Roustabouts
On the Job
Roustabouts assemble and repair equipment in an oil field. They use hand and power tools. They perform other tasks as needed.
Physical Demands 
This career requires time standing, walking, or running.
Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:
- Locate equipment or materials in need of repair or replacement.
- Assemble products or production equipment.
- Assemble temporary equipment or structures.
- Install plumbing or piping.
- Assist skilled construction or extraction personnel.
- Clean work sites.
- Dig holes or trenches.
- Load or unload materials used in construction or extraction.
- Mix substances or compounds needed for work activities.
- Move construction or extraction materials to locations where they are needed.
Typical Working Conditions
- Working outdoors exposed to weather.
- Wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, or life jackets.
- Having face-to-face discussions.
- Using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools, or controls.
- Exposure to contaminants (like gases or odors).
- Working with a group or team.
- Responsibility for others' health and safety.
- Meeting strict deadlines.
- Exposure to hazardous equipment.
- The importance of being accurate or exact.
- Frequent decision-making.
- High levels of competition.
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Source: You can learn about our data sources in the About Us section.
