Construction laborer

Also called: Air Breaker Operator, Air Drill Operator, Air Gun Operator, Air Hammer Operator, Air Tool Operator

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Construction laborer performs tasks involving physical labor at construction sites. May operate hand and power tools of all types: air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, surveying and measuring equipment, and a variety of other equipment and instruments. May clean and prepare sites, dig trenches, set braces to support the sides of excavations, erect scaffolding, and clean up rubble, debris, and other waste materials. May assist other craft workers.

Tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment or to heat or move materials, such as asphalt.
Lubricate, clean, or repair machinery, equipment, or tools.
Signal equipment operators to facilitate alignment, movement, or adjustment of machinery, equipment, or materials.
Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities.
Measure, mark, or record openings or distances to layout areas where construction work will be performed.
Clean or prepare construction sites to eliminate possible hazards.
Dig ditches or trenches, backfill excavations, or compact and level earth to grade specifications, using picks, shovels, pneumatic tampers, or rakes.
Load, unload, or identify building materials, machinery, or tools, distributing them to the appropriate locations, according to project plans or specifications.
Use computers or other input devices to control robotic pipe cutters or cleaners.
Perform construction laborer duties at green building sites, such as renewable energy plants or wind turbine installations.
Position, join, align, or seal structural components, such as concrete wall sections or pipes.
Perform site activities required of green certified construction practices, such as implementing waste management procedures, identifying materials for reuse, or installing erosion or sedimentation control mechanisms.
Control traffic passing near, in, or around work zones.
Install sewer, water, or storm drain pipes, using pipe-laying machinery or laser guidance equipment.
Operate or maintain air monitoring or other sampling devices in confined or hazardous environments.
Smooth or finish freshly poured cement or concrete, using floats, trowels, screeds, or powered cement finishing tools.
Erect or dismantle scaffolding, shoring, braces, traffic barricades, ramps, or other temporary structures.
Provide assistance to craft workers, such as carpenters, plasterers, or masons.
Perform building weatherization tasks, such as repairing windows, adding insulation, or applying weather-stripping materials.
Apply weather-stripping to reduce energy loss.
Spray materials, such as water, sand, steam, vinyl, paint, or stucco, through hoses to clean, coat, or seal surfaces.
Raze buildings or salvage useful materials.
Mop, brush, or spread paints, cleaning solutions, or other compounds over surfaces to clean them or to provide protection.
Position or dismantle forms for pouring concrete, using saws, hammers, nails, or bolts.
Grind, scrape, sand, or polish surfaces, such as concrete, marble, terrazzo, or wood flooring, using abrasive tools or machines.
Place, consolidate, or protect case-in-place concrete or masonry structures.
Mix ingredients to create compounds for covering or cleaning surfaces.
Mix, pour, or spread concrete, using portable cement mixers.
Operate jackhammers or drills to break up concrete or pavement.
Apply caulking compounds by hand or caulking guns to protect against entry of water or air.
Tend machines that pump concrete, grout, cement, sand, plaster, or stucco through spray guns for application to ceilings or walls.
Identify, pack, or transport hazardous or radioactive materials.

Work Context

Work Context information for this career will be available soon.

Work Activities

Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material — Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Getting Information — Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings — Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Controlling Machines and Processes — Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events — Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems — Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work — Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment — Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.

Handling and Moving Objects — Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment — Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge — Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People — Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Analyzing Data or Information — Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates — Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Developing Objectives and Strategies — Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Training and Teaching Others — Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Developing and Building Teams — Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Performing General Physical Activities — Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others — Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information — Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Provide Consultation and Advice to Others — Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Thinking Creatively — Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Communicating with Persons Outside Organization — Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards — Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships — Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Documenting/Recording Information — Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others — Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Scheduling Work and Activities — Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public — Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Processing Information — Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Monitoring and Controlling Resources — Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others — Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Detailed Work Activities

Clean work sites.
Review blueprints or specifications to determine work requirements.
Direct vehicle traffic.
Signal equipment operators to indicate proper equipment positioning.
Dig holes or trenches.
Compact materials to create level bases.

Building and Construction

Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Public Safety and Security

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Mechanical

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Speaking

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Coordination

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Operation and Control

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Manual Dexterity

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

Static Strength

The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.

Multilimb Coordination

The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.

Arm-Hand Steadiness

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

Near Vision

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

Trunk Strength

The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.

Oral Comprehension

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Control Precision

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

Problem Sensitivity

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Oral Expression

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Stamina

The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.

Dynamic Strength

The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue.

Far Vision

The ability to see details at a distance.

Information Ordering

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Finger Dexterity

The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

Extent Flexibility

The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

Depth Perception

The ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.

Speech Recognition

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

Selective Attention

The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.

Deductive Reasoning

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Rate Control

The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.

Category Flexibility

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

Speech Clarity

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out.

They do well at jobs that need:

Achievement/Effort

Persistence

Initiative

Leadership

Cooperation

Concern for Others

Social Orientation

Self Control

You might use software like this on the job:

Computer aided design CAD software

Autodesk Revit

Operating system software

Microsoft Windows

Project management software

Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management

Get started on your career:

New job opportunities are very likely in the future.

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Construction laborer

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