General Construction Laborer Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the general construction laborer job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly do.

It also highlights the major requirements you may be expected to fulfill to be hired for the general construction laborer role.

What Does a General Construction Laborer Do?

The general construction laborer job description entails doing general tasks and maintenance work on a construction site.

It also involves doing all repairs and maintenance work on the building and making sure that all projects are done correctly.

The general construction laborer applies protective coatings to surfaces and painting, scraping, caulking, and repairing damaged areas on the building.

It is also their duty to clean the surface of the building by organizing trash and removing it from site.

Assisting in other outside projects too, such as mowing lawns, setting up scaffolding/towers and using hoists for lifting materials on high places or at great heights is another task they perform.

General construction laborers are expected to be in good physical condition as they have to lift heavy stuff under dangerous conditions sometimes.

This position assists the site carpenter in framing, laying out and aligning the materials during building projects.

Some of their other responsibilities include cutting plywood, insulation board and stock lumber to size, and installing them to complete the construction properly.

While doing their tasks they have to make sure that they follow all safety instructions regarding general construction safety.

More on General Construction Laborer Job Description

The general construction laborer job description also includes operating forklift, tractors, mowers, chainsaws and other heavy machinery or equipment to complete the work.

It also involves operating electric hoists and trailers that are required to load and unload material from trucks or trains.

General construction laborers use mobile or stationary cranes or derricks for lifting building materials on high places for proper installation in the structure of buildings.

They also have to use the hand and power tools to produce sufficient number of carpentry projects.

Applying construction adhesive and sealants, painting, caulking and repairing damaged areas on the building is among their duties as well

General construction laborers use power tools such as electric drills, saws, sanders, chisels, screwdrivers or any other tools that are required for completing their task properly.

They lift heavy things like long boards with a long reach or an electric hoist at a height of 3 feet to 6 feet in order to install them on the structure of building.

General Construction Laborer Job Description Sample/Example/Template

The general construction laborer job description entails the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities:

• Repair damaged building structures
• Operate heavy equipment
• Clear blocked storm drains, repair leaky pipes, and remove ice from hoses.
• Repair or replace damaged pavement or sidewalks
• Install fences, signs, and other structures on public property
• Construct barricades to prevent traffic accidents at construction sites
• Clean and maintain grounds to support construction activities
• Dispose of debris and garbage at construction sites
• Detain persons for questioning about public safety issues or disposing of dangerous objects
• Inspect construction sites for damage and water leaks, and report them to off-duty supervisors via telephone or portable radio immediately upon arrival on the property
• Give necessary direction to prevent or stop unsafe conditions or conditions that could cause injury, damage equipment, injure workers or cause property damage
• Provide other related services as required by job assignment under the general supervision of a foreman/supervisor
• Guide and counsel supervisors and workers on safety procedures, work-site hazards and other matters as required
• Operate and maintain equipment in a safe manner to prevent injury to employees, guests, and members of the public
• Maintain proper records of work at all times
• Keep off-duty supervisors informed of your whereabouts at all times during working hours; report your absence to the supervisor immediately upon their return.

General construction laborer Job Description for Resume

If you have worked before in the position of a general construction laborer or are presently working in that role and are writing a new resume or CV, then you can apply the sample general construction laborer job description above in making the Professional Experience part of your resume.

You can highlight the general construction laborer duties and responsibilities from the above job description template in your resume’s Professional Experience.

This will show that you have been successful working as a general construction laborer, which can significantly boost your resume’s effectiveness and increase your chances of being hired, especially if the new job that you are seeking requires someone with some general construction laborer work experience.

General Construction Laborer Requirements: Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for Career Success

Here are major requirements you may be expected to meet to be hired for the general construction laborer role:

• Ability to work with others and accept supervision from supervisors and/or managers
• Concentration, physical effort (e.g., climbing, stooping, crouching, kneeling), coordination skills, manual dexterity and endurance as required by specific duties assigned by the employer or supervisor
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in both oral and written English
• Must be able to read and interpret blueprints, drawings, and maps
• Work in noise-resistant areas and areas of vibration with exposed equipment
• Must be able to lift minimum of 75 pounds of weight without assistance
• Ability to work in hot environments (up to 80 C) or in cold environments (below 5 C) with exposure to rain, sleet, snow or fog
• Work under stressful conditions
• Must be able to work in noisy environments from the noise of power saws, jackhammers, or other construction equipment and machinery
• Ability to work at heights of up to 50 feet or more with scaffolding or lifts as needed when repairs are being made on buildings or equipment.

General Construction Laborer Salary

The average salary for a general construction laborer is $34,183 (comparably.com) and $31.842 (zippia.com) per year.

According to Zippia, the best paying cities for general construction laborers are New York, NY, $47,620; Boston, MA, $47,367; and Bridgeport, CT, $44,027 per year.

There are now about 808,891 construction laborers in the United States.

Women make up 6.2% of all construction workers, while men make up 93.8%. The average age for employed general construction laborer is 38 years.

Conclusion

This post is helpful to individuals interested in the general construction laborer career. They will be able to learn all they need to know about the general construction laborer duties and responsibilities, and so be able to decide correctly if that is the career they want to get into.

It is also useful to recruiters/employers in making a detailed job description for the general construction laborer position in their companies.

They can apply the general construction laborer job description template provided on this page.