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Concrete, Clay and Stone Forming Operators (9414)

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Nature of work

This unit group includes workers who cast and finish concrete products, operate machines to extrude, mould, press and bake clay products, and operate machines to form, cut and finish stone products. They are employed by concrete, clay and stone products manufacturing companies.

Fields of interest

  • Making or building things, constructing, doing repairs, and performing installations
  • Working with your hands

Main duties

  • Concrete products forming and finishing workers perform some or all of the following duties:
  • - Construct clay models and moulds by hand and with hand tools for use in casting concrete products
  • - Build and repair wooden forms used to mould concrete products
  • - Position reinforcing rods or wire mesh in moulds and fill moulds with concrete from suspended pouring buckets
  • - Start vibrating tables to settle concrete, or tamp concrete using electric vibrator
  • - Remove castings from mould with crane or forklift, and finish surfaces of castings using screed or trowel
  • - Cut cured concrete pipe sections with saw or chisel, and cement sections together to form odd shaped fittings.
  • Concrete products machine operators perform some or all of the following duties:
  • - Set up, adjust and operate single-function machines to mix, drill, grind and cut concrete to specifications in the manufacture of concrete products
  • - Check products for quality control, repair flaws and perform ongoing machine adjustments and minor maintenance as necessary
  • - Move products using forklift, crane or hydraulic hoist
  • - Record manufacturing information such as quantity, size and type of goods produced.
  • Clay products forming and finishing machine operators perform some or all of the following duties:
  • - Set up and operate automatic machines that mix ingredients, extrude tempered clay mixture and cut extruded clay into sections to make products such as bricks, drain tiles and porcelain insulators
  • - Operate mechanical or hydraulic ram and hot-presses to form pottery and porcelain ware
  • - Prepare and mix slip and fill moulds with slip to form pottery and porcelain ware such as jugs, cups, sinks and toilet bowls
  • - Operate kiln to bake clay products to specified hardness.
  • Stone forming and finishing workers perform some or all of the following duties:
  • - Operate blade or wire saws to cut blocks of stone to specified dimensions
  • - Operate machines to grind and polish surfaces of stone blocks, slabs or other stone products to specific shape or design and to produce smooth finish
  • - Operate sandblasting equipment to cut inscriptions or decorative designs in stone monuments
  • - Finish stone products with spray paint and by mounting plaques or installing concrete bases
  • - Operate stone-dressing lathe to sharpen and dress grindstones that grind logs into pulp
  • - Operate machine to drill holes in blocks or slabs of stone according to specifications.

Main characteristics of the occupation

These headings are provided for the following occupation(s) :

Employment requirements

  • * Some secondary school education may be required.
  • * On-the-job training is provided.
  • * Experience as a helper or labourer in concrete, clay or stone products manufacturing may be required.
  • * Mould makers in this unit group who construct and repair wooden forms may require some carpentry or woodworking experience.

Skill type

  • Occupations unique to processing, manufacturing and utilities

Skill level

  • Intermediate

More information

  • * Mobility is possible between workers within each of the concrete, clay and stone manufacturing sectors, but there is little or no mobility between these manufacturing sectors.
  • * Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.

Job titles - Classified elsewhere