Highway Maintenance Workers
Maintain highways, municipal and rural roads, airport runways, and rights-of-way. Duties include patching broken or eroded pavement and repairing guard rails, highway markers, and snow fences. May also mow or clear brush from along road, or plow snow from roadway.
Technology Tools
Key Tasks
- Set out signs and cones around work areas to divert traffic.
- Flag motorists to warn them of obstacles or repair work ahead.
- Perform preventative maintenance on vehicles and heavy equipment.
- Drive trucks to transport crews and equipment to work sites.
- Erect, install, or repair guardrails, road shoulders, berms, highway markers, warning signals, and highway lighting, using hand tools and power tools.
- Clean and clear debris from culverts, catch basins, drop inlets, ditches, and other drain structures.
- 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.
- Haul and spread sand, gravel, and clay to fill washouts and repair road shoulders.
- Inspect, clean, and repair drainage systems, bridges, tunnels, and other structures.
- Remove litter and debris from roadways, including debris from rock and mud slides.
- Dump, spread, and tamp asphalt, using pneumatic tampers, to repair joints and patch broken pavement.
- 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.
- Paint traffic control lines and place pavement traffic messages, by hand or using machines.
- Perform roadside landscaping work, such as clearing weeds and brush, and planting and trimming trees.
- Apply oil to road surfaces, using sprayers.
- Place and remove snow fences used to prevent the accumulation of drifting snow on highways.
- Inspect markers to verify accurate installation.
- Blend compounds to form adhesive mixtures used for marker installation.
Skills
Knowledge
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Abilities
Work Activities
Work Context
Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
99%
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?
97%
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?
95%
Exposed to Contaminants
How often does this job require working exposed to contaminants (such as pollutants, gases, dust or odors)?
91%
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable
How often does this job require working exposed to sounds and noise levels that are distracting or uncomfortable?
91%
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?
91%
In an Enclosed Vehicle or Operate Enclosed Equipment
How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or operate enclosed equipment (like a car)?
87%
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
87%
Exposed to Hazardous Equipment
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous equipment?
83%
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
81%
Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures
How often does this job require working in very hot (above 90 F degrees) or very cold (below 32 F degrees) temperatures?
81%
Frequency of Decision Making
How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
81%
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions
How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
81%
Consequence of Error
How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not easily correctable?
79%
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
78%
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body
How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
78%
Exposed to Whole Body Vibration
How often does this job require exposure to whole body vibration (like operating a jackhammer or earth moving equipment)?
76%
Health and Safety of Other Workers
How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
75%
Spend Time Standing
How much does this job require standing?
74%
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers
How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
72%
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
69%
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?
68%
Physical Proximity
To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks physically close to other people?
68%
Time Pressure
How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
68%
Conflict Situations
How frequently are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job?
67%
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings
How often does this job require exposure to minor burns, cuts, bites, or stings?
67%
In an Open Vehicle or Operating Equipment
How often does this job require working in an open vehicle or operating equipment (like a tractor)?
67%
Exposed to Extremely Bright or Inadequate Lighting Conditions
How often does this job require working in extremely bright or inadequate lighting conditions?
66%
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working in an environment that is not environmentally controlled (like a warehouse without air conditioning)?
65%
Telephone Conversations
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
64%
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities
How important is it to coordinate or lead others (not as a supervisor or team leader) in accomplishing work activities in this job?
63%
Freedom to Make Decisions
How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
63%
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks
How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?
63%
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People
How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
60%
Spend Time Walking or Running
How much does this job require walking or running?
60%
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?
59%
Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment
How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)
59%
Level of Competition
To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
53%
Duration of Typical Work Week
Number of hours typically worked in one week.
51%
Work Schedules
How regular are the work schedules for this job?
46%
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions
How often does this job require working in cramped work spaces that requires getting into awkward positions?
44%
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
44%
How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?
43%
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance
How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance?
42%
Exposed to Hazardous Conditions
How often does this job require exposure to hazardous conditions?
35%
Degree of Automation
How automated is the job?
32%
Exposed to High Places
How often does this job require exposure to high places?
32%
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling
How much does this job require kneeling, crouching, stooping or crawling?
31%
Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection
How often does this job require wearing specialized protective or safety equipment such as breathing apparatus, safety harness, full protection suits, or radiation protection?
30%
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People
How frequently does this job require the worker to deal with physical aggression of violent individuals?
28%
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?
27%
Exposed to Disease or Infections
How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
26%
Outdoors, Under Cover
How often does this job require working outdoors, under cover (like in an open shed)?
26%
Written Letters and Memos
How frequently does your job require written letters and memos?
24%
Public Speaking
How frequently does your job require public speaking (one speaker with an audience)?
23%
Spend Time Climbing Ladders, Scaffolds, or Poles
How much does this job require climbing ladders, scaffolds, poles, etc.?
23%
Exposed to Radiation
How often does this job require exposure to radiation?
5%
Education
High school diploma or equivalent
Less than high school diploma
Associate's degree
Interests
Realistic
Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, t
Conventional
Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or hum
Investigative
Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the f
Social
Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
Enterprising
Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertis
Artistic
Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts,
Work Styles
Work Values
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