Ep 7. Manhole Rehab / Clock Caretaker

In season 10 episode 7 of Dirty Jobs, we follow host Mike Rowe as he takes on two very different but equally dirty jobs. First, Rowe joins a team in Nashville, Tennessee, who are tasked with rehabilitating aging manholes. The job is dirty, dangerous, and involves working in confined spaces underground. The team uses a combination of high-pressure water systems, air compressors, and hand tools to remove debris, rust, and other materials from inside the manholes. These structures are crucial for maintaining the city's infrastructure, but most people never give them a second thought until they become a problem.

Rowe gets down and dirty with the rehab team, donning his protective gear and crawling into the cramped manholes to help clean and repair them. He learns about the various hazards the team faces, including toxic gases, unstable soils, and potential contact with raw sewage. Despite the tough conditions, the team takes pride in their work and the important role they play in keeping the city's water system flowing smoothly. Rowe's signature humor and enthusiasm are on full display as he gets his hands dirty and gains a newfound appreciation for the unsung heroes of municipal maintenance.

Next, Rowe heads to Washington, D.C. to meet a clock caretaker who works at the Library of Congress. This is a seemingly less dirty job, but one that requires an incredible amount of skill and dedication. The Library of Congress has the largest collection of clocks in the world, and they all need to be wound, maintained, and repaired regularly. The clock caretaker is one of only a handful of people in the world who are qualified to handle these intricate timepieces, some of which are hundreds of years old.

Rowe follows the caretaker as he climbs precarious ladders and tight spaces to reach the various clocks scattered throughout the library building. The caretaker explains the complexity of these machines and how they need to be adjusted manually to account for changes in temperature, humidity, and other environmental factors. The job requires an extensive knowledge of mechanics, mathematics, and physics, as well as a steady hand and an eye for detail.

Rowe is amazed at the level of expertise required for this job, and the pride the caretaker takes in his work. Despite the lack of dirt and grime, the job is no less challenging or essential to the functioning of the library and the preservation of its history. Rowe even tries his hand at winding one of the clocks, with mixed results, but he learns a valuable lesson about the importance of taking time to appreciate the intricate and beautiful machine that is a clock.

Overall, this episode of Dirty Jobs showcases two very different, but equally important jobs that often go unnoticed by the general public. Whether it's rehabilitating manholes or maintaining historic clocks, the workers featured in this episode are dedicated to their craft and play a vital role in keeping our cities and institutions running. Through his usual mix of humor, curiosity, and appreciation for hard work, Rowe gives viewers a glimpse into the often-overlooked world of these essential workers and the challenges they face.