AI exposure Construction and extraction
Will AI replace hazardous materials removal workers?
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers. US occupation 47-4041.
The reading
0.0%
of the time hazardous materials removal workers spend on their work goes on tasks where AI is already being used to do that work.of hazardous materials removal workers' working hours go on tasks AI has already started taking off their plate.
Ranked 346 of 756 US occupations. No AI use seen in the work yet, along with 410 other occupations.No handover started yet, along with 410 other occupations.
Per cent of working time Square-law scale
Average US job 7.7%
Among the least exposed jobs there are.Still waiting for liberation.
What AI already does for hazardous materials removal workersWhat hazardous materials removal workers no longer do alone
O*NET lists 19 tasks for hazardous materials removal workers. None of them shows meaningful AI use at work yet.
What it does not touch, yetWhat still needs a human
19 of the 19 tasks show no AI use at work in the data.
- Build containment areas prior to beginning abatement or decontamination work.Core task
- Clean contaminated equipment or areas for reuse, using detergents or solvents, sandblasters, filter pumps, or steam cleaners.Core task
- Clean mold-contaminated sites by removing damaged porous materials or thoroughly cleaning all contaminated nonporous materials.Core task
- Comply with prescribed safety procedures or federal laws regulating waste disposal methods.Core task
- Load or unload materials into containers or onto trucks, using hoists or forklifts.Core task
- Operate machines or equipment to remove, package, store, or transport loads of waste materials.Core task
Show the other 13
- Prepare hazardous material for removal or storage.Core task
- Record numbers of containers stored at disposal sites, specifying amounts or types of equipment or waste disposed.Core task
- Remove asbestos or lead from surfaces, using hand or power tools such as scrapers, vacuums, or high-pressure sprayers.Core task
- Sort specialized hazardous waste at landfills or disposal centers, following proper disposal procedures.Core task
- Apply bioremediation techniques to hazardous wastes to allow naturally occurring bacteria to break down toxic substances.
- Drive trucks or other heavy equipment to convey contaminated waste to designated sea or ground locations.
- Identify asbestos, lead, or other hazardous materials to be removed, using monitoring devices.
- Identify or separate waste products or materials for recycling or reuse.
- Mix or pour concrete into forms to encase waste material for disposal.
- Operate cranes to move or load baskets, casks, or canisters.
- Organize or track the locations of hazardous items in landfills.
- Process e-waste, such as computer components containing lead or mercury.
- Remove or limit contamination following emergencies involving hazardous substances.
How that compares
Among the 56 construction and extraction occupations, hazardous materials removal workers rank 25. The group averages 0.4%, and its most exposed job is Structural Iron and Steel Workers at 4.9%. The average US occupation sits at 7.7%.
What this does and does not mean
Exposure is observed use, not a forecast. Anthropic maps work conversations with Claude onto the tasks O*NET lists for each job and asks, of the tasks AI could speed up, which are actually being used for at work. A use that does the task outright counts in full and a use that assists a person counts half. The task scores are averaged into the occupation figure by the share of time spent on each task.
A high figure means AI is already part of how this work gets done. It does not mean anyone has been replaced. Anthropic's own reading of the labour market finds no systematic rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting exposed jobs.No measurable rise in unemployment among exposed workers so far, and about 14% fewer 22 to 25 year olds starting these jobs. Gap years for everyone. Labor market impacts, 5 March 2026.
Task list and titles from O*NET 31.0 by the US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 licence. Scores from the Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Checked 1 November 2026. How the ranking works.