Description
Perform manual demolition at construction and renovation sites. Use hand and power tools to dismantle structures, remove building components, control dust, and handle debris safely. Erect temporary protections and shoring, operate small equipment, and assist equipment operators while following plans, safety procedures, and environmental regulations.
- • Secure and prepare structures for demolition to eliminate hazards.
- • Read demolition plans, instructions, or specifications to determine sequence and methods.
- • Control pedestrian and vehicle traffic around demolition zones.
- • Signal crane and equipment operators to align, lift, or remove building elements.
- • Break up slabs, walls, or pavement and remove foundations using picks, shovels, or pneumatic tools; backfill and compact as required.
- • Cut, detach, or remove structural components, such as concrete sections, steel, or piping, per direction.
- • Measure, mark, and record cut lines, openings, or distances for selective demolition.
- • Load, sort, and stage debris and salvaged materials; move tools and equipment to designated locations.
- • Erect or dismantle scaffolding, shoring, braces, chutes, barricades, ramps, or other temporary structures.
- • Strip and remove forms, finishes, fixtures, and other building components using hand or power tools.
- • Clean, lubricate, and perform minor repairs on demolition tools and equipment.
- • Operate jackhammers, chipping guns, and core drills to remove concrete or masonry.
- • Chip, grind, or scarify surfaces to prepare areas for new work.
- • Set up and monitor dust suppression, negative air, or air monitoring devices in hazardous or confined areas.
- • Expose, cap, or remove utility lines under supervision using proper methods.
- • Assist carpenters, ironworkers, or masons with temporary bracing, shoring, or patching.
- • Set up and tend pumps, compressors, or generators to power tools and manage water or dust suppression.
- • Apply cleaning agents or encapsulants to control dust or prepare for demolition or abatement.
- • Protect adjacent structures and finishes with barriers, coverings, or temporary supports during demolition.
- • Mix and place demolition grout or patching compounds as directed.
- • Grind, scrape, sand, or saw-cut concrete, masonry, or flooring to remove materials.
- • Tend equipment that pumps or conveys slurry, grout, or water for demolition or surface removal.
- • Mix joint fillers, adhesives, slurry conditioners, or cleaning solutions as required.
- • Raze structures or selectively demolish building areas; salvage reusable components per plan.
- • Spray water or other agents through hoses to control dust, clean, or remove coatings.
- • Apply temporary sealants or firestop to close openings against water, dust, or air.
- • Implement green practices such as material sorting, recycling, and erosion or sediment control on demolition sites.
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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This site includes information from O*NET by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. Career Clutch has modified some of this information for student readability. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Last reviewed: Jan 2026
