Construction Laborers
Construction and Extraction Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 47-2061.00
Perform tasks involving physical labor at construction sites. May operate hand and power tools of all types: air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, surveying and measuring equipment, and a variety of other equipment and instruments. May clean and prepare sites, dig trenches, set braces to support the sides of excavations, erect scaffolding, and clean up rubble, debris, and other waste materials. May assist other craft workers.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
Low· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.028
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.09
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Show 30 hidden tasks32 rated tasks · 2 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (6.3%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- 5 rated tasks are not in the O*NET 31.0 task list; their scores are kept as published for O*NET 27.2.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
| Task (O*NET 20.1) | Claude.aiRaw / share % | APIRaw / share % |
|---|---|---|
Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities.47-2061.00 | 0.002541.0 | 0.0093100.0 |
Provide assistance to craft workers, such as carpenters, plasterers, or masons.47-2061.00 | 0.001931.1 | —0 |
Measure, mark, or record openings or distances to layout areas where construction work will be performed.47-2061.00 | 0.001727.9 | —0 |
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities.O*NET Task ID 11456 | 0.5 |
Measure, mark, or record openings or distances to layout areas where construction work will be performed.O*NET Task ID 11461 | 0.5 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Anthropic Economic Index, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (27)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Clean or prepare construction sites to eliminate possible hazards. | Core |
| Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities. | Core |
| Signal equipment operators to facilitate alignment, movement, or adjustment of machinery, equipment, or materials. | Core |
| Dig ditches or trenches, backfill excavations, or compact and level earth to grade specifications, using picks, shovels, pneumatic tampers, or rakes. | Core |
| Measure, mark, or record openings or distances to layout areas where construction work will be performed. | Core |
| Load, unload, or identify building materials, machinery, or tools, distributing them to the appropriate locations, according to project plans or specifications. | Core |
| Lubricate, clean, or repair machinery, equipment, or tools. | Core |
| Tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment or to heat or move materials, such as asphalt. | Core |
| Control traffic passing near, in, or around work zones. | Supplemental |
| Position, join, align, or seal structural components, such as concrete wall sections or pipes. | Supplemental |
| Erect or dismantle scaffolding, shoring, braces, traffic barricades, ramps, or other temporary structures. | Supplemental |
| Position or dismantle forms for pouring concrete, using saws, hammers, nails, or bolts. | Supplemental |
| Operate jackhammers or drills to break up concrete or pavement. | Supplemental |
| Smooth or finish freshly poured cement or concrete, using floats, trowels, screeds, or powered cement finishing tools. | Supplemental |
| Operate or maintain air monitoring or other sampling devices in confined or hazardous environments. | Supplemental |
| Install sewer, water, or storm drain pipes, using pipe-laying machinery or laser guidance equipment. | Supplemental |
| Provide assistance to craft workers, such as carpenters, plasterers, or masons. | Supplemental |
| Mop, brush, or spread paints, cleaning solutions, or other compounds over surfaces to clean them or to provide protection. | Supplemental |
| Place, consolidate, or protect case-in-place concrete or masonry structures. | Supplemental |
| Mix, pour, or spread concrete, using portable cement mixers. | Supplemental |
| Grind, scrape, sand, or polish surfaces, such as concrete, marble, terrazzo, or wood flooring, using abrasive tools or machines. | Supplemental |
| Tend machines that pump concrete, grout, cement, sand, plaster, or stucco through spray guns for application to ceilings or walls. | Supplemental |
| Mix ingredients to create compounds for covering or cleaning surfaces. | Supplemental |
| Raze buildings or salvage useful materials. | Supplemental |
| Spray materials, such as water, sand, steam, vinyl, paint, or stucco, through hoses to clean, coat, or seal surfaces. | Supplemental |
| Apply caulking compounds by hand or caulking guns to protect against entry of water or air. | Supplemental |
| Perform site activities required of green certified construction practices, such as implementing waste management procedures, identifying materials for reuse, or installing erosion or sedimentation control mechanisms. | Supplemental |
1.05/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Clean or prepare construction sites to eliminate possible hazards. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Dig ditches or trenches, backfill excavations, or compact and level earth to grade specifications, using picks, shovels, pneumatic tampers, or rakes. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Measure, mark, or record openings or distances to layout areas where construction work will be performed. | E3 unstructured settings |
| Load, unload, or identify building materials, machinery, or tools, distributing them to the appropriate locations, according to project plans or specifications. | E2 structured facilities |
| Lubricate, clean, or repair machinery, equipment, or tools. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment or to heat or move materials, such as asphalt. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Control traffic passing near, in, or around work zones. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Position, join, align, or seal structural components, such as concrete wall sections or pipes. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Erect or dismantle scaffolding, shoring, braces, traffic barricades, ramps, or other temporary structures. | E0 none |
| Position or dismantle forms for pouring concrete, using saws, hammers, nails, or bolts. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Operate jackhammers or drills to break up concrete or pavement. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Smooth or finish freshly poured cement or concrete, using floats, trowels, screeds, or powered cement finishing tools. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Operate or maintain air monitoring or other sampling devices in confined or hazardous environments. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Install sewer, water, or storm drain pipes, using pipe-laying machinery or laser guidance equipment. | E0 none |
| Provide assistance to craft workers, such as carpenters, plasterers, or masons. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Mop, brush, or spread paints, cleaning solutions, or other compounds over surfaces to clean them or to provide protection. | E2 structured facilities |
| Place, consolidate, or protect case-in-place concrete or masonry structures. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Mix, pour, or spread concrete, using portable cement mixers. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Grind, scrape, sand, or polish surfaces, such as concrete, marble, terrazzo, or wood flooring, using abrasive tools or machines. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Tend machines that pump concrete, grout, cement, sand, plaster, or stucco through spray guns for application to ceilings or walls. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Mix ingredients to create compounds for covering or cleaning surfaces. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Raze buildings or salvage useful materials. | E0 none |
| Spray materials, such as water, sand, steam, vinyl, paint, or stucco, through hoses to clean, coat, or seal surfaces. | E2 structured facilities |
| Apply caulking compounds by hand or caulking guns to protect against entry of water or air. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
| Perform site activities required of green certified construction practices, such as implementing waste management procedures, identifying materials for reuse, or installing erosion or sedimentation control mechanisms. | E1 purpose-built robot settings |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
- Employment, 2025
- 1.5M
- Projected employment, 2035
- 1.6M
- Change (2025–35)
- +7.3%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $47,120
- Typical education needed for entry
- No formal educational credential
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 91001 | 건설 단순 종사원 | Same scope | confirmed |
| 78291 | 비계공 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
| 78293 | 건물 해체원 | This occupation is broader | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 9313Building Construction Labourers
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
Building construction labourers perform routine tasks in connection with building construction and demolition work.
Tasks
- (a) cleaning used building bricks and doing other simple work on demolition sites;
- (b) mixing, pouring and spreading materials such as concrete, plaster and mortar;
- (c) digging and filling holes and trenches using hand held tools;
- (d) spreading sand, soil, gravel and similar materials;
- (e) loading and unloading construction materials, excavated material and equipment and transporting them around construction sites using wheelbarrows, hods and hand trucks;
- (f) cleaning work sites and removing obstructions.
Example occupations
Bricklayer's assistant · Construction labourer (building work) · Demolition labourer · Hod carrier
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- building construction workerESCO 9313.1This occupation is broader
Building construction workers prepare and maintain building construction activities on construction sites. They perform preparation and clean-up work in order to assist specialised construction workers.
- civil engineering workerESCO 9312.1This occupation is broader
Civil engineering workers perform tasks concerning the cleaning and preparation of construction sites for civil engineering projects. This includes the work on building and maintenance of roads, railways and dams.
- concrete finisherESCO 7114.1This occupation is broader
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.
- demolition workerESCO 7119.2This occupation is broader
Demolition workers operate equipment to demolish structures. They safely destroy buildings and remove the debris to permit the site to be used for a different purpose.
- road construction workerESCO 8342.6This occupation is broader
Road construction workers perform road construction on earthworks, substructure works and the pavement section of the road. They cover the compacted soil with one or more layers. Road construction workers usually lay a stabilising bed of sand or clay first before adding asphalt or concrete slabs in order to finish a road.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| F1704 | Manœuvre du Bâtiment et des Travaux Publics | Same scope |
| F1505 | Echafaudeur / Echafaudeuse | This occupation is broader |
| F1709 | Démolisseur / Démolisseuse | Related, not a match |
| I1501 | Opérateur / Opératrice cordiste | Related, not a match |
| I1511 | Technicien / Technicienne cordiste | Related, not a match |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 9601 | Peones de obras públicas | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| 9602 | Peones de la construcción de edificios | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| 7112 | Montadores de prefabricados estructurales (sólo hormigón) | Related, not a matchprovisional |
| 7199 | Otros trabajadores de las obras estructurales de construcción no clasificados bajo otros epígrafes | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 32101 | Berufe im Hochbau (ohne Spezialisierung) - Helfer-/Anlerntätigkeiten | This occupation is broader |
| 32201 | Berufe im Tiefbau (ohne Spezialisierung) - Helfer-/Anlerntätigkeiten | This occupation is broader |
| 33301 | Berufe im Aus- und Trockenbau (ohne Spezialisierung) - Helfer-/Anlerntätigkeiten | This occupation is broader |
| 32162 | Berufe im Gerüstbau - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| 32202 | Berufe im Tiefbau (ohne Spezialisierung) - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | This occupation is broaderprovisional |
| 31152 | Berufe in der Bauwerkserhaltung und -erneuerung - fachlich ausgerichtete Tätigkeiten | Related, not a match |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 681 | 土木従事者 | This occupation is narrower |
| 652 | とび職 | Related, not a match |
| 739 | その他の運搬・清掃・包装等従事者 | Related, not a match |
| 683 | ダム・トンネル掘削従事者 | Related, not a matchprovisional |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources