Road construction worker

Road construction workers perform road construction on earthworks, substructure works and the pavement section of the road. They cover the compacted soil with one or more layers. Road construction workers usually lay a stabilising bed of sand or clay first before adding asphalt or concrete slabs in order to finish a road.

Includes people working with road roller operators.
Excludes people performing activities which involve pouring concrete to serve as a road surface.

The duties of a road construction worker include, but are not limited to:

• Installing road signs and signals to help guide drivers through construction zones
• Reporting unsafe conditions to supervisors in order to prevent accidents from occurring
• Maintaining road surfaces, including filling potholes and repairing cracks in concrete surfaces
• Determining the location of utilities underground in order to avoid damage during construction work
• Installing barriers to prevent traffic from entering construction zones
• Installing new asphalt or concrete on road surfaces
• Operating heavy machinery such as backhoes or bulldozers to clear debris from roadways
• Installing guardrails along highways in high risk areas where there is a danger of falling off the road
• Installing new traffic lights or signs to direct traffic flow or inform drivers of upcoming construction.

Road construction workers typically work outdoors in all types of weather conditions, including extreme heat, cold, and precipitation. They are exposed to a variety of hazards, including traffic, fumes, and noise. Road workers must wear protective clothing, such as hard hats, safety glasses, and earplugs, to guard against injuries. They typically work 40 hours per week, but overtime is often required to complete projects on time.

Road construction workers may work nights and weekends and may be on call 24 hours a day. The job is physically demanding, and road workers must be able to lift heavy objects and stand for long periods of time.

The following job titles also refer to road construction worker:

highway construction worker
highways
road construction worcker
surfacing worker
runway construction worker
road constructinn worker
road paver
civil engineering project worker
worker
road construction operative
road paviour
paver
road costruction worker
rad construction worker
roading construction worker
road construction project worker
construction worker on roads
rod construction worker

A high school diploma is generally required to work as a road construction worker.

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

• the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
• the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
• the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Road construction worker is a Skill level 2 occupation.

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to road construction worker.

road roller operator
rigger
grader operator
bulldozer operator
scraper operator

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of road construction worker. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of road construction worker with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

road construction supervisor
asphalt laboratory technician
road maintenance technician
crane crew supervisor
construction quality inspector

These skills are necessary for the role of road construction worker.

• Lay base courses: Lay the stabilising courses that support a road. Lay the road base, which enhances the drainage properties of the road, and a sub-base if called for. Use the correct material for this, usually a mix of aggregates or local secondary materials, sometimes with some binding agents added.
• Work ergonomically: Apply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.
• Work safely with hot materials: Take care when handling hot materials. Wear the right protective clothing and take care not to burn yourself or others, damage equipment, or create fire hazards.
• Transport construction supplies: Bring construction materials, tools and equipment to the construction site and store them properly taking various aspects into account such as the workers’ safety and protection from deterioration.
• Inspect construction supplies: Check construction supplies for damage, moisture, loss or other problems before using the material.
• Plan surface slope: Make sure the planned surface has the necessary slope to prevent puddling of water or fluids.
• Perform drainage work: Dig draining ditches and lay the pipe or gutter installation to allow evacuation of surplus liquid and avoid subsidence or other damage.
• Prevent damage to utility infrastructure: Consult utility companies or plans on the location of any utility infrastructure that may interfere with a project or be damaged by it. Take the necessary steps to avoid damage.
• Follow health and safety procedures in construction: Apply the relevant health and safety procedures in construction in order to prevent accidents, pollution and other risks.
• Work safely with chemicals: Take the necessary precautions for storing, using and disposing chemical products.
• Prepare subgrade for road pavement: Make sure the surface underneath the road is ready to be paved. Ensure that it is flat, stable and able to resist the mechanical stresses of road traffic.
• Use safety equipment in construction: Use elements of protective clothing such as steel-tipped shoes, and gear such as protective goggles, in order to minimise risk of accidents in construction and to mitigate any injury if an accident does occur.
• Install frost protection materials: Install insulation materials such as sand, gravel, crushed stone, foam glass or extruded polystyrene to reduce frost penetration and any resulting road damage.
• Pave asphalt layers: Use different grades of asphalt to lay the asphalt layers of a road. Lay an asphalt base layer with low bitumen content to provide a stable surface, a binder layer with intermediate bitumen content, and a surface layer containing the highest grade material with the highest bitumen content to withstand the stresses of road transport. Tend a paver to lay the asphalt or use different techniques and instruments.
• Level earth surface: Change the profile of the earth surface, turning it flat or shaping it to match a certain slope. Remove irregularities such as knolls, pits and ditches.

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of road construction worker. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Types of asphalt coverings: Different types of asphalt covering, based on their bitumen content and composition. The strengths, weaknesses, and price points of each type. Special properties such as porosity, resistance to skidding and noise characteristics.
• Mechanical tools: Understand machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of road construction worker. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

• Remove road surface: Remove an existing road surface. Use the appropriate machinery or coordinate with machine operators to assist in the excavation of asphalt or concrete road coverings.
• Apply proofing membranes: Apply specialised membranes to prevent penetration of a structure by dampness or water. Securely seal any perforation to preserve the damp-proof or waterproof properties of the membrane. Make sure any membranes overlap top over bottom to prevent water from seeping in. Check the compatibility of multiple membranes used together.
• Monitor heavy machinery: Monitor the performance of heavy-duty equipment. Record troubleshooting, ensure that all operations comply with safety and health requirements.
• Work in a construction team: Work as part of a team in a construction project. Communicate efficiently, sharing information with team members and reporting to supervisors. Follow instructions and adapt to changes in a flexible manner.
• Operate road roller: Operate various types of mechanic and manual road rollers, pieces of equipment used to compact surfaces.
• Operate bulldozer: Operate a tracked or wheeled bulldozer, a powerful piece of machinery equipped with a shovel-like blade used to move earth, rubble or other material over the ground.
• Place temporary road signage: Place temporary traffic signs, lights and barriers to alert road users of activities on the road.
• Manoeuvre heavy trucks: Drive, manoeuvre and park tractors, trailers and lorries on roads, around tight corners, and in parking spaces.
• Operate excavator: Operate excavators used to dig materials from the surface and load them onto dump trucks.
• Keep personal administration: File and organise personal administration documents comprehensively.
• Operate mobile crane: Operate a mobile crane safely. Take into account the condition of the terrain, weather conditions, load mass, and expected manoeuvres.
• Process incoming construction supplies: Receive incoming construction supplies, handle the transaction and enter the supplies into any internal administration system.
• Inspect asphalt: Inspect the placement of asphalt concrete ensuring that the specifications are met and no flows are present.
• Drive mobile heavy construction equipment: Drive movable heavy equipment used in construction. Load the equipment onto low loaders, or unload it. Judiciously drive equipment on public roads when required.
• Install kerbstones: Strengthen the edges of the road by installing gutters and by laying concrete blocks or natural stone slabs to form a kerb.
• Lay concrete slabs: Lay concrete slabs, used as road covering, on a prepared surface. Guide a crane operator to position the slab in the right place and manually set it correctly, often using tongue and groove joints.
• Keep records of work progress: Maintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.
• Guide operation of heavy construction equipment: Guide a colleague in operating a piece of heavy construction equipment. Follow the operation closely and understand when feedback is called for. Use communication techniques like voice, two-way radio, agreed-upon gestures and whistles to signal the appropriate information to the operator.
• Set up temporary construction site infrastructure: Set up a variety of temporary infrastructure used on building sites. Put up fences and signs. Set up any construction trailers and make sure that these are connected to electricity lines and water supply. Establish supplies stores and garbage disposal in a sensible manner.

8342 – Earthmoving and related plant operators

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References

1. Road construction worker – ESCO
2. Featured image: Photo by Ayoola Salako on Unsplash