Will “Pick and Shovel Man” be Replaced By Robots? 🤔

88% Chance of Automation

“Pick and Shovel Man” will probably be replaced by robots.

This job is ranked #512 out of #702. A higher ranking (i.e., a lower number) means the job is less likely to be replaced.

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Job Description

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.

Job Details

The SOC (Standard Occupational Classification) code is 47-2061.00
The Mean Annual Wage in the U.S. is $ 37,890.00
The Mean Hourly Wage is $ 18.00
Currently, there are 912,100 people on this job

☝️ Information based on the reference occupation “Construction Laborers”.

Also Known As…

Tasks for “Pick and Shovel Man”

Install sewer, water, or storm drain pipes, using pipe-laying machinery or laser guidance equipment.
Read plans, instructions, or specifications to determine work activities.
Position, join, align, or seal structural components, such as concrete wall sections or pipes.
Raze buildings or salvage useful materials.
Grind, scrape, sand, or polish surfaces, such as concrete, marble, terrazzo, or wood flooring, using abrasive tools or machines.
Perform building weatherization tasks, such as repairing windows, adding insulation, or applying weather-stripping materials.
Position or dismantle forms for pouring concrete, using saws, hammers, nails, or bolts.
Perform construction laborer duties at green building sites, such as renewable energy plants or wind turbine installations.
Mix, pour, or spread concrete, using portable cement mixers.
Apply caulking compounds by hand or caulking guns to protect against entry of water or air.
Measure, mark, or record openings or distances to layout areas where construction work will be performed.
Lubricate, clean, or repair machinery, equipment, or tools.
Clean or prepare construction sites to eliminate possible hazards.
Mix ingredients to create compounds for covering or cleaning surfaces.
Tend machines that pump concrete, grout, cement, sand, plaster, or stucco through spray guns for application to ceilings or walls.
Identify, pack, or transport hazardous or radioactive materials.
Operate or maintain air monitoring or other sampling devices in confined or hazardous environments.
Apply weather-stripping to reduce energy loss.
Load, unload, or identify building materials, machinery, or tools, distributing them to the appropriate locations, according to project plans or specifications.
Tend pumps, compressors, or generators to provide power for tools, machinery, or equipment or to heat or move materials, such as asphalt.
Transport or set explosives for tunnel, shaft, or road construction.
Place, consolidate, or protect case-in-place concrete or masonry structures.
Mop, brush, or spread paints, cleaning solutions, or other compounds over surfaces to clean them or to provide protection.
Operate jackhammers or drills to break up concrete or pavement.
Smooth or finish freshly poured cement or concrete, using floats, trowels, screeds, or powered cement finishing tools.
Erect or dismantle scaffolding, shoring, braces, traffic barricades, ramps, or other temporary structures.
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.
Signal equipment operators to facilitate alignment, movement, or adjustment of machinery, equipment, or materials.
Provide assistance to craft workers, such as carpenters, plasterers, or masons.
Use computers or other input devices to control robotic pipe cutters or cleaners.
Spray materials, such as water, sand, steam, vinyl, paint, or stucco, through hoses to clean, coat, or seal surfaces.
Dig ditches or trenches, backfill excavations, or compact and level earth to grade specifications, using picks, shovels, pneumatic tampers, or rakes.
Control traffic passing near, in, or around work zones.

Related Technology & Tools

Sewer rodding machines
Laser measuring devices
Spades
Vibratory plate compactors
Transit levels
Steam jennies
Measuring wheels
Trowels
Walk-behind saws
Slings
Swing stages
Hydraulic boring machines
Power buggies
Rough terrain forklifts
Floor saws
Hammers
Sidewalk sweepers
Pneumatic staplers
Skid steer loaders
Calipers
Jet trucks for cleaning sewer lines
Weed sprayers
Gas leak detection devices
Crowbars
Cable pullers
Dynamite blasters
Pickup trucks
Hydraulic chainsaws
Disc grinders
Tampers
Tripods
Post hole augers
Saber saws
Winches
Brick tongs
Tuck pointers
Laser guidance equipment for pipe placement
Paint sprayers
Manlifts
Gin poles
Road rollers
Nail guns
Bosun chairs
Sewer cleaner vactors
Stump cutters
Stucco spray guns
Floats
Bench grinders
Oxygen/acetylene torches
Water levels
Water spraying equipment
Steam cleaning equipment
Ride-on vacuum cleaners
Rakes
Kerosene burners
Protective suits
Mattocks
Cold chisels
Crawler shovels
Respirators
Demolition saws
Wire stretchers
Chipping guns
Electric boring machines
Fencing pliers
Water samplers
Two way radios
Hoists
Caulking guns
Scissor lifts
Guniting machines
Drill presses
Reciprocating saws
Smoke testers
Ladders
Trenchers
Plumb bobs
Liquid propane torches
Punches
Saws
Robotic pipe cutters
Bandsaws
Mortar hoes
Rotary hammers
Mud jacks
Pressure washers
Wagon drills
Paddle mixers
Adjustable wrenches
Sandblasters
Plaster mixers
Carpenters' levels
Mortar mixers
Circular saws
Micrometers
Pavement breakers
Swing chairs
Scarifiers
Scaffolding
Jackhammers
Salamanders
Air drills
Cutout saws
Snowplows
Suction sweepers
Impact hammers
Torches
Floor sanders
Air monitoring equipment
Hydraulic booms
Shovels
Air compressors
Pedestal grinders
Asphalt kettles
Concrete pumpers
Chain saws
Robotic pipe cleaners
Concrete saws
Screwdrivers
Hand trucks
Theodolites
Hydraulic speed shoring equipment
Tape measures
Electric drills
Water tank trucks
Power drills
Power screwdrivers
Levels
Asphalt saws
Concrete mixers
Hole cutters
Laser levels
Pneumatic drills
Motor graders
Power sanders
Axes
Generators
Adjustable widemouth pliers
Hydraulic track-guided wall saws
Brick hammers
Hydraulic rock drills
Forks
Oil distributors
Asphalt mops
Impact wrenches
Spirit levels
Chip spreaders
Fall arrest systems
Tappers
Temperature probes
Carpenters' squares
Dump trucks
Welding hoods
Surveying rods
Masonry forklifts
Cutoff saws
Hammer drills
Screeds
Shielded arc welding tools
Coring machines
Bale hooks
Plasma cutters
Smudge pots
Remote pipe cameras
Mowing equipment
Brick carrier forks
Belt conveyors
Forklifts
Picks
Laser screeds
Jig saws
Walk-behind compacting equipment
Loaders
Hand grinders
Earth tampers

Microsoft Windows
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