Construction Laborers

What the job really is

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.

At a glance

• Sector: Construction & Extraction
• O*NET-SOC code: 47-2061
• O*NET job zone: 2 — some preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 12
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• 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.
• 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.

Tools and technology

Autodesk Revit, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word, Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management, Adjustable widemouth pliers, Adjustable wrenches, Air compressors, Air drills, Air monitoring equipment

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators
• Excavating and Loading Machine and Dragline Operators, Surface Mining
• Cement Masons and Concrete Finishers
• Pipelayers
• Structural Iron and Steel Workers
• Brickmasons and Blockmasons
• Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
• Helpers--Brickmasons, Blockmasons, Stonemasons, and Tile and Marble Setters

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 2 (some preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Construction Laborers — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.