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How exposed to AI is a Construction Laborer?

Of the 32 tasks O*NET lists for construction laborers, 0 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 31 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Bituminous Asphalt TechnicianConstruction LaborerConstruction WorkerDrop Crew LaborerEquipment Operator (EO)Form SetterPost FramerScaffolding OperatorSite Work LaborerToolman
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
32
tasks rated for this occupation
0%
hold a degree, from a survey of 20
969k
people do this job in the US
35 of 61
least protected in construction

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Only with software built on top

1
  • Signal equipment operators to facilitate alignment, movement, or adjustment of machinery, equipment, or materials

Cannot be sped up

31
  • Tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment or to heat or move materials, such as asphalt
  • Lubricate, clean, or repair machinery, equipment, or tools
  • Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities
  • Measure, mark, or record openings or distances to layout areas where construction work will be performed
  • Clean or prepare construction sites to eliminate possible hazards
  • Dig ditches or trenches, backfill excavations, or compact and level earth to grade specifications, using picks, shovels, pneumatic tampers, or rakes
  • Load, unload, or identify building materials, machinery, or tools, distributing them to the appropriate locations, according to project plans or specifications
  • Use computers or other input devices to control robotic pipe cutters or cleaners
  • Perform construction laborer duties at green building sites, such as renewable energy plants or wind turbine installations
  • Position, join, align, or seal structural components, such as concrete wall sections or pipes
  • Perform site activities required of green certified construction practices, such as implementing waste management procedures, identifying materials for reuse, or installing erosion or sedimentation control mechanisms
  • Control traffic passing near, in, or around work zones
  • Install sewer, water, or storm drain pipes, using pipe-laying machinery or laser guidance equipment
  • Operate or maintain air monitoring or other sampling devices in confined or hazardous environments
  • Smooth or finish freshly poured cement or concrete, using floats, trowels, screeds, or powered cement finishing tools
  • Erect or dismantle scaffolding, shoring, braces, traffic barricades, ramps, or other temporary structures
  • Provide assistance to craft workers, such as carpenters, plasterers, or masons
  • Perform building weatherization tasks, such as repairing windows, adding insulation, or applying weather-stripping materials
  • Apply weather-stripping to reduce energy loss
  • Spray materials, such as water, sand, steam, vinyl, paint, or stucco, through hoses to clean, coat, or seal surfaces
  • Raze buildings or salvage useful materials
  • Mop, brush, or spread paints, cleaning solutions, or other compounds over surfaces to clean them or to provide protection
  • Position or dismantle forms for pouring concrete, using saws, hammers, nails, or bolts
  • Grind, scrape, sand, or polish surfaces, such as concrete, marble, terrazzo, or wood flooring, using abrasive tools or machines
  • Place, consolidate, or protect case-in-place concrete or masonry structures
  • Mix ingredients to create compounds for covering or cleaning surfaces
  • Mix, pour, or spread concrete, using portable cement mixers
  • Operate jackhammers or drills to break up concrete or pavement
  • Apply caulking compounds by hand or caulking guns to protect against entry of water or air
  • Tend machines that pump concrete, grout, cement, sand, plaster, or stucco through spray guns for application to ceilings or walls
  • Identify, pack, or transport hazardous or radioactive materials
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.