Profession concrete finisher

Concrete finishers work with binding agents like cement and concrete. They put up any removable forms and pour concrete into the forms. They then execute one or several actions to finish the concrete: cutting, screeding or levelling, compacting, smoothing, and chamfering to prevent chipping.

Personality Type

• Realistic / Enterprising
• Realistic / Artistic
• Realistic / Conventional

Skills

• Work ergonomically

  Apply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.

• Use safety equipment in construction

  Use elements of protective clothing such as steel-tipped shoes, and gear such as protective goggles, in order to minimise risk of accidents in construction and to mitigate any injury if an accident does occur.

• Prevent damage to utility infrastructure

  Consult utility companies or plans on the location of any utility infrastructure that may interfere with a project or be damaged by it. Take the necessary steps to avoid damage.

• Clean wood surface

  Use a variety of techniques on a wood surface to ensure it is free of dust, sawdust, grease, stains, and other contaminants.

• Follow health and safety procedures in construction

  Apply the relevant health and safety procedures in construction in order to prevent accidents, pollution and other risks.

• Use measurement instruments

  Use different measurement instruments depending on the property to be measured. Utilise various instruments to measure length, area, volume, speed, energy, force, and others.

• Remove concrete forms

  Remove concrete forms after the concrete has cured fully. Recuperate materials if possible, cleaning it and taking the right steps to store it for later reuse.

• Monitor concrete curing process

  Monitor the process where the poured concrete cures or sets. Make sure the concrete does not dry too quickly, which may cause cracking. Rehumidify the concrete when called for.

• Transport construction supplies

  Bring construction materials, tools and equipment to the construction site and store them properly taking various aspects into account such as the workers' safety and protection from deterioration.

• Place concrete forms

  Set up forms out of wood, plywood, various plastics, or other suitable materials to form concrete into supportive columns or walls. Place sheathing delineating the shape of the planned structure and use supportive constructions, usually incorporating wales, cleats and stakes, to keep the sheathing firmly in place as the concrete cures.

• React to events in time-critical environments

  Monitor the situation around you and anticipate. Be ready to take quick and appropriate action in case of unexpected events.

• Mix concrete

  Use compact concrete mixers or various ad-hoc containers such as wheelbarrows to mix concrete. Prepare the correct quantities of cement, water, aggregate and optional added ingredients, and mix the ingredients until an homogenous concrete is formed.

• Inspect supplied concrete

  Check the quantity and quality of delivered concrete. Make sure that the concrete will withstand any expected pressures.

• Screed concrete

  Smooth the surface of freshly poured concrete using a screed.

• Inspect concrete structures

  Visually inspect a concrete structure to see if it is structurally sound. Check for different types of cracks, such as those due to reinforcement corrosion, impact damage or high water content.

• Pour concrete

  Pour concrete into a form from a mixer truck chute, hopper or hose. Pour the correct amount to balance efficiency with the risk of the concrete not setting completely.

• Work in a construction team

  Work as part of a team in a construction project. Communicate efficiently, sharing information with team members and reporting to supervisors. Follow instructions and adapt to changes in a flexible manner.

• Recognise signs of corrosion

  Recognise the symptoms of metal showing oxidation reactions with the environment resulting in rusting, copper pitting, stress cracking, and others, and estimate the rate of corrosion.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB