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Construction Laborers

Perform 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.
Related: Cement Masons & Concrete Finishers  Excavating & Loading Machine & Dragline Operators, Surface Mining  Maintenance Workers, Machinery  Paving, Surfacing, & Tamping Equipment Operators  Pipelayers 
Industries: Construction 

  • Summary

  • Details

    • Work Activities

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

    Skills

    • Speaking
      • Talking to others.
    • Equipment Maintenance
      • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
    • Troubleshooting
      • Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
    • Systems Analysis
      • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
    • Equipment Selection
      • Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
    • Management of Material Resources
      • Managing equipment and materials.
    • Programming
      • Writing computer programs.
    • Monitoring
      • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
    • Critical Thinking
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
    • Operations Monitoring
      • Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
    • Instructing
      • Teaching people how to do something.
    • Installation
      • Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
    • Complex Problem Solving
      • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
    • Management of Financial Resources
      • Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
    • Science
      • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
    • Active Listening
      • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
    • Active Learning
      • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
    • Systems Evaluation
      • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
    • Coordination
      • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
    • Repairing
      • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
    • Social Perceptiveness
      • Understanding people's reactions.
    • Mathematics
      • Using math to solve problems.
    • Quality Control Analysis
      • Testing how well a product or service works.
    • Management of Personnel Resources
      • Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.
    • Operation and Control
      • Using equipment or systems.
    • Persuasion
      • Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
    • Judgment and Decision Making
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
    • Service Orientation
      • Looking for ways to help people.
    • Technology Design
      • Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
    • Operations Analysis
      • Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
    • Learning Strategies
      • Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
    • Negotiation
      • Bringing people together to solve differences.
    • Reading Comprehension
      • Reading work-related information.
    • Writing
      • Writing things for co-workers or customers.
    • Time Management
      • Managing your time and the time of other people.

    Abilities

    • Rate Control
      • Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
    • Auditory Attention
      • Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
    • Night Vision
      • Seeing at night or under low light.
    • Wrist-Finger Speed
      • Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
    • Hearing Sensitivity
      • Telling the difference between sounds.
    • Control Precision
      • Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
    • Speed of Closure
      • Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
    • Static Strength
      • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
    • Speech Recognition
      • Recognizing spoken words.
    • Gross Body Equilibrium
      • Keeping your balance or staying upright.
    • Written Comprehension
      • Reading and understanding what is written.
    • Peripheral Vision
      • Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
    • Dynamic Flexibility
      • Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Written Expression
      • Communicating by writing.
    • Visual Color Discrimination
      • Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
    • Flexibility of Closure
      • Seeing hidden patterns.
    • Perceptual Speed
      • Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
    • Manual Dexterity
      • Holding or moving items with your hands.
    • Originality
      • Creating new and original ideas.
    • Number Facility
      • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
    • Far Vision
      • Seeing details that are far away.
    • Oral Expression
      • Communicating by speaking.
    • Deductive Reasoning
      • Using rules to solve problems.
    • Selective Attention
      • Paying attention to something without being distracted.
    • Multilimb Coordination
      • Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
    • Response Orientation
      • Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
    • Speed of Limb Movement
      • Quickly moving your arms and legs.
    • Visualization
      • Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
    • Information Ordering
      • Ordering or arranging things.
    • Inductive Reasoning
      • Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
    • Problem Sensitivity
      • Noticing when problems happen.
    • Speech Clarity
      • Speaking clearly.
    • Extent Flexibility
      • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Near Vision
      • Seeing details up close.
    • Finger Dexterity
      • Putting together small parts with your fingers.
    • Trunk Strength
      • Using your lower back and stomach.
    • Time Sharing
      • Doing two or more things at the same time.
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
      • Keeping your arm or hand steady.
    • Fluency of Ideas
      • Coming up with lots of ideas.
    • Memorization
      • Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
    • Sound Localization
      • Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
    • Stamina
      • Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
    • Spatial Orientation
      • Knowing where things are around you.
    • Oral Comprehension
      • Listening and understanding what people say.
    • Explosive Strength
      • Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
    • Category Flexibility
      • Grouping things in different ways.
    • Mathematical Reasoning
      • Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
    • Reaction Time
      • Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
    • Dynamic Strength
      • Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
    • Depth Perception
      • Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
    • Gross Body Coordination
      • Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
    • Glare Sensitivity
      • Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    Knowledge

    • Foreign Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
    • Sales and Marketing
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
    • Customer and Personal Service
      • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
    • English Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
    • Engineering and Technology
      • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
    • Production and Processing
      • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
    • 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.
    • Mechanical
      • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
    • Therapy and Counseling
      • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
    • Law and Government
      • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
    • Communications and Media
      • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
    • Telecommunications
      • Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
    • Administration and Management
      • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
    • Economics and Accounting
      • Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
    • Geography
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
    • Physics
      • Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
    • Chemistry
      • Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
    • Design
      • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
    • Personnel and Human Resources
      • Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
    • Sociology and Anthropology
      • Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
    • History and Archeology
      • Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
    • Transportation
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
    • Mathematics
      • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
    • Computers and Electronics
      • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
    • Education and Training
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
    • Psychology
      • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
    • Administrative
      • Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
    • Philosophy and Theology
      • Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
    • Biology
      • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
    • Medicine and Dentistry
      • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
    • 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.
    • Food Production
      • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
    • Fine Arts
      • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    Education

    Education
    No formal educational credential
    Work Experience
    No work experience
    Training
    Less than 1 month on-the-job training
    Education and Training Opportunities

    Pay

    Washington Annual Salary
    57240/yr
    Washington Hourly Wage
    27.52/hr

    Washington Employment Trends

    Currently Employed
    64,190
    Yearly Projected Openings
    7110

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They do well at jobs that need:
    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Cooperation
    • Integrity
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Concern for Others

    Tools

    • Adjustable forks
    • Adjustable widemouth pliers
    • Adjustable wrenches
    • Air compressors
    • Air samplers or collectors
    • Asphalt finishers
    • Axes
    • Bandsaw wheel
    • Belt conveyors
    • Bituminous material distributors
    • Blades or tooth or other cutting edges
    • Blow torch
    • Boring or sinking machinery
    • Burners
    • Calipers
    • Caulking guns
    • Cement pumping units
    • Chip Spreaders
    • Cold chisels
    • Combination pliers
    • Compactors
    • Concrete mixers or plants
    • Concrete spreaders
    • Coring equipment
    • Demolition equipment kits
    • Digital camcorders or video cameras
    • Drain or pipe cleaning equipment
    • Drilling machines
    • Dump trucks
    • Explosive initiators
    • Floats
    • Forklifts
    • Gas detectors
    • Gas generators
    • Gin pole and accessories
    • Graders
    • Grinders
    • Hammer drills
    • Hammers
    • Hand sprayers
    • Hand trucks or accessories
    • Hazardous material protective apparel
    • Hoes
    • Hoists
    • Hole saws
    • Hydraulic rock drills
    • Hydraulic truck cranes
    • Impact hammers
    • Impact wrenches
    • Instrument tripods
    • Kettle exchangers
    • Ladders
    • Laser measuring systems
    • Leak testing equipment
    • Level sensors or transmitters
    • Levels
    • Lifting hooks
    • Light trucks or sport utility vehicles
    • Manlift or personnel lift
    • Measuring rods
    • Measuring wheels for distance
    • Micrometers
    • Mowers
    • Mud pumps
    • Paint sprayers
    • Paving breakers
    • Picks
    • Pipe or tube cutter
    • Plasma arc welding machine
    • Plaster or mortar mixers
    • Plumb bobs
    • Pneumatic drill
    • Pneumatic hammer
    • Pneumatic sanding machines
    • Post hole digger
    • Power buggies
    • Power chippers
    • Power drills
    • Power grinders
    • Power nail guns
    • Power sanders
    • Power saws
    • Power screwguns
    • Pressure or steam cleaners
    • Pry bars
    • Pullers
    • Punches or nail sets or drifts
    • Rakes
    • Remote reading thermometers
    • Respirators
    • Rollers
    • Rotary tiller mixers
    • Safety harnesses or belts
    • Saws
    • Scaffolding
    • Scarifiers
    • Scissor lift or lift table
    • Screwdrivers
    • Shielded metal arc welding or stick welding machine
    • Shoring equipment
    • Shotcrete spraying equipment
    • Shovels
    • Skid steer loaders
    • Slings
    • Sludge or sewage handling trucks
    • Snowplow attachments
    • Space heaters
    • Spades
    • Sprayers
    • Squares
    • Staple guns
    • Stonemason hammer
    • Tampers
    • Tape measures
    • Theodolites
    • Threading taps
    • Tongs
    • Track loaders
    • Trenching machines
    • Trowels
    • Two way radios
    • Vacuum cleaners
    • Vibratory plates
    • Water samplers
    • Water trucks
    • Welding masks
    • Wheel loaders
    • Winches
    • Wire and cable pulling device

    Technology

    • Computer aided design CAD software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Office suite software
    • Operating system software
    • Project management software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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