General labor jobs involve doing a lot of bending, lifting, carrying, measuring, sorting, and unloading. There are general laborers in all types of industries, but are probably most prevalent in manufacturing and construction.
General laborers perform a variety of basic tasks that involve muscle. Their environment is typically industrial or construction, in warehouses, or at building sites. Candidates right for the job must be in good physical condition and able to work in hot and cold environments.
The laborer is often employed on loading docks and loads and unloads goods all day. They bend and lift heavy objects and place on pallets or shelves. They pull cargo from trucks, trains, boats, and other modes of transportation. They may use heavy equipment such as cargo carriers, dollies, or walk-behind forklift machines. They probably wear thick gloves and back braces to prevent injury.
The laborers must also maintain a clean environment so they don't all over debris. They must sweep and mop their area after a long day at work.
Other light duties performed by general laborers include pulling weeds, landscaping, planting flowers, pruning, cleaning sidewalks, sweeping debris, policing roofs and grounds, cleaning parking lot drains, inspecting properties, building rounds, replacing lamps and lightbulbs, emptying trash receptacles, hanging pictures and whiteboards, moving cars, transporting materials, replenishing inventory, cleaning vacant lots, installing and moving furniture, cleaning urinals and sinks, hanging doors, replacing ceiling tiles, painting, removing graffiti, cutting keys, performing minor irrigation repairs, and training other laborers.
Customer service is important. They should present a professional, positive and helpful attitude at all times when interacting with customers and co-workers and observe additional maintenance needs requiring attention and report those to the appropriate supervisor.
Other duties include cleaning and preparing a job site, loading and delivering materials and using a variety of tools and machines, such as blowtorches, forklifts, levels, lifts, power drills, grinders, saws, pressure washers and water spraying equipment. Because many of these duties can be learned on the job, education is not mandatory. However some high school classes in general shop, welding, mechanical drawing, and blueprint reading are preferred.
Some laborers will need to dispose of and clean up hazardous materials such as asbestos, lead, and contamination. The laborer will need to know the proper procedures to clean up such materials and may require specialized training.
Other various duties, depending on the industry work in, include assisting in emptying soiled merchandise from overhead sling, using the electric hoist, into washing machine, performing janitorial work around the facility, rolling mats on a conveyor and place in storage, hanging garments on hangers and folds clothing and/or towels, and performing quality inspections of the products.
While the working environment for general labor jobs can be strenuous and dangerous, this is the perfect job for those who like working outdoors and using their hands.
