# Helpers--Extraction Workers

> Help extraction craft workers, such as earth drillers, blasters and explosives workers, derrick operators, and mining machine operators, by performing duties requiring less skill. Duties include supplying equipment or cleaning work area.

- **SOC code:** 47-5081.00
- **Canonical URL:** https://singulariki.com/roles/role-47-5081-00
- **Also known as:** Driller Helper, Driller's Assistant, Miner Helper, Powderman, Continuous Miner Operator Helper, Longwall Machine Operator Helper, Salt Miner, Blaster Helper
- **Frame:** "AI exposure" means task overlap (how codifiable the work is), not jobs lost or a forecast. Every figure below is traced to a named public dataset.

## What this work is

**Core tasks** (O*NET):
- Provide assistance to extraction craft workers, such as earth drillers and derrick operators.
- Observe and monitor equipment operation during the extraction process to detect any problems.
- Drive moving equipment to transport materials and parts to excavation sites.
- Unload materials, devices, and machine parts, using hand tools.
- Set up and adjust equipment used to excavate geological materials.
- Organize materials to prepare for use.
- Repair and maintain automotive and drilling equipment, using hand tools.
- Collect and examine geological matter, using hand tools and testing devices.
- Signal workers to start geological material extraction or boring.
- Clean up work areas and remove debris after extraction activities are complete.
- Dismantle extracting and boring equipment used for excavation, using hand tools.
- Clean and prepare sites for excavation or boring.

## Skills, tools, capabilities

**Knowledge, skills & abilities** (O*NET, highest importance first):
- Mechanical _(knowledge)_
- Manual Dexterity _(ability)_
- Arm-Hand Steadiness _(ability)_
- Monitoring _(essential_skill)_
- Control Precision _(ability)_
- Multilimb Coordination _(ability)_
- Reaction Time _(ability)_
- Operations Monitoring _(transferable_skill)_
- Problem Sensitivity _(ability)_
- Static Strength _(ability)_
- Near Vision _(ability)_
- Far Vision _(ability)_

**Skills in demand:**
- English Language _(Common Skill)_
- Equipment Maintenance _(Specialized Skill)_
- Finger Dexterity _(Common Skill)_
- Depth Perception _(Common Skill)_
- Information Ordering _(Specialized Skill)_
- Visualization _(Specialized Skill)_
- Equipment Selection _(Specialized Skill)_
- Deductive Reasoning _(Common Skill)_
- Critical Thinking _(Common Skill)_
- Mathematics _(Common Skill)_
- Speech Recognition _(Specialized Skill)_
- Microsoft Word _(Common Skill)_

**Tools & technology:**
- Google Docs _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Excel _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Office software _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Outlook _(hot technology)_
- Microsoft Word _(hot technology)_

## AI exposure & outlook

- **AI task-overlap index:** 1st percentile (Low) across all occupations — composite of current-era exposure studies (ai-exposure-index-v1).
- **Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.):** 5th percentile (Low) — source: felten_aioe.
- **LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou):** 3rd percentile (Low) — source: eloundou_gamma.
- **AI assistant applicability (Microsoft):** 4th percentile (Low) — source: microsoft_applicability.
- **Frey–Osborne (2013, historical computerization estimate):** 42nd percentile — kept separate from current-era studies.
- **Remote-capable (Dingel–Neiman):** no — task structure, not who actually works remote.
- **Projected employment (BLS 2024–34):** -1.7% growth (Declining); 0.7k annual openings; 7k → 6.9k jobs.
- **Pay & employment (BLS OEWS, May 2024):** median $48,400; 6,720 employed.

## Sources

- **O*NET** (30.3) — U.S. Department of Labor / National Center for O*NET Development. https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html
- **BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** (May 2024) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- **BLS Employment Projections** (2024–2034) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- **Microsoft “Working with AI”** (working-with-ai) — Microsoft Research. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/
- **“GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.)** (arXiv 2303.10130) — OpenAI / academic. https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130
- **AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE)** (Felten, Raj & Seamans) — academic. https://github.com/AIOE-Data/AIOE
- **Frey & Osborne (2013)** (frey-osborne-automation) — academic. https://www.oxfordmartin.ox.ac.uk/publications/the-future-of-employment/
- **Dingel & Neiman (2020)** (dingel-neiman-workathome) — academic. https://github.com/jdingel/DingelNeiman-workathome

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_Generated from Singulariki's joined dataset; data snapshot 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-47-5081-00_