, pumps, agitators, and machines. | Core |
| Examine and inspect machines to detect malfunctions. | Core |
| Record gauge readings, materials used, processing times, or test results in production logs. | Core |
| Draw samples for laboratory analysis, or test solutions for conformance to specifications, such as acidity or specific gravity. | Supplemental |
| Adjust, clean, and lubricate mechanical parts of machines, using hand tools and grease guns. | Supplemental |
| Load machines with objects to be processed and unload them after cleaning, placing them on conveyors or racks. | Supplemental |
1.29/ 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 |
|---|---|
| Operate or tend machines to wash and remove impurities from items such as barrels or kegs, glass products, tin plate surfaces, dried fruit, pulp, animal stock, coal, manufactured articles, plastic, or rubber. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Add specified amounts of chemicals to equipment at required times to maintain solution levels and concentrations. | E2 structured facilities |
| Drain, clean, and refill machines or tanks at designated intervals, using cleaning solutions or water. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Measure, weigh, or mix cleaning solutions, using measuring tanks, calibrated rods or suction tubes. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Observe machine operations, gauges, or thermometers, and adjust controls to maintain specified conditions. | E2 structured facilities |
| Set controls to regulate temperature and length of cycles, and start conveyors, pumps, agitators, and machines. | E2 structured facilities |
| Examine and inspect machines to detect malfunctions. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Draw samples for laboratory analysis, or test solutions for conformance to specifications, such as acidity or specific gravity. | E2 structured facilities |
| Adjust, clean, and lubricate mechanical parts of machines, using hand tools and grease guns. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Load machines with objects to be processed and unload them after cleaning, placing them on conveyors or racks. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 16K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 17K
- Change (2025–35)
- +3.4%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $43,530
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 84221 | 금속 세척기 조작원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 81119 | 그 외 제분 및 도정 관련 기계 조작원 | Related, not a match | confirmed |
| 84229 | 그 외 도금 및 금속 분무기 조작원 | Related, not a match | confirmed |
| 89121 | 펄프 제조 장치 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 8112Mineral and Stone Processing Plant Operators
- ISCO-08 8122Metal Finishing, Plating and Coating Machine Operators
- ISCO-08 8171Pulp and Papermaking 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.
- cacao beans cleanerESCO 8160.10This occupation is broader
Cacao beans cleaners operate machines for the removal of foreign materials such as stones, string and dirt from cacao beans. They operate silos as to move beans from there to hoppers. They direct the cleaned beans to specified silos. They operate air-cleaning system in order to remove further foreign materials.
- clarifierESCO 8160.19This occupation is broader
Clarifiers operate equipment to remove sediments and moisture from oleo and oils. They heat clarifying tank with steam and strainers for the clarification process. They remove foreign matters from the surface of hot oleo or oil stacks using skimmers.
- refining machine operatorESCO 8160.48This occupation is broader
Refining machine operators tend machines to refine crude oils, such as soybean oil, cottonseed oil, and peanut oil. They tend wash tanks to remove by-products and remove impurities with heat.
- tumbling machine operatorESCO 8122.12This occupation is broader
Tumbling machine operators set up and operate tumbling machines, often wet or drie tumbling barrels, designed to remove excess material and burrs of heavy metal workpieces and precious metals and to improve surface appearance, by rotating the metal pieces in a barrel together with grit and potentially water, allowing for the friction between the pieces mutually and with the grit to cause a rounding, smooth effect.
- wash deinking operatorESCO 8171.9This occupation is broader
Wash deinking operators operate a tank where recycled paper is mixed with water and dispersants to wash out printing inks. The solution, called a pulp slurry, is then dewatered to flush out the dissolved inks.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| H3102 | Conducteur / Conductrice d'installation de pâte à papier | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| H3402 | Opérateur / Opératrice de traitement de surface | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| K2204 | Agent / Agente de nettoyage industriel | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 8112 | Operadores en instalaciones para la preparación de minerales y rocas | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| 8122 | Operadores de máquinas pulidoras, galvanizadoras y recubridoras de metales | Related, not a match |
| 8145 | Operadores en instalaciones para la preparación de pasta de papel y fabricación de papel | Related, not a match |
| 8160 | Operadores de máquinas para elaborar productos alimenticios, bebidas y tabaco | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 54142 | Berufe in der Maschinen- und Anlagenreinigung - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | Overlapping, not the same |
| 24301 | Berufe in der Metalloberflächenbehandlung (ohne Spezialisierung) - Helfer-/Anlerntätigkeiten | Related, not a match |
| 24302 | Berufe in der Metalloberflächenbehandlung (ohne Spezialisierung) - 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 527 | 金属彫刻・表面処理従事者 | Related, not a match |
| 739 | その他の運搬・清掃・包装等従事者 | Related, not a match |
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