Concrete workers
Concrete workers place, spread, compact, finish and cure concrete for buildings, roads, tunnels, bridges and marine structures, using hand tools, pumps, trowelling machinery and other power tools.
Concrete workers may specialise as concrete finishers or concrete slab layers. They may also work in tilt-up construction, which involves laying concrete and finish flat on site. Concrete workers usually work outside on construction sites which may be dusty and noisy. Much of their time is spent standing or kneeling and they may also have to work at heights or underground in tunnels.
Concrete workers may perform tasks including:
- mixing cement, gravel, sand and water etc to manufacture concrete on-site;
- moving concrete into position by means of a concrete pump;
- placing concrete into the formwork, making sure that it is spread and levelled, then compacted using vibrators;
- operating paving and trowelling machines to float, trowel and polish the surface of large areas of concrete;
- cutting joints into hardened concrete; and
- mixing and applying pigments when a coloured surface is required.
More information
Personal Requirements
- Physical fitness and strength as the work involved heavy lifting.
Education and Training
There are no specific educational requirements for entry to this occupation. Training is generally provided on-the-job in this field or through short courses
