Elementary construction occupations

Description

Job holders in this unit group perform a variety of general labouring and construction duties to assist building, civil engineering and related trades workers in the performance of their tasks.

Qualifications

Typical tasks

• conveys blocks, bricks, stone, mortar, roofing, felt, slates, wood and other building materials to the work area;
• assists with the erection of ladders, scaffolding and work platforms, the rigging of cradles of hoisting equipment and the attaching of slings, hooks and guide ropes;
• mixes mortar, grouting material, cement screed, and plaster, prepares adhesive, primer and paints and similar construction material, and undertakes basic decorating, painting, plumbing and other maintenance and repair tasks;
• cleans equipment and tools, clears work area and otherwise assists building and woodworking trades workers as directed;
• performs general labouring tasks such as digging trenches and foundations, removing wall coverings, and preparing surfaces by cleaning, sanding, filling, etc.;
• covers ceilings, floors, walls and exposed surfaces of boilers, pipes and plant with insulating material;
• heats and breaks up blocks of asphalt, bitumen or tar, stirs melting mixture, adds aggregate if required, pours mixture into buckets;
• measures and fixes timber and other structures to support excavations, cables or other rail, signal and telecommunications equipment;
• excavates, constructs and maintains land drainage systems and prepares graves for burial;
• operates, cleans and lubricates valves and sluices, removes weeds, dead animals and other debris from waterways and carries out minor repairs to banks and footbridges;
• helps diver into and out of diving suit, maintains communication with submerged diver and checks equipment and time spent under water.

Common job titles