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.

On the job, you would:

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.

Important Qualities

Color vision. Construction laborers and helpers may need to be able to distinguish colors to do their job. For example, an electrician’s helper must be able to distinguish different colors of wire to help the lead electrician.

Math skills. Construction laborers and some helpers need to perform basic math calculations while measuring on jobsites or assisting a surveying crew.

Mechanical skills. Construction laborers are frequently required to operate and maintain equipment, such as jackhammers.

Physical stamina. Construction laborers and helpers must have the endurance to perform strenuous tasks throughout the day. Highway laborers, for example, spend hours on their feet—often in hot temperatures—with few breaks.

Physical strength. Construction laborers and helpers must often lift heavy materials or equipment. For example, cement mason helpers must move cinder blocks, which typically weigh more than 40 pounds each.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		82%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		74%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		73%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		66%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		64%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		61%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		60%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		59%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
		58%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		56%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		51%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		100%	Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		56%	Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		72%	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.
		69%	Static Strength - The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
		66%	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.
		63%	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.
		56%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		56%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		56%	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 that there is a problem.
		56%	Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
		56%	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.
		56%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		53%	Dynamic Strength - The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue.
		53%	Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
		53%	Stamina - The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
		53%	Extent Flexibility - The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
		53%	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.
		53%	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).

Job Details

Responsibilities

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.

Position structural components.

Install plumbing or piping.

Measure work site dimensions.

Mark reference points on construction materials.

Load or unload materials used in construction or extraction.

Move construction or extraction materials to locations where they are needed.

Assemble temporary equipment or structures.

Dismantle equipment or temporary structures.

Position construction forms or molds.

Clean equipment or facilities.

Maintain construction tools or equipment.

Break up rock, asphalt, or concrete.

Finish concrete surfaces.

Test air quality at work sites.

Install plumbing or piping.

Assist skilled construction or extraction personnel.

Operate pumps or compressors.

Clean surfaces in preparation for work activities.

Apply paint to surfaces.

Protect structures or surfaces near work areas to avoid damage.

Install masonry materials.

Prepare hazardous waste for processing or disposal.

Operate heavy-duty construction or installation equipment.

Mix substances or compounds needed for work activities.

Pour materials into or on designated areas.

Spread concrete or other aggregate mixtures.

Smooth surfaces with abrasive materials or tools.

Operate pumps or compressors.

Mix substances or compounds needed for work activities.

Remove worn, damaged or outdated materials from work areas.

Clean surfaces in preparation for work activities.

Apply paint to surfaces.

Apply sealants or other protective coatings.

Install insulation in equipment or structures.

Install green structural components, equipment or systems.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		99%	Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets - How much does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hard hats or life jackets?
		95%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		91%	Spend Time Standing - How much does this job require standing?
		91%	Outdoors, Exposed to Weather - How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
		89%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		87%	Very Hot or Cold Temperatures - How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
		84%	Exposed to Hazardous Equipment - How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
		83%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		80%	Exposed to Contaminants - How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
		80%	Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
		79%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		78%	Sounds, Noise Levels Are Distracting or Uncomfortable - How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
		78%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		72%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		70%	Consequence of Error - How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?
		69%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		68%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		67%	Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
		65%	Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting - How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
		65%	Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
		59%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		57%	Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in non-controlled environmental conditions (e.g., warehouse without heat)?
		57%	Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions - How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
		56%	Outdoors, Under Cover - How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (e.g., structure with roof but no walls)?
		55%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		55%	Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment - How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
		53%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		53%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
		57%	Work Schedules - How regular are the work schedules for this job?
		51%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		94%	Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
		85%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		85%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		84%	Controlling Machines and Processes - Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
		80%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		79%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		78%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		76%	Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
		76%	Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment - Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
		75%	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.
		74%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		73%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		72%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
		71%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		71%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
		68%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
		68%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
		68%	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 materials.
		66%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
		66%	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.
		64%	Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
		64%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
		63%	Communicating with People Outside the 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.
		62%	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.
		61%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		60%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		60%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		60%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
		59%	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.
		57%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		52%	Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.

What Construction Laborers and Helpers Do

Construction laborers and helpers assist craftworkers.

Construction laborers and helpers perform many tasks that require physical labor on construction sites.

Duties

Construction laborers and helpers typically do the following:

Clean and prepare construction sites by removing debris and possible hazards
Load or unload building materials to be used in construction
Build or take apart bracing, scaffolding, and temporary structures
Dig trenches, backfill holes, or compact earth to prepare for construction
Operate or tend equipment and machines used in construction
Follow construction plans and instructions from supervisors or more experienced workers
Assist craftworkers with their duties

Construction laborers and helpers work on almost all construction sites, performing a wide range of tasks varying in complexity from very easy to extremely difficult and hazardous.

Construction laborers, also referred to as construction craft laborers, perform a wide variety of construction-related activities during all phases of construction. Many laborers spend their time preparing and cleaning up construction sites, using tools such as shovels and brooms. Other workers, such as those on road crews, may specialize and learn to control traffic patterns and operate pavement breakers, jackhammers, earth tampers, or 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 lasers to place pipes and to use computers to control robotic pipe cutters. They may become certified to remove asbestos, lead, or chemicals.

Helpers assist construction craftworkers, such as electricians and carpenters, with a variety of tasks. They may carry tools and materials or help set up equipment. For example, many helpers work with cement masons to move and set the forms that determine the shape of poured concrete. Many other helpers assist with taking apart equipment, cleaning up sites, and disposing of waste, as well as helping with any other needs of craftworkers.

Many construction trades have helpers who assist craftworkers. The following trades have associated helpers:

Brickmasons, blockmasons, and stonemasons, and tile and marble setters
Carpenters
Electricians
Painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons
Pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
Roofers

Work Environment

Construction laborers and helpers held about 1.6 million jobs in 2022. Employment in the detailed occupations that make up construction laborers and helpers was distributed as follows:

Construction laborers	1,418,600
Helpers--electricians	72,500
Helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters	47,800
Helpers, construction trades, all other	28,300
Helpers--carpenters	25,100
Helpers--brickmasons, blockmasons, stonemasons, and tile and marble setters	17,900
Helpers--painters, paperhangers, plasterers, and stucco masons	8,700
Helpers--roofers	5,900

The largest employers of construction laborers and helpers were as follows:

Specialty trade contractors	32%
Self-employed workers	25
Construction of buildings	17
Heavy and civil engineering construction	15
Temporary help services	3

Most construction laborers and helpers perform physically demanding work. Some work at great heights or outdoors in all weather conditions; others may be required to work in tunnels. They must use earplugs around loud equipment and wear gloves, safety glasses, and other protective gear.

Injuries and Illnesses

Construction laborers and helpers, construction trades, all other have some of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations. ("All other" titles represent occupations with a wide range of characteristics that do not fit into any of the other detailed occupations.)

Workers may experience cuts from materials and tools, fatal and nonfatal falls from ladders and scaffolding, and burns from chemicals or equipment. Some jobs expose workers to harmful materials, fumes, or odors, or to dangerous machinery. Workers may also experience muscle fatigue and injuries related to lifting and carrying heavy materials.

Work Schedules

Like many construction workers, most laborers and helpers work full time. Although they must sometimes stop work because of bad weather, they may work overtime to meet deadlines. Laborers and helpers on highway and bridge projects may need to work overnight to avoid causing major traffic disruptions. In some parts of the country, construction laborers and helpers may work only during certain seasons. For example, in northern climates, cold weather frequently disrupts construction activity in the winter.

Some construction laborers are self-employed. In contrast, very few helpers are self-employed.

Getting Started

Education:

35%

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

33%

Less than a High School Diploma

How to Become a Construction Laborer or Helper

While formal education is not required to enter the occupation, some construction laborers take classes as part of an apprenticeship.

Construction laborers and helpers learn their trade through on-the-job training (OJT). The length of training depends on the employer and the specialization. Formal education is not typically required.

Education

Although formal education is not typically required for most positions, helpers of electricians and helpers of pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters typically need a high school diploma. High school classes in mathematics, blueprint reading, welding, and other vocational subjects can be helpful.

Training

Construction laborers and helpers typically learn through OJT after being hired by a construction contractor. Workers usually learn by performing tasks under the guidance of experienced workers.

Although the majority of construction laborers and helpers learn by assisting experienced workers, some construction laborers may opt for apprenticeship programs. These programs generally include 2 to 4 years of technical instruction and OJT. The Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA) requires a combination of OJT and related classroom instruction in such areas as signaling, blueprint reading, using proper tools and equipment, and following health and safety procedures. The remainder of the curriculum consists of specialized training in one of these eight areas:

Building construction
Demolition and deconstruction
Environmental remediation
Road and utility construction
Tunneling
Masonry
Landscaping
Pipeline construction

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Laborers who remove hazardous materials (hazmat) must meet the federal and state requirements for hazardous materials removal workers.

Depending on the work they do, laborers may need specific certifications, which may be attained through LIUNA. Rigging and scaffold building are commonly attained certifications. Certification can help workers prove that they have the knowledge to perform more complex tasks.

Advancement

Through experience and training, construction laborers and helpers can advance into positions that involve more complex tasks. For example, laborers may earn certifications in welding, erecting scaffolding, or finishing concrete, and then spend more time performing those activities. Similarly, helpers sometimes move into construction craft occupations after gaining experience in the field. For example, experience as an electrician’s helper may lead someone to becoming an apprentice electrician.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of construction laborers and helpers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 151,400 openings for construction laborers and helpers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Projected employment of construction laborers and helpers varies by occupation (see table). Construction laborers work in all fields of construction, and demand for laborers should mirror the level of overall construction activity. Repairing and replacing the nation’s infrastructure, such as roads and water lines, may result in steady demand for laborers.

Employment growth for specific types of construction helpers is expected to be driven by the construction and renovation of homes and nonresidential structures. However, shifts in preference for materials, such as prefabricated components, will continue to reduce demand for helpers of carpenters, of electricians, and of other construction workers.

Contacts for More Information

For details about apprenticeships or other work opportunities for construction laborers and helpers, contact the offices of the state employment service, the state apprenticeship agency, local construction contractors or firms that employ laborers, or local union-management apprenticeship committees. Apprenticeship information is available from the U.S. Department of Labor's Apprenticeship program online or by phone at 877-872-5627.

For more information about education programs for laborers, visit

Laborers’ International Union of North America

NCCER

Occupational Requirements Survey

For a profile highlighting selected BLS data on occupational requirements, see

Construction laborers (PDF)

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of construction laborers and helpers.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Carpenters	Carpenters construct, repair, and install building frameworks and structures made from wood and other materials.	High school diploma or equivalent	$51,390
Electricians	Electricians install, maintain, and repair electrical power, communications, lighting, and control systems.	High school diploma or equivalent	$60,240
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers	Hazardous materials removal workers identify and dispose of harmful substances such as asbestos, lead, and radioactive waste.	High school diploma or equivalent	$46,690
Painters, Construction and Maintenance	Painters apply paint, stain, and coatings to walls and ceilings, buildings, large machinery and equipment, and bridges and other structures.	No formal educational credential	$46,090
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters	Plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters install and repair piping fixtures and systems.	High school diploma or equivalent	$60,090
Material Moving Machine Operators	Material moving machine operators use equipment to transport objects.	See How to Become One	$41,730
Grounds Maintenance Workers	Grounds maintenance workers install and maintain landscapes, prune trees or shrubs, and do other tasks to ensure that vegetation is attractive, orderly, and safe.	See How to Become One	$36,160
Flooring Installers and Tile and Stone Setters	Flooring installers and tile and stone setters lay and finish carpet, wood, vinyl, tile, and other materials.	No formal educational credential	$47,890
Masonry Workers	Masonry workers use bricks, concrete and concrete blocks, and natural and manmade stones to build structures.	See How to Become One	$49,490