WHAT DOES A LABORER DO?

Published: Jan 06, 2026 - The Laborer supports daily site operations by assisting with inventory management, coordinating deliveries by truck or aircraft, and maintaining accurate records for explosive and non-explosive products. This role is responsible for ensuring site upkeep, including vehicle and road maintenance, snow removal, and enforcing regulatory health and safety standards. The Laborer also fosters positive customer relationships, ensures compliance with company policies, and reports safety updates to the Operations Manager.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Laborer

1. Laborer Duties

  • Building Operations: Responds to daily service calls by the Associate Director for Facilities Operations
  • Tool Maintenance: Maintains all tools and working materials in a safe condition and in proper working order
  • Preventive Maintenance: Performs yearly preventive maintenance on all residential appliances
  • Filter Replacement: Replaces range/cooking stove filters in Campus Village residences
  • Furniture Inspection: Checks the condition of all UHS furniture inventory annually, removes, replaces, and repairs
  • Recycling Removal: Removes recycling from common areas
  • Cardboard Removal: Assists with the removal of all cardboard from all buildings during move-in and move-out periods
  • Data Reporting: Retrieves data and prepares reports using manual or computerized recording systems
  • Furniture Moving: Provides moving of residential furniture for custodial staff during summer turnover cleaning periods
  • Furniture Delivery: Delivers furniture within, to, and from offices, residential rooms, and common areas
  • Material Handling: Completes material handling delivery with powered and non-powered equipment regularly
  • Equipment Operation: Utilizes a wet vacuum to clean flooded areas, an electric tug for the removal of recycling bins from buildings to the designated pick-up area, and pressure-washing equipment

2. Laborer Details

  • Container Loading: Loads and empties residential or commercial containers into a truck manually or mechanically.
  • Container Maneuvering: Maneuvers containers that are staged curbside, dockside, carryout, or require pullout to complete service.
  • Hoist Operation: Operates the hoisting device to lift and empty bins or containers into the truck hopper.
  • Bin Placement: Places any bins serviced at any customer location back where they were picked up from in the upright position with covers placed back on the containers.
  • Route Assistance: Assists the driver with all backing maneuvers while on route.
  • Waste Loading: Loads trash and recycling into a rear-load truck in fluctuating weather conditions.
  • Physical Stamina: Maintains the stamina to complete the duties of this physically demanding position.
  • Industry Adaptability: Works in a high-paced, ever-changing industry.
  • Professional Communication: Communicates professionally when dealing with customers and other employees.
  • Training Participation: Participates in training and other learning opportunities to expand knowledge of the company, products, sales, and services, and performs any other duties needed to help drive the vision, fulfill the mission, or abide by the core values.

3. Laborer Responsibilities

  • General Labor: Perform a wide variety of duties in general manual laborer work at plants, offices, yards, and quarries.
  • Heavy Lifting: Work will require repetitive heavy lifting, shoveling, handwork, climbing, and performing work at different heights.
  • Equipment Assistance: Assist in any equipment operation and servicing, using basic tools to accomplish the work, such as shovels, brooms, wheelbarrows, etc.
  • Safety Compliance: Comply with the company's General Conduct and Safety Rules.
  • Waste Cleaning: Clean and dispose of waste materials, debris, residue from, on top of, under, and out of different locations throughout the plant.
  • Equipment Operation: Fill in or operate any equipment and assist operators.
  • Truck Knowledge: Knows and understands how to operate the water truck, sweeper, or vacuum truck.
  • Problem Reporting: Report any potential operational or safety problems to supervision.
  • Maintenance Support: Assist in the maintenance, repair, and installation of new or rebuilt machinery and equipment.
  • Landscape Work: Cut grass, weeds, trim bushes, and hedges, and perform general landscape work.
  • Material Handling: Help load and unload railcars, trucks, or any other vehicles.

4. Laborer Accountabilities

  • Forklift Operation: Operate a forklift both safely and efficiently.
  • Regulation Compliance: Comply with company, state, and governmental health and safety regulations.
  • Orderly Work: Perform all work assigned in a neat and orderly manner, strictly adhering to Company and governmental safety rules and regulations.
  • Plant Cleanup: Perform general clean-up in all operational areas of the plant.
  • Loader Operation: Operate front-end loader and dump truck for clean-up work.
  • SQF Compliance: Ensure an SQF workplace and regulatory compliance with the Federal FDA.
  • Safety Support: Support Environmental Health and Safety, as well as SQF initiatives and awareness programs.
  • Safety Leadership: Be a leader and promoter of employee safety and SQF culture.
  • Training Clarity: Ensure employees have a clear understanding of expected safety and SQF performance and the required training.
  • Training Programs: Ensure proper training programs are implemented for new employees and continued for existing employees.
  • Audit Participation: Actively participate in audits for regulatory, safety, SQF, and environmental compliance at the site.

5. Laborer Functions

  • Door Security: Locking and unlocking of doors and windows in units under construction, office spaces, and storage spaces within the construction project.
  • Heat Monitoring: Supplying and monitoring the construction heat in units under construction from propane, natural gas, and electric heat supplies.
  • Material Delivery: Supplying and delivering building materials for the site staff, the site office, and the tradespeople.
  • Equipment Care: Be responsible for the care and maintenance of company-owned or rented vehicles, tools, and equipment.
  • Safety Installation: Installing and monitoring safety rails, ramps, and guards, including excavation hole protection.
  • Insulation Installation: Installing insulation, vapour barrier, acoustic sealant, clamping, foam, and construction locks in units under construction.
  • Policy Compliance: Ensuring compliance with the organization's policies and procedures, including health and safety.
  • Safety Regulation: Ensuring compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations for Construction projects.

6. Laborer Overview

  • Parts Handling: Load and unload parts from conveyors, WIP racks, boxes, or other receptacles.
  • Parts Inspection: Visual inspection of parts and placement of the same in accordance with work instructions for process steps defined.
  • Process Inspection: Continual inspection of parts throughout processes and labelling in some circumstances ensures adequate processing of parts.
  • Label Printing: Ensure accurate printing of labels for labelling use.
  • Defect Identification: Identify defective parts and place them into rework racks, as per procedures.
  • Stocking Activities: Carry out stocking activities to ensure a constant supply of solutions, cloths, gloves, tape, labels, and other tools and supplies, using proper Health and Safety procedures for all activities.
  • Team Collaboration: Work with other staff to accomplish tasks efficiently and effectively, to resolve production barriers, and to achieve maximum customer support.
  • Safety Compliance: Work in compliance with the OH&S Act, use required PPE and devices, report defects in safety gear, hazards, and contraventions of the Act.
  • Equipment Maintenance: Maintain tools and equipment in good condition, reporting malfunctions and deficiencies.
  • Supply Management: Ensure adequate supplies of working materials.
  • Issue Reporting: Report problems and quality issues to the Supervisor.

7. Laborer Details and Accountabilities

  • Water Maintenance: Support the installation, repair, and maintenance of water pipes and associated fittings as per Work Order instructions or job pack, meeting relevant quality and productivity standards.
  • Technical Expertise: Maintain level of professional expertise to ensure ability to install, repair, and maintain a wide range of makes, types, and complexities of water mains, services, and associated equipment.
  • Regulation Adherence: Adhere to NRSWA Regulations and the Traffic Management Act.
  • Vehicle Upkeep: Maintain a tidy vehicle, both internally and externally, and report any faults to the relevant line manager.
  • Driving Conduct: Promote and uphold the company's Courteous Driving Policy.
  • Equipment Management: Ensure that all equipment is maintained, used correctly, and that all relevant paperwork is completed daily.
  • Material Judgment: Exercise judgments on materials used to ensure the appropriate and safe repair is balanced with the requirement to maximize cost effectiveness.
  • Work Feedback: Provide full feedback on work undertaken to the Head Office daily.
  • Standby Participation: Participate in the 24-hour reactive standby rota to assist the company in maintaining service provision to its customers.

8. Laborer Tasks

  • Bag Filling: Be responsible for the proper filling of bag products to comply with specifications and customer requirements.
  • Packaging Operation: Ensure proper operation and care of packaging equipment to maximize bag filling efficiency and maintain bag weight accuracy.
  • Equipment Adjustment: Operate, problem solve, and make necessary adjustments to the Bag Packers, Palletizer, and Stretch Wrappers.
  • Equipment Inspection: Continuously inspect all bagging-related equipment to detect mechanical problems and ensure employee safety.
  • Manual Labor: Perform a wide variety of general manual labour work, requiring repetitive heavy lifting, shoveling, handwork, climbing, and performing work at different heights.
  • Equipment Assistance: Assist in any equipment operation and servicing, using basic tools to accomplish the work, such as shovels, brooms, wheelbarrows, etc.
  • Plant Cleaning: Clean spilled lime and limestone product and residue on top of, under, and out of different locations throughout the plant.
  • Safety Compliance: Perform all work assigned in a neat and orderly manner, adhering to Lhoist safety rules and WorkSafe regulations.
  • Problem Reporting: Report any potential operational or safety problems to management.

9. Laborer Roles

  • Site Operations: Assist with the site operations daily.
  • Customer Relations: Promote strong and positive working relationships with customers.
  • Delivery Coordination: Receive deliveries and schedule all packaged deliveries to all customers by delivery truck or aircraft.
  • Inventory Management: Ensure an adequate and consistent inventory of both packaged and bulk explosives to meet the customer's requirements.
  • Product Tracking: Maintain an accurate and up-to-date inventory of all products, explosive and non-explosive.
  • Resource Acquisition: Acquire products and services required for the continuance of day-to-day operations, including vehicle maintenance and repair, warehouse site maintenance, site road maintenance, and snow removal.
  • Documentation Completion: Complete any applicable documents, forms, and reports required for the business operations of the site.
  • Safety Enforcement: Apply and enforce regulatory, health, and safety requirements and support the HSE Performance Standards to ensure personal safety, the safety of all employees, company assets, the environment, and regulatory compliance.
  • Operational Adherence: Adhered to the operation in regards to personnel workings, product storage, and product transportation.
  • Policy Compliance: Ensure that company policies and standard operating procedures are up-to-date and followed by the employees.
  • Safety Participation: Attend monthly safety meetings in both offices and report these to the Operations Manager.

10. Laborer Additional Details

  • Furniture Assembly: Assembly of furniture, equipment, and tentage, including minor repairs.
  • Training Support: Decamp and pack of furniture, equipment, and tentage in support of training.
  • Preparation Duties: General duties in preparation for formal visits and competitions, including localized road gutter clearing, light verge, shrub, and tree clearance, and painting.
  • Walkway Clearance: Pedestrian walkway clearance of debris to prevent slipping and falls.
  • Hazard Removal: Build escapement clearance of slip and trip hazards.
  • Tool Operation: Operation and use of hand tools, manual and powered.
  • Equipment Operation: Operation and use of mechanically, manually propelled, or static equipment in direct support of labouring duties.
  • Driving Duties: Carry out driving duties and forklift duties in direct support of labouring tasks in compliance with JSP 800 when using Authority vehicles.
  • Disposal Assistance: Assist in the disposal of unserviceable or mutilated stores and equipment.
  • Labouring Support: Carry out labouring duties within the scope of the MoD Industrial Grading Guidance for an SZ1 in direct support of the QM's responsibilities for Phase 2 and Phase 3 training.

11. Laborer Essential Functions

  • Material Transport: Transport raw materials, finished products, and packaging materials throughout the plant and warehouse manually or with powered equipment.
  • Ingredient Handling: Measure and dump ingredients into hoppers of mixing and grinding machines or mobile tank trucks.
  • Machine Feeding: Feed and unload food and associated products processing machines.
  • Box Forming: Feed flattened boxes into forming machines to construct containers.
  • Container Packing: Remove filled containers from conveyors and manually pack goods into bags, boxes, or other containers.
  • Work Cleaning: Clean work areas and equipment.
  • Quality Checking: Check products and packaging for basic quality defects.
  • Operator Assistance: Assist process control and machine operators in performing their duties.

12. Laborer Role Purpose

  • Porterage Support: Work as a member of the Porterage team to ensure efficient, effective, and proactive running of the service.
  • Service Tasks: Perform a variety of tasks related to the Porterage service, including the Internal Van Driving function, and flexibly and proactively respond to any client requirements.
  • Documentation Accuracy: Understand and complete all work-related documentation accurately and on time.
  • Policy Compliance: Understand and comply with company ethics, policies, and procedures.
  • Safe Working: Carry out work safely and diligently.
  • Health Safety: Comply with all Health and Safety policies and procedures.
  • Training Participation: Attend and fully participate in training and appraisal activities.
  • Team Assistance: Assist the wider Porterage Team with service delivery to customers in line with capabilities.
  • Furniture Moving: Be responsible for moving furniture items safely around the building, event, and meeting room set up across five of the data centres for the client.

13. Laborer General Responsibilities

  • Trade Assistance: Assist the tradesperson in carrying out work in the College properties to a required standard.
  • Room Setup: Carry out removal works, set up rooms, and move equipment.
  • Labouring Duties: Carry out labouring duties both in the workshop and in the College properties.
  • Record Completion: Completion of timesheets and similar records to show completed work.
  • Safety Compliance: Adhere to current health and safety legislation and best practice in accordance with the College Health and Safety policy statement.
  • Personal Safety: Ensure own safety and the safety of others who may be affected by own actions.
  • Instruction Cooperation: Employees must follow instructions and cooperate at all times with their line manager to enable the College to meet its legal responsibilities.
  • Risk Reporting: Employees must stop work if the nature of the situation involves a risk of serious injury to any person, and must report any hazardous situation or defective equipment to their line manager without delay.
  • Trade Support: Assist other trades within the post holder’s competence and experience.
  • Equality Commitment: Commitment and promotion of equality, diversity, and inclusion.
  • Safeguarding Support: Commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, including completing safeguarding training and ensuring any safeguarding updates issued by the College are read and understood.
  • Confidentiality Compliance: Understand and comply with procedures and legislation relating to confidentiality.

14. Laborer Key Accountabilities

  • Order Processing: Processes warehouse orders, distributes centralized shipments, and operates electronic devices to input inventory items into the Automated Inventory Management (AIM) System.
  • Vehicle Operation: Operates commercial vehicles to deliver parts, chairs, and risers to schools and APS facilities.
  • Equipment Distribution: Performs a variety of tasks in the receipt and distribution of chairs, risers, and equipment.
  • Inventory Handling: Operates warehouse equipment to receive, store, and retrieve inventory items, and removes district obsolete and damaged inventory.
  • Parts Receiving: Receives, unloads, and delivers repair parts and products using pallet jacks or forklifts for FSW and other departments.
  • Shelf Restocking: Restocks parts shelves and enters inventory using the Automated Inventory Management (AIM) System.
  • Counter Support: Assists in backing up the parts counter staff.
  • Lamp Recycling: Recycles old, used, or defective fluorescent lamps from schools and prepares them for vendor pickup.
  • Event Equipment: Delivers, picks up, assembles, and stages risers, platforms, chairs, and other equipment to various facilities.
  • Equipment Repair: Repairs risers, platforms, and chairs used as loaners to schools and the Superintendent's off-site events.
  • Material Movement: Operates warehouse equipment to expedite materials and equipment in and out of the warehouse.
  • Facility Maintenance: Maintains a clean warehouse facility, equipment, and trucks.

15. Laborer Roles and Details

  • Tool Use: Use of hand tools to dismantle equipment, install silt fence, and rip rap.
  • RAD Monitoring: Assist in environmental RAD monitoring.
  • Team Work: Work in a team environment safely and productively.
  • Project Support: Perform other general labor work in support of project activities.
  • Equipment Inspection: Perform daily inspections and maintenance on equipment.
  • Safety Communication: Ensure that any safety incidents are promptly communicated and managed in accordance with company protocols.
  • Concrete Support: Assist in the preparation, installation, repair, or rebuilding of masonry and concrete structures.
  • Manual Labor: Perform general manual labor duties, including digging and hauling material.

16. Laborer Responsibilities and Key Tasks

  • Material Loading: Reporting to the Warehouse Manager, be responsible for loading and unloading heavy materials.
  • Product Preparation: Preparing products for loading and shipping.
  • Material Carrying: Carrying heavy materials to their correct locations.
  • Log Updating: Regularly updating warehouse logs to ensure accurate information is recorded.
  • Product Inspection: Ensuring products are of the highest standard before being shipped.
  • Product Handling: Handling all products with care and following the correct safety procedures.
  • Area Cleaning: Cleaning and keeping areas clean, free from excess dust and litter, and using spray units.
  • Station Work: Working within the Transfers Station and the picking station facility.
  • Safety Reporting: Identify and report Health and Safety incidents and follow the correct reporting procedure.

17. Laborer Duties and Roles

  • Safety Compliance: Follow all of the established Gerdau safety, environmental, and routine procedures specific to the yard.
  • Operational Assistance: Assist in the daily operations and maintenance.
  • Area Maintenance: Maintain the work area in a clean and orderly fashion.
  • Team Support: Assist co-workers in general operational duties that are essential to the yard in terms of safety, efficiency, and profitability.
  • Problem Solving: Provide problem-solving input and contributions.
  • Customer Service: Provide excellent customer service.
  • Value Promotion: Promote and practice the core values.
  • Equipment Security: Ensure that tools and equipment are stored securely and safely at all times.
  • Health Safety: Ensure that all activities are carried out in compliance with all statutory Health and Safety requirements.
  • Risk Compliance: Follow all Risk and COSHH Assessments and instructions provided in toolbox talks.

18. Laborer Details and Accountabilities

  • Trash Removal: Remove trash and drop off at waste management facilities.
  • Freight Unloading: Unload planes and other incoming freight.
  • Pump Checks: Perform daily surface pump checks.
  • Line Maintenance: Tailings and reclaim line insulating and maintenance.
  • Project Completion: Complete projects within the allotted period.
  • Work Area Cleaning: Maintain a clean and safe working area.
  • Safe Work: Ensure all work is done safely and efficiently.
  • Material Handling: Load and unload wooden and raw materials and move materials to work areas.
  • Carpenter Assistance: Assist and work closely with the supervisors and carpenters.
  • Factory Tidiness: Help keep the factory or workplace tidy.

19. Laborer Responsibilities

  • Material Movement: Loads and unloads trucks and other conveyances, and moves supplies and materials.
  • Refuse Collection: Collects refuse and salvageable materials.
  • Excavation Work: Digs, fills, and tamps earth excavations.
  • Furniture Moving: Moves and arranges heavy pieces of office and household furniture, equipment, and appliances.
  • Escort Duties: Escorts subcontract workers, buses, trucks, etc.
  • Physical Labor: Work will involve physical exertion of a practical nature.
  • Safe Work: Work safely and follow the policies and procedures of the company.
  • Shovel Work: Allow various labor activities, including shoveling dirt, sand, asphalt, or concrete using short or long-handle shovels.
  • Vegetation Cutting: Cut or trim trees and vegetation using axes, ditch blades, sling blades, chain saws, or power weed trimmers.
  • Impact Tools: Drive stakes or break pavement using sledge hammers, and dig holes using hand-operated post hole diggers.
  • Compaction Operation: Operate hand-driven compaction devices and broom dirt and debris using hand brooms.
  • Road Labor: General laborer duties associated with road construction, including running small power tools, shoveling, raking, operating equipment, spotting, flagging, etc.
  • Concrete Assistance: Assisting the team with concrete pouring, concrete forming, gravel placement, underground work, and earthworks.
  • Site Cleanup: Prepare and clean up construction sites.
  • Material Handling: Handle and distribute construction materials.

20. Laborer General Responsibilities

  • Safety Compliance: Ensure a safe work environment in compliance with all federal, state, local, and company safety policies and procedures using the appropriate tools and equipment for each task.
  • Equipment Operation: Operate skid steer, broom tractor, and loader.
  • Utility Location: Locate and identify utility lines.
  • Site Spotting: Act as spotter and flagger for haulers entering or exiting the job site.
  • Tool Use: Use various tools such as shovel, brooms, pick, mattock, brush hook, rake, pneumatic hammer or drill, tamp manual or power driven, concrete saw, sledgehammer, and other tools associated with manual labor.
  • PPE Compliance: Perform all work functions in appropriate PPE.
  • Kitchen Removal: Strip the old kitchen out and flat-pack the old material in the skip.
  • Wall Preparation: Prep walls ready for plaster work to take place.
  • Wall Patching: Involve patching some walls with plasterboard and sheeting pipe boxes.
  • Wipe Assembly: Assemble and pack sanitary wipes and prepare for shipment.
  • Sanitizer Packing: Bottle and pack hand sanitizer and prepare for shipment.
  • Shipping Documentation: Prepare all documentation for shipping, ensuring accuracy and adhering to deadlines.
  • Health Safety: Follow all company and legislated health and safety requirements.
  • Delivery Support: Utilized as a delivery driver, pending a clean driving record and a G-class license.
  • Site Setup: Perform setup and cleanup tasks on and off-site.
  • Height Work: Climb to heights and assist in conducting work while properly using safety restraints.