Construction Craft Workers work on constructions sites such as residential, commercial and industrial buildings.  They unload machinery and building materials and build scaffolding and barricades. Typical duties may include building forms for concrete, pouring, mixing and spreading concrete, cleaning, sweeping, removing trash and debris, and assisting other craft workers including welders, carpenters, fabricators, bricklayers and carpenters. They operate of small tools, power tools, assist with machine maintenance, and operate equipment such as jackhammers and torches.

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This person may also be responsible for a number of other specific tasks, including carpentry, demolition, drywall, cement, finishing, and roofing. Once the job is completed, they disassemble all the equipment used and clean up the site, including removing debris. They also sometimes help demolish buildings, which can include tearing down structures and salvaging materials to recycle. Construction Craft Workers do not just work at building construction, they also work on roads, bridges, pipelines, and mining sites. They may work as flagmen/women, concrete mixers and excavators.

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Most of the time, a construction worker is not required to receive formal education, although some attend trade schools and classes to receive certification for various skills. But with added experience and training, they may specialize in different areas of construction such as operation of off road vehicles, drilling and blasting, diving and tunnelling.

This work is almost always physical in nature and must be able to work on their feet for their entire shift. Work is typically done during the day and may involve difficult conditions such as extreme heat and cold.

 

Industry Changes

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Employment prospects for Construction craft workers vary with the seasons and with economic conditions. Highly experienced Construction craft workers may specialize in specialty type work, advance to supervisory positions or become contract estimators. The work is most rewarding for those who take pride in seeing the results of their work, and enjoy physical exercise and working with their hands.

 

Over the next ten years, the employment outlook is considered to be excellent. The lack of trained and qualified Construction craft workers and the expected increased retirement rate in this trade over the next decade highlight the opportunities within the industry for good potential jobs.

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Safety

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Safe working practices and accident prevention are the primary importance to the health and safety of all person(s) at any or all work place environments. All person(s) including employee, employer and government, share this responsibility in order to keep everyone free of any dangers or accidents that may cause an individual(s) serious bodily harm or death.

The Occupational Health and Safety Acts and Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) Regulations, should be consistently reviewed and enforced in every work place environment. Educating and understanding these regulations is everyone’s responsibility in order to keep a safe work place environment.

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) has contributed to a safer work place environment. Health and safety has become a high priority in the workplace due to increased awareness of dangers and the identifications of hazardous materials.

Practicing health and safety is a tremendous contribution to a safe and accident free work place environment.

 

Job Tasks

• Read and apply basic blue prints, drawing and layouts

• Operate hand tools and power tools

• Works with stationary equipment

• Strip and handles materials

• Performs Form settings

• Rig and hoisting materials and equipment

• Erects/dismantles scaffolding

• Place concrete/ erecting concrete forms

• Selects and installs temporary and permanent barriers and fencing

• Protects natural environment

• Backfill/compact site

• Assist with demolition and removes rubble from site

• Asphalt

• Working outdoors in all weather climates

• Communicate and test teams to resolve build related issues

• Monitor daily builds and resolve build breaks

• Help with automation of new scripts and processes to improve build environment and stability

• …and much more

 

Tools

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• Brick Hammer

• Brick Trowel

• Boat Level

• Bolster

• Buckets

• Bump cutters

• Chisels

• Clamps

• Club or Lump Hammer

• Cold Chisel

• Comb Hammer

• Concrete rakes

• Corner Blocks

• Darbies

• Dirt Tampers

• Edgers

• Extension poles

• Floats

• Form scrappers

• Form stripping tools

• Gauge Rod

• Groovers

• Grout chisel

• Hawk

• Jack Hammer

• Jointing Tools

• Knee pads

• Line and Pins

• Hammer, ball peen

• Hammer, dead blow

• Hammer Drill

• Hand protection

• Hearing protectors

• Masonry Drill Bits

• Mixers

• Pointing Trowel

• Rattle sticks

• Roller tamps

• Rubber boots

• Safety equipment (goggles, boots, face shield etc)

• Saw blades

• Scarabs

• Screed boards

• Spirit Level

• Steel Fresnos

• Steel Tape

• Tingle Plate

• Trowels

• …and much more

 

Skills

 

• Analytical Thinking

• Critical Thinking

• Co-ordination

• Creativity

• Decision Making

• Good vision

• Good colour vision

• Lifting and hoisting

• Mechanical aptitude

• Manual dexterity

• Numerical

• Oral Communication

• Patience

• Problem Solving

• Reading Blueprints and schematics

• Writing

• Use of hand signals

• …and much more

 

General Wages

• Average -   $20.25

• Minimum -  $15.00

• Maximum - $25.80​

 

Sample Q&A

 

1. What is one critical step to ensure proper curing of concrete?

a. Place a polyethylene barrier on the ground and wet it before concrete placement.

b. Place a polyethylene sheet immediately on top of the freshly finished concrete so it does not have a chance to dry out.

c. Place dry burlap on top of the freshly finished concrete and spray it with water an hour later so the concrete can begin to set up.

d. Place a polyethylene barrier on the ground before concrete placement.

Ans. D

 

2. Where is the lanyard attached when erecting scaffolds?

a. above the head

b. below the shoulders

c. below the waist

d. below the feet.

Ans. A

 

3. Which of the following types of lifting technique has the least lifting capacity?

a. Basket hitch

b. Choker sling

c. Vertical hitch

d. 2 part Bridle

Ans. B

 

4. Which of the following is the signal when a signalman has his arms at 90 degrees, and thumbs pointing inwards?

a. retract boom

b. extend boom

c. lower the load

d. use a whip line

Ans. A

 

5. When structural anchoring is required for intersecting walls, control joints must be?

a. anchored

b. separated

c. independent

d. co-ordinated

Ans. D

 

6. Which of the following is the normal head size of a vibrator?

a. 1inch

b. 2inch

c. 1 to 1-1/2

d. ¾- 1-1/2

Ans. D

 

7. What procedure is used to ensure a true surface is achieved when pouring a concrete slab?

a. Screeding and fresnoing.

b. Screeding and bullfloating.

c. Screeding and power floating.

d. Bullfloating and trowelling.

Ans. B

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