About This Career

Smooths and finishes surfaces of poured concrete, such as floors, walks, sidewalks, roads, or curbs using a variety of hand and power tools. Aligns forms for sidewalks, curbs, or gutters; patches voids; and uses saws to cut expansion joints.

This career is part of the Architecture and Construction cluster Construction pathway.

A person in this career:

• Checks the forms that hold the concrete to see that they are properly constructed.
• Sets the forms that hold concrete to the desired pitch and depth, and aligns them.
• Spreads, levels, and smooths concrete, using rake, shovel, hand or power trowel, hand or power screed, and float.
• Monitors how the wind, heat, or cold affect the curing of the concrete throughout the entire process.
• Molds expansion joints and edges, using edging tools, jointers, and straightedge.
• Signals truck driver to position truck to facilitate pouring concrete, and moves chute to direct concrete on forms.
• Directs the casting of the concrete and supervises laborers who use shovels or special tools to spread it.
• Produces rough concrete surface, using broom.
• Applies hardening and sealing compounds to cure surface of concrete, and waterproofs or restores surface.
• Operates power vibrator to compact concrete.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 20 lbs., sometimes up to 50 lbs. You might do a lot of lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling.
• Work in this occupation involves bending or twisting your body more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
• Exposure to pollutants, gases, dust, fumes, odors, poor ventilation, etc.
• Conditions are very hot (above 90 F) or very cold (under 32 F)
• Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
• Exposed to hazardous equipment such as saws, machinery, or vehicular traffic more than once a month
• Work in this occupation involves kneeling, crouching, stooping, and/or crawling more than one-third of the time
• Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting
• Work in this occupation requires being outside most of the time
• Work in this occupation involves making repetitive motions more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation involves walking or running more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Moving the arms, legs and torso together when the whole body is in motion
• Judging how far away an object is, or which of several objects is closer or farther away
• Using muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring
• Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching
• Seeing clearly at a distance
• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person
• Exerting oneself physically over long periods of time without getting out of breath
• Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying objects
• Using abdominal and lower back muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring

Work Hours and Travel

• Regular working hours and limited travel