When water vessels need to pass, a bridge tender controls the raising and lowering of drawbridges. Before closing the bridge, bridge tenders check for vehicle, railway, and pedestrian traffic. They sound an alarm to signal that the bridge is about to be raised, and they communicate with passing watercraft. The bridge tender lowers the bridge and opens the gates to allow automobile and train traffic to resume once a boat has passed through.
A bridge tender’s other responsibilities include logging the identification of all watercraft passing beneath a raised bridge. He or she keeps track of how long it took to navigate as well as when the bridge was raised and lowered. To guide the vessel through the opening and obtain information for log books, the tender uses a two-way radio, loudspeaker, or telephone.
A bridge tender must act quickly if a mishap occurs to determine if emergency personnel are required to treat injuries. If people are in the water, he or she is responsible for providing life-saving equipment such as life jackets, ropes, or buoys. Any accident must be reported and documented to the appropriate safety agencies by the bridge tender.
Basic safety rules are required for the operation of drawbridges on highways and railways. A bridge tender communicates with railroad dispatchers to determine if trains are approaching when the bridge disrupts rail traffic. Watercraft typically take precedence over railroad traffic, with some bridges remaining open until a train is required to pass. Other bridges remain in the down position and are raised as boats approach.
When operating equipment that involves train traffic, most bridge tenders require special training and certification. They learn how to use warning devices to warn approaching trains of a bridge that is open or about to be raised. Some bridges can be controlled remotely and opened on demand with the help of automated equipment.
A bridge tender’s job entails inspecting and maintaining the structure, as well as lubricating movable parts and making minor repairs. These chores are usually kept track of on a daily basis. To perform inspections and maintenance duties, a person in this occupation must be physically capable of climbing stairs and ladders. While inspecting and repairing bridge components, he or she usually wears safety gear such as a life jacket, steel-toed boots, a hardhat, and fall protection.
Before being tested for certification or a license to operate drawbridges, most bridge tenders receive on-the-job training. They must learn job-specific safety rules, fundamental mechanical skills, and communication requirements. Before hiring bridge tenders, some companies conduct tests to assess their math and problem-solving abilities.