Bridge and Lock Tenders

Operate and tend bridges, canal locks, and lighthouses to permit marine passage on inland waterways, near shores, and at danger points in waterway passages. May supervise such operations. Includes drawbridge operators, lock operators, and slip bridge operators.

The occupation of "Bridge and Lock Tenders" faces a moderate automation risk of 54.9%, which closely aligns with its base risk of 55.6%. This risk assessment is largely due to the structured and repetitive nature of several core tasks performed within the role. Highly automatable activities include logging data—such as water levels and weather conditions—preparing accident reports, and operating the machinery responsible for opening and closing locks, dams, and various types of drawbridges. These duties involve predictable processes and can often be managed by automated monitoring systems, sensors, and machine-controlled mechanisms, which continue to grow more sophisticated and reliable. Despite the significant potential for automation, there are key areas within the occupation that remain resistant to full replacement by machines. Tasks such as attaching ropes or cable lines to bitts or wharfs for vessel security require manual dexterity, on-the-spot decision-making, and adaptability to changing conditions, which current automation technologies struggle to replicate. Similar resistance is observed in responsibilities like inspecting equipment and infrastructure for damage or defects—this requires situational judgment and sometimes creative assessment—and in the cleaning, lubrication, and minor repair of machinery, which often demands a nuanced understanding of equipment and hands-on problem-solving skills. These resistant tasks demand close physical interaction and adaptive response, acting as important bottlenecks to total automation. Bottleneck skills for "Bridge and Lock Tenders" are primarily related to originality, as reflected in the low skill levels required (2.3% and 2.1%). Although the need for high originality is limited in most daily activities, it becomes crucial when unforeseen challenges or irregular maintenance issues arise, requiring workers to devise novel solutions. The relatively low levels of this skill indicate that, while the occupation demands some degree of adaptability and creative problem-solving, the overall task environment remains largely procedural. As a result, while automation technologies present a notable threat to many aspects of the job, the continued presence of these bottleneck skills—albeit at modest levels—helps to moderate the overall risk, ensuring that total job substitution by machines is not imminent.