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How exposed to AI is a Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operator?

Of the 28 tasks O*NET lists for operating engineers and other construction equipment operators, 0 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 23 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
Back Hoe OperatorEngineering Equipment OperatorEquipment Operator (EO)Forklift OperatorHeavy Equipment Operator (HEO)Hot Mix Asphalt OperatorMachine OperatorMotor Grader OperatorOperating EngineerTrack Hoe Operator
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
28
tasks rated for this occupation
0%
hold a degree, from a survey of 23
405k
people do this job in the US
12 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

5
  • Signal operators to guide movement of tractor-drawn machines
  • Monitor operations to ensure that health and safety standards are met
  • Keep records of material or equipment usage or problems encountered
  • Check fuel supplies at sites to ensure adequate availability
  • Compile cost estimates for jobs

Cannot be sped up

23
  • Learn and follow safety regulations
  • Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects
  • Start engines, move throttles, switches, or levers, or depress pedals to operate machines, such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, or backhoes
  • Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members
  • Align machines, cutterheads, or depth gauge makers with reference stakes and guidelines or ground or position equipment, following hand signals of other workers
  • Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work
  • Repair and maintain equipment, making emergency adjustments or assisting with major repairs as necessary
  • Load and move dirt, rocks, equipment, or other materials, using trucks, crawler tractors, power cranes, shovels, graders, or related equipment
  • Drive and maneuver equipment equipped with blades in successive passes over working areas to remove topsoil, vegetation, or rocks or to distribute and level earth or terrain
  • Operate tractors or bulldozers to perform such tasks as clearing land, mixing sludge, trimming backfills, or building roadways or parking lots
  • Connect hydraulic hoses, belts, mechanical linkages, or power takeoff shafts to tractors
  • Select and fasten bulldozer blades or other attachments to tractors, using hitches
  • Operate loaders to pull out stumps, rip asphalt or concrete, rough-grade properties, bury refuse, or perform general cleanup
  • Operate equipment to demolish or remove debris or to remove snow from streets, roads, or parking lots
  • Adjust handwheels and depress pedals to control attachments, such as blades, buckets, scrapers, or swing booms
  • Perform specialized work, using equipment, such as pile drivers, dredging rigs, drillers, or concrete pumpers
  • Talk to clients and study instructions, plans, or diagrams to establish work requirements
  • Drive tractor-trailer trucks to move equipment from site to site
  • Push other equipment when extra traction or assistance is required
  • Operate road watering, oiling, or rolling equipment, or street sealing equipment, such as chip spreaders
  • Operate compactors, scrapers, or rollers to level, compact, or cover refuse at disposal grounds
  • Test atmosphere for adequate oxygen or explosive conditions when working in confined spaces
  • Turn valves to control air or water output of compressors or pumps
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.