Occupational Employment Statistics
53-7121 Tank Car, Truck, and Ship Loaders
Load and unload chemicals and bulk solids, such as coal, sand, and grain into or from tank cars, trucks, or ships using material moving equipment. May perform a variety of other tasks relating to shipment of products. May gauge or sample shipping tanks and test them for leaks.
U S
| 11,400 | 536 | $30.45/hr | $19.54/hr | $23.38/hr | $29.48/hr | $36.58/hr | $44.67/hr |
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
| 54,740 | $22.28/hr | 6.7% |
Crushing, Grinding, and Polishing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
| 790 | $28.57/hr | -4.6% |
Sailors and Marine Oilers
| 120 | $28.91/hr | 6.7% |
Helpers--Extraction Workers
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
Conveyor Operators and Tenders
| 390 | $18.15/hr | 2.7% |
Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
Metal-Refining Furnace Operators and Tenders
| 280 | $24.46/hr | -2.6% |
Tree Trimmers and Pruners
| N/A | $29.77/hr | N/A |
Mixing and Blending Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
| 1,760 | $23.88/hr | 3.5% |
Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders
| 3,190 | $24.23/hr | 3.5% |
- Monitor product movement to and from storage tanks, coordinating activities with other workers to ensure constant product flow.
- Record operating data such as products and quantities pumped, gauge readings, and operating times, manually or using computers.
- Test vessels for leaks, damage, and defects, and repair or replace defective parts as necessary.
- Operate industrial trucks, tractors, loaders, and other equipment to transport materials to and from transportation vehicles and loading docks, and to store and retrieve materials in warehouses.
- Test samples for specific gravity, using hydrometers, or send samples to laboratories for testing.
- Operate ship loading and unloading equipment, conveyors, hoists, and other specialized material handling equipment such as railroad tank car unloading equipment.
- Start pumps and adjust valves or cables to regulate the flow of products to vessels, using knowledge of loading procedures.
- Lower gauge rods into tanks or read meters to verify contents, temperatures, and volumes of liquid loads.
- Operate conveyors and equipment to transfer grain or other materials from transportation vehicles.
- Remove and replace tank car dome caps, or direct other workers in their removal and replacement.