Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Occupation Details

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

The main tasks and work activities of Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators are to operate road-surfacing equipment, maintain construction tools or equipment, clean equipment or facilities, inspect equipment or tools to be used in construction or excavation. In general, for the Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators, operation Monitoring, operation and Control, monitoring, repairing and other 4 skills are required.

Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Job Description
Education	These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Related Experience	Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Job Training	Employees 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.
Example	These 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 Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators jobs. 38.42% of Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 20.59% of Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators have Post-Secondary Certificate.

Less than a High School Diploma

40.99%

High School Diploma (or the equivalent)

38.42%

Post-Secondary Certificate

20.59%

Some College Courses

0.00%

Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)

0.00%

Bachelor's Degree and Above

0.00%

Tasks and Work Activities of Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

Start machine, engage clutch, and push and move levers to guide machine along forms or guidelines and to control the operation of machine attachments.
Inspect, clean, maintain, and repair equipment, using mechanics' hand tools, or report malfunctions to supervisors.
Operate machines to spread, smooth, level, or steel-reinforce stone, concrete, or asphalt on road beds.
Operate oil distributors, loaders, chip spreaders, dump trucks, and snow plows.
Coordinate truck dumping.
Set up and tear down equipment.
Operate tamping machines or manually roll surfaces to compact earth fills, foundation forms, and finished road materials, according to grade specifications.
Shovel blacktop.
Drive machines onto truck trailers, and drive trucks to transport machines and material to and from job sites.
Observe distribution of paving material to adjust machine settings or material flow, and indicate low spots for workers to add material.
Light burners or start heating units of machines, and regulate screed temperatures and asphalt flow rates.
Control paving machines to push dump trucks and to maintain a constant flow of asphalt or other material into hoppers or screeds.
Set up forms and lay out guidelines for curbs, according to written specifications, using string, spray paint, and concrete or water mixes.
Fill tanks, hoppers, or machines with paving materials.
Drive and operate curbing machines to extrude concrete or asphalt curbing.
Cut or break up pavement and drive guardrail posts, using machines equipped with interchangeable hammers.
Install dies, cutters, and extensions to screeds onto machines, using hand tools.
Operate machines that clean or cut expansion joints in concrete or asphalt and that rout out cracks in pavement.
Place strips of material, such as cork, asphalt, or steel into joints, or place rolls of expansion-joint material on machines that automatically insert material.
Control traffic.

Controlling Machines and ProcessesUsing either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialInspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentRunning, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or PeopleAssessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
Performing General Physical ActivitiesPerforming physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsMonitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsUsing relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentServicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.

Operate road-surfacing equipment.
Maintain construction tools or equipment.
Clean equipment or facilities.
Inspect equipment or tools to be used in construction or excavation.
Spread concrete or other aggregate mixtures.
Operate equipment or vehicles to clear construction sites or move materials.
Coordinate construction project activities.
Dismantle equipment or temporary structures.
Assemble temporary equipment or structures.
Compact materials to create level bases.
Spread sand, dirt or other loose materials onto surfaces.
Drive trucks or truck-mounted equipment.
Direct construction or extraction personnel.
Monitor construction operations.
Build construction forms or molds.
Mark reference points on construction materials.
Load materials into construction equipment.
Break up rock, asphalt, or concrete.
Operate heavy-duty construction or installation equipment.
Install equipment attachments or components.

Skills and Abilities for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

Operation MonitoringWatching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Operation and ControlControlling operations of equipment or systems.
MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
RepairingRepairing machines or systems using the needed tools.
TroubleshootingDetermining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

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.
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.
Reaction TimeThe ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
Rate ControlThe ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
Far VisionThe ability to see details at a distance.
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.
Static StrengthThe ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.
Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Manual DexterityThe ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Depth PerceptionThe ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
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.
Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Extent FlexibilityThe ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.
VisualizationThe ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
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).
Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
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.
Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Adjustable wrenchese.g. Adjustable wrenches
Bituminous material distributorse.g. Asphalt distributor trucks
Kettle exchangerse.g. Asphalt heating equipment
Paving material mixerse.g. Asphalt mixing equipment
Road paverse.g. Asphalt paving machines
Rakese.g. Asphalt rakes
Road paverse.g. Automatic paving control systems
Chip Spreaderse.g. Chip spreaders
Claw hammere.g. Claw hammers
Cold planerse.g. Cold in-place recyclers
Cold planerse.g. Cold planers
Compactorse.g. Compactors
Road paverse.g. Concrete paving machines
Power sawse.g. Concrete saws
Desktop computerse.g. Desktop computers
Dump truckse.g. Dump trucks
Flatbed trailerse.g. Flatbed truck trailers
Paving material mixerse.g. Hot mix material transfer devices
Pneumatic hammere.g. Jackhammers
Levelse.g. Laser levels

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.
MechanicalKnowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators Occupation Detailed Description

Tasks and Work Activities of Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators

Skills and Abilities for Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators