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Highway Maintenance Workers Occupation Detailed Description

Highway Maintenance Workers career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Highway Maintenance Workers

The main tasks and work activities of Highway Maintenance Workers are to direct vehicle traffic, compact materials to create level bases, pour materials into or on designated areas, spread concrete or other aggregate mixtures. In general, for the Highway Maintenance Workers, operation and Control, operation Monitoring, coordination, monitoring and other 4 skills are required.
Highway Maintenance Workers Job Description
EducationThese occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Related ExperienceSome previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
ExampleThese occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, and tellers.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Highway Maintenance Workers jobs. 88.29% of Highway Maintenance Workers have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 1.43% of Highway Maintenance Workers have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
5.21%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
88.29%
Post-Secondary Certificate
1.43%
Some College Courses
0.00%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
5.07%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
0.00%

Tasks and Work Activities of Highway Maintenance Workers

  • Flag motorists to warn them of obstacles or repair work ahead.
  • Set out signs and cones around work areas to divert traffic.
  • Dump, spread, and tamp asphalt, using pneumatic tampers, to repair joints and patch broken pavement.
  • Drive trucks to transport crews and equipment to work sites.
  • Inspect, clean, and repair drainage systems, bridges, tunnels, and other structures.
  • Haul and spread sand, gravel, and clay to fill washouts and repair road shoulders.
  • Erect, install, or repair guardrails, road shoulders, berms, highway markers, warning signals, and highway lighting, using hand tools and power tools.
  • Remove litter and debris from roadways, including debris from rock and mud slides.
  • Clean and clear debris from culverts, catch basins, drop inlets, ditches, and other drain structures.
  • Perform roadside landscaping work, such as clearing weeds and brush, and planting and trimming trees.
  • Paint traffic control lines and place pavement traffic messages, by hand or using machines.
  • Inspect markers to verify accurate installation.
  • Apply poisons along roadsides and in animal burrows to eliminate unwanted roadside vegetation and rodents.
  • Measure and mark locations for installation of markers, using tape, string, or chalk.
  • Apply oil to road surfaces, using sprayers.
  • Blend compounds to form adhesive mixtures used for marker installation.
  • Place and remove snow fences used to prevent the accumulation of drifting snow on highways.
  • Perform preventative maintenance on vehicles and heavy equipment.
  • Drive heavy equipment and vehicles with adjustable attachments to sweep debris from paved surfaces, mow grass and weeds, remove snow and ice, and spread salt and sand.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDeveloping specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialInspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentRunning, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
  • Monitor Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsMonitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Assisting and Caring for OthersProviding personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Developing and Building TeamsEncouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
  • Direct vehicle traffic.
  • Compact materials to create level bases.
  • Pour materials into or on designated areas.
  • Spread concrete or other aggregate mixtures.
  • Drive trucks or truck-mounted equipment.
  • Maintain plumbing structures or fixtures.
  • Clean equipment or facilities.
  • Inspect industrial or commercial equipment to ensure proper operation.
  • Move construction or extraction materials to locations where they are needed.
  • Spread sand, dirt or other loose materials onto surfaces.
  • Install fencing or other barriers.
  • Remove debris or vegetation from work sites.
  • Apply paint to surfaces.
  • Inspect completed work to ensure proper installation.
  • Mark reference points on construction materials.
  • Measure work site dimensions.
  • Operate road-surfacing equipment.
  • Mix substances or compounds needed for work activities.
  • Dismantle equipment or temporary structures.
  • Maintain mechanical equipment.

Skills and Abilities for Highway Maintenance Workers

  • Operation and ControlControlling operations of equipment or systems.
  • Operation MonitoringWatching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Multilimb CoordinationThe ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Control PrecisionThe ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Arm-Hand SteadinessThe ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Static StrengthThe ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Manual DexterityThe ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
  • Auditory AttentionThe ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
  • Finger DexterityThe ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Extent FlexibilityThe ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • StaminaThe ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath.
  • Trunk StrengthThe ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • VisualizationThe ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Reaction TimeThe ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
  • Flexibility of ClosureThe ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Response OrientationThe ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • All terrain cranese.g. 10-ton crawlers
  • Dump truckse.g. 10-ton tandem-axle dump trucks
  • Graderse.g. 13000-23000 pound graders
  • Earthmoving buckets or its parts or accessoriese.g. 30-ton clam buckets
  • Rollerse.g. 4-6 ton roller patchers
  • Dump truckse.g. 8-ton dump trucks
  • Adjustable widemouth plierse.g. Adjustable widemouth pliers
  • Adjustable wrenchese.g. Adjustable wrenches
  • Aggregate spreaderse.g. Aggregate spreaders
  • Air compressorse.g. Air compressors
  • Road surface heater planerse.g. Asphalt reclaimers
  • Wheel loaderse.g. Athey loaders
  • Dump truckse.g. Belly dump tractor trailers
  • Agricultural tractorse.g. Berm drag tractors
  • Bituminous material distributorse.g. Bituminous pavers
  • Conventional truck cranese.g. Boom trucks
  • Power chipperse.g. Brush chippers
  • Articulating boom lifte.g. Bucket trucks
  • Wheel bulldozerse.g. Bulldozers
  • Axese.g. Bush axes
  • Public Safety and SecurityKnowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • TransportationKnowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
  • Building and ConstructionKnowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
  • Education and TrainingKnowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.