Swamper is an occupational slang term for an assistant worker ( unskilled helper,
maintenance
The technical meaning of maintenance involves functional checks, servicing, repairing or replacing of necessary devices, equipment, machinery, building infrastructure and supporting utilities in industrial, business, and residential installa ...
person, or someone who performs odd jobs) in support of a skilled worker. According to the ''
Oxford English Dictionary
The ''Oxford English Dictionary'' (''OED'') is the principal historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press (OUP), a University of Oxford publishing house. The dictionary, which published its first editio ...
'', 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
{{original research, section, date=January 2024
* In the
trucking
Road transport or road transportation is a type of transport using roads. Transport on roads can be roughly grouped into the transportation of goods and transportation of people. In many countries licensing requirements and safety regulations ...
industry (primarily moving & storage), a
truck driver
A truck driver (commonly referred to as a trucker, teamster or driver in the United States and Canada; a truckie in Australia and New Zealand; an HGV driver in the United Kingdom, Ireland and the European Union, a lorry driver, or driver in ...
's assistant who performs a variety of tasks as a helper under supervision of the operator but does not drive.
* In
logging
Logging is the process of cutting, processing, and moving trees to a location for transport. It may include skidder, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or trunk (botany), logs onto logging truck, trucksfellers, clears paths for logs to be transported to the landing, or limbs felled trees before they are bucked.
* In the
restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and Delivery (commerce), food delivery services. Restaurants ...
industry, a kitchen aid, and personnel who clean up after closing of a restaurant, bar, or nightclub.
* In the
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency within the United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture. It administers the nation's 154 United States National Forest, national forests and 20 United States Natio ...
, a
firefighter
A firefighter (or fire fighter or fireman) is a first responder trained in specific emergency response such as firefighting, primarily to control and extinguish fires and respond to emergencies such as hazardous material incidents, medical in ...
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 bulldozer 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.
* In US Prisons a swamper is a cleaner and general assistant to Corrections Officers.