Laborer

Construction Laborers And Helpers Perform Many Basic Tasks That Require Physical Labor On Construction Sites.

Construction Laborers And Helpers Work On Almost All Construction Sites, Performing A Wide Range Of Tasks From The Very Easy To The Extremely Difficult And Hazardous. Although Many Of The Tasks They Do Require Some Training And Experience, Most Tasks Usually Require Little Skill And Can Be Learned Quickly. 

Construction Laborers Perform A Variety Of Construction-related Activities During All Phases Of Construction. However, The Main Task Laborers Perform Is Preparing And Cleaning Up Construction Sites. Although Most Laborers Are Generalists—such As Those Who Install Barricades, Cones, And Markers To Control Traffic Patterns—many Others Specialize. For Example, Those Who Operate The Machines And Equipment That Lay Concrete Or Asphalt On Roads Are More Likely To Specialize In Those Areas.

Most Construction Laborers Work In The Following Areas:

• Digging Tunnels And Mine Shafts
• Building Highways And Roads
• Tearing Down Buildings
• Removing Hazardous Materials
• Building Homes And Businesses

Construction Laborers Use A Variety Of Tools And Equipment. Some Tools Are Simple, Such As Brooms And Shovels; Other Equipment Is More Sophisticated, Such As Pavement Breakers, Jackhammers, Earth Tampers, And Surveying Equipment.

With Special Training, Laborers May Help Transport And Use Explosives Or Run Hydraulic Boring Machines To Dig Out Tunnels. They May Learn To Use Laser Beam Equipment To Place Pipes And Use Computers To Control Robotic Pipe Cutters. They May Become Certified To Remove Asbestos, Lead, Or Chemicals.