Swamper (occupational title)

For other uses, see Swamper.

Swamper is an occupational slang term for an assistant worker (unskilled helper, maintenance person, or someone who performs odd jobs) in support of a skilled worker. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the term has its origins circa 1857 in the southern United States to refer to a workman who cleared roads for a timber feller in a swamp.

Usage

• In the trucking industry (primarily moving & storage), a truck driver's assistant who performs a variety of tasks as a helper under supervision of the operator but does not drive.
• In logging, somebody who clears brush ahead of skilled fellers, clears paths for logs to be transported to the landing, or limbs felled trees before they are bucked.
• In the restaurant industry, a kitchen aid, and personnel who clean up after closing of a restaurant, bar, or nightclub.
• In the United States Forest Service, a firefighter who assists a more skilled firefighter. For example a saw swamper clears cut brush and trees behind a sawyer and a dozer swamper works as an assistant to a bulldover operator.
• In commercial river outfitting, an assistant to the main pilot of the boat, who helps with cooking and setup and takedown of campsites.
• A laborer in the oil and gas transportation services used in the exploration, development and production of oil and natural gas resources.

See also

• Gofer