Concreter - Career Advice - Houses and Buildings

Steel Fixer

Concreters place, spread, compact, finish and cure concrete for buildings and other structures, using hand tools and automated machinery.

Concreters mix, lay, spread, compact and finish concrete for building and construction work. They mix cement with other materials such as gravel, sand and water, and pour the concrete, usually over steel reinforcement, moving it into position using a pump. They also prepare and move boxing, or formwork, Future Growth Strong so that it contains the concrete in the right shape and dimensions. Once the concrete has been poured, concreters level the concrete, clean and seal it. They might also create decorative surfaces on the concrete prior to cleaning and sealing. They may also spray concrete onto retaining walls, swimming pools or other surfaces that require rendering.

ANZSCO description: 8212: Pours, spreads, smoothes and finishes concrete for structures such as floors, stairs, ramps, footpaths and bridges.

Alternative names: Concrete Worker

Specialisations: Decorative concreter

Concreters may specialise as concrete finishers, concrete cutters, or concrete slab layers. There are large differences in the work done by concreters working on high-rise buildings and those working on smaller residential and commercial buildings.

Knowledge, skills and attributes

A concreter needs:

practical and manual skills
physical fitness and stamina
problem solving skills
to enjoy working outdoors
basic maths skills
to be safety conscious and accurate in their work.

Duties and Tasks

Concreters may perform the following tasks: Concrete mixer

mix cement, gravel, sand and water to make concrete on site
move concrete into position using a concrete pump
place concrete into the formwork (usually temporary wood or steel moulds), making sure that it is spread and levelled, then compacted using vibrators
operate paving and trowelling machines to float, trowel and polish the concrete surface
create different surface textures by tamping, smoothing and shaping the concrete surface with a variety of hand tools
cut joints into hardened concrete
mix and apply pigments when a coloured surface is required
dig foundation trenches if working on residential or small commercial projects.
erecting concrete form work and laying steel reinforcing
pouring, spreading and levelling concrete using screeds and templates
tamping, smoothing, shaping and sealing concrete
operating trowelling machines to float, trowel and polish concrete surfaces
forming expansion joints and edges using edging tools, jointers and straight edges
installing fixtures in concrete such as anchor bolts, steel plates and door sills
wetting concrete and rubbing with abrasives to finish vertical surfaces
covering concrete with plastic sheeting and sand to cure it
cutting lines in concrete using power cutters
may cover freshly poured concrete with colouring powders and other materials

Working conditions:

For most jobs, concrete is mixed at a pre-mix concrete supplier's factory and delivered to the site in a pre-mix concrete truck.

Concreters usually work outdoors on building and construction sites as well as infrastructure such as bridges and roads. Conditions can be dirty and noisy, and they may have to work at heights or underground, depending on the nature of the work. Much of their time is spent standing or kneeling and they may also have to work at heights or underground in tunnels. They are often required to spend large amounts of time on their feet, and their work often involves heavy lifting and other manual labour. Concreters may travel from job to job and usually begin work very early in the morning.

They usually work regular hours; however in hot weather they may begin earlier in the day to avoid the heat. In winter they may need to begin later as early morning frost makes concreting difficult.

There is a growing industry in pre-cast concrete where concrete elements are cast and cured in factories and then transported to the site for use.

Tools and technologies

Concreter at work Concreters need to be familiar with the various types of concrete, as well as the materials that go into its making. They use concrete mixers as well as hand and power tools such as shovels, edging tools, concrete vibrators and trowels. They use wheelbarrows and boxing (formwork), as well as concrete pumps. They drive large vehicles that may be fitted with industrial cement mixers, or pump trucks. They are usually required to wear protective clothing such as steel-capped gumboots and gloves.

Education and training/entrance requirements

You can work as a concreter without any formal qualifications and get training on the job.

You may improve your employment prospects by doing an apprenticeship to become a concreter. The apprenticeship usually takes 24 months to complete.

Workers in the construction industry must undergo safety induction training and be issued with a Construction Induction Card (commonly known as a “white card”).

Did You Know?

Concrete technology was known by the Ancient Romans and was widely used within the Roman Empire.

The word concrete comes from the Latin word "concretus" (meaning compact or condensed), the perfect passive participle of "concrescere", from "con-" (together) and "crescere" (to grow).

During the Roman Empire, Roman concrete (or opus caementicium) was made from quicklime, pozzolana and an aggregate of pumice. Its widespread use in many Roman structures, a key event in the history of architecture termed the Roman Architectural Revolution, freed Roman construction from the restrictions of stone and brick material and allowed for revolutionary new designs in terms of both structural complexity and dimension.

The widespread use of concrete in many Roman structures has ensured that many survive to the present day. The Baths of Caracalla in Rome are just one example. Many Roman aqueducts and bridges have masonry cladding on a concrete core, as does the dome of the Pantheon.

Pantheon in Rome

Concrete additives have been used since Roman and Egyptian times, when it was discovered that adding volcanic ash to the mix allowed it to set under water. Similarly, the Romans knew that adding horse hair made concrete less liable to crack while it hardened and adding blood made it more frost-resistant.
(Source: Wikipedia)

Houses & Buildings

Steel fixers shape and fit the steel bars or mesh structures that are used to reinforce concrete in construction projects. They read building plans to determine what materials are required for a particular job and set out the materials that they are going to use.

Steel fixers cut and shape steel bars, and weld, Future Growth Strong wire or clip structural steel materials into place. They also fabricate other reinforcing structures such as beams, footing pads or other special units. Steel fixers work on both large and small construction projects, from building new houses in our suburbs, to erecting schools, hospitals or other large buildings in our regional towns and remote areas.

ANZSCO ID: 821713

Knowledge, skills and attributes

To become a steel fixer, you would need:

a good head for heights
practical and teamwork skills
physical stamina
to be able to read building plans and specifications
an understanding of health and safety issues.

Steel Fixer
(Source: Frewfix)

Duties and Tasks

Measures, cuts, bends and fits welded wire mesh into concrete areas to be mesh-reinforced.
Fixes mesh and reinforced steel into position in formwork for concrete pours.
Set up winches and rig equipment to raise and position girders, plates, columns and other steel units.
read building or engineering plans
mark out work areas
using both hand and power tools
lay out steel reinforcing bars, rods, mesh and formwork
fit spacers and supports
join steel with clips, wire or by welding
fix steel to solid bases
fix and set steel beams
use both hand and power tools.

Working conditions

Steel fixers work on building sites as well as in pre-cast concrete plants. Conditions may be loud and dirty, and they may work at heights, which can be dangerous. They usually work regular hours, but may be required to work longer hours when aiming to meet deadlines.

You would work outdoors in all weathers. The role is physically demanding. You would wear protective clothing and safety equipment as necessary.

You would travel from job to job, so a current drivers' licence would be required.

Tools and technologies

Steel fixers use a variety of hand and power tools, including industrial wire or bolt cutters, guillotines and power saws. They work with steel rods, bars and mesh structures, as well as also working with concrete They also use welding gear to weld steel structures into place. As they sometimes work at heights they also use ladders, scaffolding and elevated work platforms. They are also required to wear safety gear such as helmets, work boots and harnesses. They may also use hydraulic jacks and tensioning mechanisms to test their work.

Education and training/entrance requirements

To become a steel fixer you usually need to complete a traineeship. The steel fixing traineeship usually takes 18 months to complete.

Apprenticeships and traineeships

As an apprentice or trainee, you enter into a formal training contract with an employer, enabling you to complete training towards a nationally recognised qualification. You spend time working and learning practical skills on the job and you spend some time undertaking structured training with a registered training provider.

You can do an apprenticeship or traineeship if you are a school-leaver, re-entering the workforce or as an adult or mature-aged person wishing to change careers. You can even begin your apprenticeship or traineeship while you're still at school.

If you are still at school you can access an apprenticeship through your school. Talk to your school's VET Co-ordinator to start your training now through VET in Schools. If you are no longer at school you can apply for an apprenticeship or traineeship and get paid while you learn and work.

You may need to obtain a High Risk Work license from WorkSafe.
.
In order to be issued a High Risk Work license, you must be at least 18 years old and complete a training course offered at registered training organisations throughout Australia. Construction workers, including steel fixers, who work at heights must complete a Work Safely at Heights short course. All those who work in the construction industry must undergo safety induction training and be issued with a Construction Induction Card (CIC). Authorised training is conducted by Registered Training Organisations.

Workers in the construction industry must undergo safety induction training and be issued with a Construction Induction Card (commonly known as a “white card”).

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Materials sourced from
Jobs & Skills WA [Concreter; Steel Fixer; ]
CareerHQ [Steel Fixer; ]
CareersOnline [Steel Fixer; ]
Your Career [Concreter; Steel Fixer; ]