Work Environment
Insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall held about 33,300 jobs in 2020. The largest employers of insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall were as follows:
- Drywall and insulation contractors - 67%
- Building equipment contractors - 13%
- Nonresidential building construction - 2%
- Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors - 1%
- Self-employed workers - 1%
Insulation workers, mechanical held about 28,200 jobs in 2020. The largest employers of insulation workers, mechanical were as follows:
- Building equipment contractors - 61%
- Drywall and insulation contractors - 21%
- Other specialty trade contractors - 3%
- Self-employed workers - 1%
Insulators generally work indoors. Mechanical insulators work both indoors and outdoors, sometimes in extreme temperatures. They spend most of their workday standing, bending, or kneeling in confined spaces. Insulators may work at great heights on scaffolding, work platforms, or ladders.
Injuries and Illnesses
Common hazards for insulation workers include falls from ladders and cuts from knives. In addition, small particles from insulation materials can irritate the eyes, skin, and lungs. To protect themselves, insulators must keep the work area well-ventilated and follow product and employer safety recommendations. They also may wear personal protective equipment (PPE), including suits, masks, and respirators, to protect against hazardous fumes or materials.
Mechanical insulators may get burns from insulating pipes that are in service.
Work Schedules
Most insulators work full time, and more than 40 hours a week may be required to meet construction deadlines. Those who insulate outdoors may not be able to work in bad weather, such as during a storm or in extreme heat or cold.
Job Outlook
Overall employment of insulation workers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2020 to 2030, slower than the average for all occupations.
Despite limited employment growth, about 6,100 openings for insulation workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
The continuing need to make new and existing buildings and systems more energy efficient will drive the demand for mechanical insulation workers.
The amount of new home building and retrofitting of existing insulation will continue to be linked to the employment of floor, ceiling, and wall insulation workers over the projections decade.
Earnings
The median annual wage for insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall was $39,880 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $29,120, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $66,210.
The median annual wage for insulation workers, mechanical was $48,260 in May 2021. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $35,970, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $92,010.
In May 2021, the median annual wages for insulation workers, floor, ceiling, and wall in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
- Nonresidential building construction - $57,840
- Building equipment contractors - $46,210
- Drywall and insulation contractors - $38,330
- Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors - $37,700
In May 2021, the median annual wages for insulation workers, mechanical in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
- Building equipment contractors - $48,370
- Other specialty trade contractors - $48,070
- Drywall and insulation contractors - $47,600
The starting pay for apprentices is less than that of a fully trained insulator. Apprentices earn more pay as they acquire skills.
Most insulators work full time, and they sometimes need to work more than 40 hours a week to meet construction deadlines. Those who insulate outdoors may not be able to work in bad weather, such as during a storm or in extreme heat or cold.
