Sewerage maintenance technician

Sewerage maintenance technicians inspect sewers and pipeline systems. They do this by using moving video cameras, whose recordings tell them whether they need to perform any maintenance and repair on these types of systems.

The following job titles also refer to sewerage maintenance technician:

sewerage investigative cctv operative
sewer pipe maintenance technician
sewerage investigative technician
sewerage system maintenance technician
cctv operative
sewerage trenchless technology operative
cctv technician
sewerage investigation technician
cctv operator

A high school diploma or equivalent is generally required to work as sewerage maintenance technician.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Sewerage maintenance technician is a Skill level 3 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to sewerage maintenance technician.

water engineering technician
material testing technician
gas processing plant operator
pipeline compliance coordinator
wastewater treatment technician

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of sewerage maintenance technician. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of sewerage maintenance technician with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

pipeline superintendent
pipeline engineer
wastewater engineer
drainage engineer
surface engineer

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of sewerage maintenance technician.

• Types of pipelines: Know various types of pipelines and their different usages. Differentiate between pipelines used to transport goods over short and long distances, and understand their respective feeding systems.

These skills are necessary for the role of sewerage maintenance technician.

• Inspect pipelines: Walk flow lines to identify damage or leaks; use electronic detection equipment and conduct visual inspections.
• Maintain records of maintenance interventions: Keep written records of all repairs and maintenance interventions undertaken, including information on the parts and materials used, etc.
• Record test data: Record data which has been identified specifically during preceding tests in order to verify that outputs of the test produce specific results or to review the reaction of the subject under exceptional or unusual input.
• Detect flaws in pipeline infrastructure: Detect flaws in pipeline infrastructure during construction or over the passage of time such as construction defects, corrosion, ground movement, hot-tap made by error, and others.
• Use pipeline video equipment: Handle movable video cameras which visually inspect sewage systems and pipelines. This camera is attached via a long cable entwined upon a winch. Analyse the footage to see if any repair or maintenance is needed.
• Prevent damage to utility infrastructure: Consult utility companies or plans on the location of any utility infrastructure that may interfere with a project or be damaged by it. Take the necessary steps to avoid damage.
• Maintain septic tanks: Maintain effluent sewer systems which use septic tanks to collect sewage, and separate solid waste from it, from residential buildings or organisations. Perform routine maintenance tasks and cleaning duties, identify and repair faults.
• Test sensors: Test sensors using appropriate equipment. Gather and analyse data. Monitor and evaluate system performance and take action if needed.
• Secure working area: Secure the operation site fixing boundaries, restricting access, placing signs and taking other measures in order to guarantee public and staff safety.
• Use testing equipment: Use equipment to test performance and operation of machinery.
• Prevent pipeline deterioration: Ensure the conservation of pipelines by undertaking adequate maintenance of the system and its coating properties. Prevent corrosion formation, leaks, and other problems.
• Follow health and safety procedures in construction: Apply the relevant health and safety procedures in construction in order to prevent accidents, pollution and other risks.
• Assemble manufactured pipeline parts: Assemble parts and components made for pipelines in companies or sites. Construct pipeline infrastructures or re-assemble parts that were taken out for repair. Use welding equipment and other tools in assembly activities.
• Maintain test equipment: Maintain equipment used for testing the quality of systems and products.
• Inspect sewers: Inspect sewage drains in order to detect explosive gases using gas analysis equipment.
• Recognise signs of corrosion: Recognise the symptoms of metal showing oxidation reactions with the environment resulting in rusting, copper pitting, stress cracking, and others, and estimate the rate of corrosion.
• Examine civil structures: Perform non-destructive testing on civil structures such as bridges and pipelines in order to find abnormalities or damage.
• Supervise sewerage systems construction: Supervise the implementation of correct sewerage system plans and methods during construction, installation, and maintenance of sewerage systems to ensure conformity to the approved plans and safety of operations.
• Repair pipelines: Conduct maintenance and repair work on pipelines to prevent or remedy damages using, if necessary, remote-controlled robots.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of sewerage maintenance technician. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Non-destructive testing: The techniques used to assess the characteristics of materials, products and systems without causing damage, such as ultrasonic, radiographic, and remote visual inspection and testing.
• Pipeline coating properties: Know pipeline coating properties such as external anti-corrosion, internal coating, concrete weight coating, thermal insulation, and others.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of sewerage maintenance technician. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Carry out cleaning of road drains: Remove leaves, litter, and other debris to prevent blockages in drains and sewers.
• Ensure regulatory compliance in pipeline infrastructures: Ensure that the regulations for pipeline operations are met. Ensure pipeline infrastructure compliance with legal mandates, and compliance with regulations governing the transportation of goods via the pipelines.
• Monitor storage vessels used to transport goods via pipeline: Monitor storage vessels for specific goods such as gases, liquids, crude oil, and others. Check gauge levels and other storage requirements depending on the type of goods.
• Set management priorities in pipeline networks: Set the priorities for the performance of activities in pipeline networks. Analyse the different issues within the infrastructure, and tackle issues that may significantly affect operations and those that may be costly if left unaddressed.
• Clear pipelines: Clear pipelines by pumping water or other substances through them, or wash the pipelines manually or using suitable machinery.
• Work in a construction team: Work as part of a team in a construction project. Communicate efficiently, sharing information with team members and reporting to supervisors. Follow instructions and adapt to changes in a flexible manner.
• Use personal protection equipment: Make use of protection equipment according to training, instruction and manuals. Inspect the equipment and use it consistently.
• Report test findings: Report test results with a focus on findings and recommendations, differentiating results by levels of severity. Include relevant information from the test plan and outline the test methodologies, using metrics, tables, and visual methods to clarify where needed.
• Mitigate environmental impact of pipeline projects: Strive to mitigate the potential impact that pipelines and the goods transported in them can have on the environment. Invest time and resources into consideration of the environmental effects of the pipeline, the actions that could be taken to protect the environment, and the potential increase in the costs of the project.
• Dispose of sewage sludge: Operate equipment to pump the sewage sludge and store it into containers in order to transform the gases it emits into energy. After this phase, dry the sludge and evaluate its potential reuse as fertilizer. Dispose of the sludge if it contains hazardous elements.
• Develop material testing procedures: Develop testing protocols in collaboration with engineers and scientists to enable a variety of analyses such as environmental, chemical, physical, thermal, structural, resistance or surface analyses on a wide range of materials such as metals, ceramics or plastics.
• Test pipeline infrastructure operations: Perform tests on pipelines, such checking whether there is continuous flow of materials through them, examining for leakages, and assessing the suitability of the location of the pipeline is.
• Use non-destructive testing equipment: Use specific non-destructive testing methods and equipment that do not cause any damage to the product, such as X-rays, ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle inspection, industrial CT scanning and others, in order to find defects in and assure quality of a manufactured and a repaired product.
• Operate gps systems: Use GPS Systems.
• Assemble video tape footage: Assemble all raw video footage, with camera shots either recorded or transferred onto video tape in preparation for inputting into the computer.
• Perform follow-up on pipeline route services: Perform follow-up activities related to the plan, the distribution schedule, and the service yielded by the pipeline infrastructure. Ensure that pipeline route assignments are accomplished and meet customer agreements.
• Maintain pipeline coating properties: Perform maintenance to pipelines and their coating properties by applying chemicals and techniques. Maintain external anti-corrosion, internal coating, concrete weight coating, thermal insulation, and other coating properties.
• Keep records of work progress: Maintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.
• Follow up pipeline integrity management priorities: Perform follow up on priority actions in the pipeline infrastructure, such as complete coverage, service consistency, and facilitation.

3112 – Civil engineering technicians

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References

1. Sewerage maintenance technician – ESCO