- context The construction industry is responsible for building, repairing, and maintaining infrastructure. It generally requires its workers to work in ever-changing locations and environments. This profile is intended for general construction workers.
// Occupations and Workplaces
Construction Worker - General
What is the construction industry? The construction industry is responsible for building, repairing, and maintaining infrastructure.
- // Issues
- 23
- // Requirements
- 30
- // Page links
- 60
Construction workers include a broad range of workers involved in construction activities. Construction workers can be an umbrella term for the different trades and disciplines on a construction project, including labourers, steel workers, plumbers, roofers, electricians, welders, and many more. Some of the main duties of a general construction worker are to:
- duty Install various commercial, industrial or residential systems.
- duty Ensure that projects conform to building codes and regulations.
- duty Use, clean and maintain various types of equipment.
- duty Supervise or apprentice other workers.
- context A construction trade refers to a specific craft or occupation within the construction industry that involves specialized skills and knowledge. Some trades require going to trade school, while other skills are learned through an apprenticeship under the guidance of an experienced professional or a combination of the two.
- context Every Canadian jurisdiction has a minimum age requirement for construction workers. Check your jurisdiction’s requirements. A good practice is to pair young and new workers with a more experienced worker. Studies from organizations such as the Institute for Work and Health indicate that new workers are more vulnerable to injury at any age.
- ergonomic Pain or injury from physical overexertion, repetitive manual tasks, prolonged standing, or working in awkward positions.
- biological Exposure to moulds, fungi and bird or rodent droppings.
- chemical Exposure to lead, wood dust, asbestos, paints, solvents, and other toxic chemicals or materials
- physical Working in extreme hot or cold temperatures and UV radiation.
- physical Working in adverse weather conditions (such as cold, heat, high winds, or lightning).
- general Working with hand tools, powered tools, and heavy powered equipment.
- physical Excess vibration in the hands, arms, or body from powered tools or equipment.
- safety Confined spaces.
- physical Noise.
- safety Working at heights.
- general Working with portable ladders and fixed ladders.
- safety Electrical hazards.
- safety Hazardous energy control, including lockout/tag out.
- general Working with cranes, hoists, and other material handling equipment.
- safety Slips, trips and falls.
- chemical Respiratory hazards from wood dust.
- chemical Explosion and fire hazards from combustible dusts.
- psychosocial Stress.
- psychosocial Shift work or extended work days.
- psychosocial Working alone.
- safety Struck by mobile equipment.
- general Maintaining good housekeeping.
- psychosocial Workplace violence and harassment.
- requirement Scan the workplace for existing and potential hazards before work begins and take appropriate controls. Be aware that conditions change constantly.
- administrative Inspect all equipment and machinery for any defects before work begins.
- requirement Keep tools and equipment in good working order.
- ppe Use correct personal protective equipment and apparel, including safety footwear.
- requirement Keep all work areas clear of clutter and equipment.
- requirement Avoid awkward body positions or take frequent breaks.
- requirement Learn safe lifting techniques.
- administrative Have training before beginning any task, especially high-risk activities such as working at heights, hazardous energy control (lockout/tag out), or confined space entry.
- requirement Follow a recommended shiftwork pattern, and be aware of the associated hazards.
- requirement Be aware of seasonal hazards from working in extreme temperatures.
- requirement Know how to get help in an emergency for working alone situations.
- requirement Be aware of the emergency response plans before work begins.
- requirement Confined space entry
- requirement Working at heights
- requirement Electrical safety
- requirement Lockout/tagout of machinery
- engineering Machinery and safeguard
- requirement Ladders
- requirement Material handling
- requirement Working with tools and equipment
- requirement Working alone
- requirement Extreme work temperatures
- requirement Fire safety
- administrative Follow safety procedures for:
- requirement Practice safe lifting techniques.
- requirement Know how to identify hazards
- administrative Follow company safety rules and safe operating procedures.
- requirement Stay informed about chemical hazards and WHMIS 2015.
- administrative Know how to report a hazard.
- administrative Follow good housekeeping procedures.
// Hand tools
- 1 Clamps
- 2 Cutting Tools for Bolts, Cables, and Strapping
- 3 Gear Pullers
- 4 General Hand Tool Operation
- 5 Hammers
- 6 Hand Saw
- 7 Non-sparking tools
- 8 Pipe Tools - Wrenches, Cutters, Reamers, and Threaders
- 9 Pliers and Wire Cutters
- 10 Screwdrivers
- 11 Snips
- 12 Struck Tools
- 13 Vises
- 14 Wood Chisels
- 15 Wrenches
// Portal
Biological
Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.
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Chemicals
Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.
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Confined Spaces
Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.
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Electrical
Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.
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Ladders
Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.
// Portal
Lifting, pushing, pulling
Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.
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Mould
Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.
// Portal
Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)
Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.
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Noise
Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.
// Portal
Radiation
Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.
// Portal
Shiftwork
Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.
// Portal
Sitting, standing, …
Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.
// Portal
Stress
Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.
// Portal
Violence / Bullying
Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.
// Portal
Weather
Notes for this occupation. Open one to read the practices and the protection it calls for.
Construction Worker - General
HAS_ISSUE 23
HAS_REQUIREMENT 30
LINKS_TO 60
SOURCE_PAGE 1
0 broken or blocked links · 14 links resolved to a newer URL.
Other CCOHS pages 1
- Inquiries Service related · Where can I get more information?
Fact sheets 44
- Canadian jurisdiction body · What is the minimum age requirement for a construction worker?
- Confined space moved body · What are some good general safe work practices?
- Confined spaces moved body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- Designing an Effective PPE Program related · Related Fact Sheets
- Electrical body · What are some good general safe work practices?
- Electrical hazards body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- Fire safety body · What are some good general safe work practices?
- Hazardous energy control body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- Lockout/tagout body · What are some good general safe work practices?
- Noise moved body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- Slips, trips and falls body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- Stress body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- UV radiation body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- Working alone moved body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- Working alone moved body · What are some good general safe work practices?
- Working at heights moved body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- Workplace Housekeeping - Checklist for Construction Sites related · Related Fact Sheets
- Workplace violence and harassment. moved body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- awkward positions body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- bird body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- cold body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- cold body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- combustible dusts body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- fixed ladders body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- good housekeeping moved body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- good housekeeping moved body · What are some good general safe work practices?
- heat body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- high winds moved body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- hot body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- identify hazards moved body · What are some good general safe work practices?
- lead body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- lifting body · What are some good general safe work practices?
- lightning moved body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- lockout/tag out body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- moulds, fungi moved body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- portable ladders body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- prolonged standing body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- repetitive manual tasks moved body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- report a hazard body · What are some good general safe work practices?
- rodent body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- roofers body · What does a construction worker do?
- safeguard body · What are some good general safe work practices?
- safety footwear body · What are some preventive measures for construction workers?
- wood dust body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
Occupations 3
- electricians body · What does a construction worker do?
- plumbers body · What does a construction worker do?
- welders body · What does a construction worker do?
PDFs 1
- Download PDF pdf · Download PDF
Section indexes 11
- Ladders body · What are some good general safe work practices?
- Material handling body · What are some good general safe work practices?
- Shift work body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- WHMIS 2015 body · What are some good general safe work practices?
- chemicals or materials body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- extended work days body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- hand tools body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- material handling equipment body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- personal protective equipment body · What are some preventive measures for construction workers?
- powered tools body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?
- vibration body · What are some health and safety issues for construction workers?