What skills does a concrete finisher need?

A concrete finisher needs 18 essential skills including work ergonomically, pour concrete, transport construction supplies, work in a construction team, inspect supplied concrete. Core competencies include .

Will AI replace concrete finisher jobs?

The AI disruption score for concrete finisher is 24/100 (low risk). Some tasks may be automated but the role will evolve rather than disappear entirely.

Built EnvironmentBuilding and related trades workers, excluding electriciansISCO 7114

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.

European Skills Framework

Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.

Essential (18)

work ergonomicallywork ergonomicallyApply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.pour concretepour concretePour 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.transport construction suppliestransport construction suppliesBring 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.work in a construction teamwork in a construction teamWork 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 ma...inspect supplied concreteinspect supplied concreteCheck the quantity and quality of delivered concrete. Make sure that the concrete will withstand any expected pressures.mix concretemix concreteUse 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 in...prevent damage to utility infrastructureprevent damage to utility infrastructureConsult 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.inspect concrete structuresinspect concrete structuresVisually 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.remove concrete formsremove concrete formsRemove 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.follow health and safety procedures in constructionfollow health and safety procedures in constructionApply the relevant health and safety procedures in construction in order to prevent accidents, pollution and other risks.monitor concrete curing processmonitor concrete curing processMonitor 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.place concrete formsplace concrete formsSet 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 u...clean wood surfaceclean wood surfaceUse a variety of techniques on a wood surface to ensure it is free of dust, sawdust, grease, stains, and other contaminants.recognise signs of corrosionrecognise signs of corrosionRecognise 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.use measurement instrumentsuse measurement instrumentsUse different measurement instruments depending on the property to be measured. Utilise various instruments to measure length, area, volume, speed, energy, force, and others.react to events in time-critical environmentsreact to events in time-critical environmentsMonitor the situation around you and anticipate. Be ready to take quick and appropriate action in case of unexpected events.use safety equipment in constructionuse safety equipment in constructionUse 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 do...screed concretescreed concreteSmooth the surface of freshly poured concrete using a screed.

Optional (30)

types of concrete pumpstypes of concrete pumpsThe types of machines used to pump liquid concrete such as the boom concrete pumps used for large construction projects or line pumps generally used for small-scale works.keep heavy construction equipment in good conditionkeep heavy construction equipment in good conditionInspect heavy equipment for construction projects before each use. Maintain the machine in good working order, taking care of small repairs and alerting the responsible person in case of serious defec...sort wastesort wasteManually or automatically sort waste by separating it into its different elements.apply proofing membranesapply proofing membranesApply specialised membranes to prevent penetration of a structure by dampness or water. Securely seal any perforation to preserve the damp-proof or waterproof properties of the membrane. Make sure any...use sanderuse sanderUse different types of drywall sanders, automatic or manual, handheld or on an extension, to sand surfaces to a smooth finish or to rough them up for better adhesion.apply finish to concreteapply finish to concreteFinish concrete using a variety of techniques like polishing and acid staining.install insulation blocksinstall insulation blocksInstall insulation materials shaped into blocks on the outside or inside of a structure. Attach the blocks using an adhesive and a mechanical fixing system.rig loadsrig loadsSafely attach loads to different types of hooks and attachments, taking into account the weight of the load, the power available to move it, static and dynamic tolerances of all instruments and materi...monitor stock levelmonitor stock levelEvaluate how much stock is used and determine what should be ordered.inspect construction suppliesinspect construction suppliesCheck construction supplies for damage, moisture, loss or other problems before using the material.operate road rolleroperate road rollerOperate various types of mechanic and manual road rollers, pieces of equipment used to compact surfaces.plan surface slopeplan surface slopeMake sure the planned surface has the necessary slope to prevent puddling of water or fluids.calculate needs for construction suppliescalculate needs for construction suppliesTake measurements on site and estimate the amount of materials required for the construction or restoration project.check mixer capabilitycheck mixer capabilityCheck the water-cement ratios and their conformance to the mixer capabilities.feed hoppersfeed hoppersFeed hoppers with the required materials using various tools such as lifting equipment or shovels.order construction suppliesorder construction suppliesOrder required materials for the construction project, taking care to purchase the most suitable material for a good price.report defective manufacturing materialsreport defective manufacturing materialsMaintain required company records and forms in order to report any defective materials or questionable conditions of manufacturing machinery and equipment.process incoming construction suppliesprocess incoming construction suppliesReceive incoming construction supplies, handle the transaction and enter the supplies into any internal administration system.interpret 3D plansinterpret 3D plansInterpret and understand plans and drawings in manufacturing processes which include representations in three dimensions.drive mobile heavy construction equipmentdrive mobile heavy construction equipmentDrive movable heavy equipment used in construction. Load the equipment onto low loaders, or unload it. Judiciously drive equipment on public roads when required.discharge cementdischarge cementDischarge the cement from the mixer into cans.keep records of work progresskeep records of work progressMaintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.apply spray foam insulationapply spray foam insulationSpray foam insulation, usually polyurethane, to fill a space.interpret 2D plansinterpret 2D plansInterpret and understand plans and drawings in manufacturing processes which include representations in two dimensions.tie reinforcing steeltie reinforcing steelTie together bars of reinforced steel or rebar to ensure stability of the structure before concrete is poured. Use metal wire to tie the bars together at every second, third or fourth intersection as ...set up temporary construction site infrastructureset up temporary construction site infrastructureSet up a variety of temporary infrastructure used on building sites. Put up fences and signs. Set up any construction trailers and make sure that these are connected to electricity lines and water sup...follow safety procedures when working at heightsfollow safety procedures when working at heightsTake necessary precautions and follow a set of measures that assess, prevent and tackle risks when working at a high distance from the ground. Prevent endangering people working under these structures...operate concrete mixer truckoperate concrete mixer truckWork with concrete mixer trucks. Drive the truck and operate controls. Keep track of time. Take the necessary steps to evacuate the concrete upon arrival at the site, either alone using a full range c...guide concrete hoseguide concrete hoseGuide the concrete hose while the pump is operating. Make sure to distribute the concrete efficiently and securely.set up reinforcing steelset up reinforcing steelSet up reinforcing steel, or rebar, to be used for reinforced concrete construction. Set mats and columns securely in place to prepare for concrete pouring. Use separator blocks called dobies to keep ...