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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.

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    Work Activities

    Work Activities

    • Place and remove snow fences used to prevent the accumulation of drifting snow on highways.
    • Place and remove snow fences used to prevent the accumulation of drifting snow on highways.
    • Inspect, clean, and repair drainage systems, bridges, tunnels, and other structures.
    • Set out signs and cones around work areas to divert traffic.
    • Paint traffic control lines and place pavement traffic messages, by hand or using machines.
    • Remove litter and debris from roadways, including debris from rock and mud slides.
    • Flag motorists to warn them of obstacles or repair work ahead.
    • Inspect, clean, and repair drainage systems, bridges, tunnels, and other structures.
    • Dump, spread, and tamp asphalt, using pneumatic tampers, to repair joints and patch broken pavement.
    • Inspect, clean, and repair drainage systems, bridges, tunnels, and other structures.
    • Haul and spread sand, gravel, and clay to fill washouts and repair road shoulders.
    • Measure and mark locations for installation of markers, using tape, string, or chalk.
    • Drive trucks to transport crews and equipment to work sites.
    • Haul and spread sand, gravel, and clay to fill washouts and repair road shoulders.
    • Apply oil to road surfaces, using sprayers.
    • 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.
    • Inspect markers to verify accurate installation.
    • Measure and mark locations for installation of markers, using tape, string, or chalk.
    • Dump, spread, and tamp asphalt, using pneumatic tampers, to repair joints and patch broken pavement.
    • Perform roadside landscaping work, such as clearing weeds and brush, and planting and trimming trees.
    • Blend compounds to form adhesive mixtures used for marker installation.
    • Perform preventative maintenance on vehicles and heavy equipment.
    • Apply poisons along roadsides and in animal burrows to eliminate unwanted roadside vegetation and rodents.
    • 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.
    • Dump, spread, and tamp asphalt, using pneumatic tampers, to repair joints and patch broken pavement.

    Skills

    • Negotiation

      Bringing people together to solve differences.

    • Monitoring

      Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.

    • Instructing

      Teaching people how to do something.

    • Persuasion

      Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.

    • Speaking

      Talking to others.

    • Coordination

      Changing what is done based on other people's actions.

    • Operations Analysis

      Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.

    • Repairing

      Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.

    • Troubleshooting

      Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.

    • Management of Material Resources

      Managing equipment and materials.

    • Management of Personnel Resources

      Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    • Active Learning

      Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.

    • Operation and Control

      Using equipment or systems.

    • Mathematics

      Using math to solve problems.

    • Quality Control Analysis

      Testing how well a product or service works.

    • Time Management

      Managing your time and the time of other people.

    • Systems Evaluation

      Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

    • Equipment Maintenance

      Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.

    • Social Perceptiveness

      Understanding people's reactions.

    • Complex Problem Solving

      Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

    • Learning Strategies

      Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.

    • Reading Comprehension

      Reading work-related information.

    • Writing

      Writing things for co-workers or customers.

    • Science

      Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.

    • Installation

      Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.

    • Programming

      Writing computer programs.

    • Operations Monitoring

      Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.

    • Systems Analysis

      Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.

    • Management of Financial Resources

      Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.

    • Judgment and Decision Making

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.

    • Technology Design

      Making equipment and technology useful for customers.

    • Equipment Selection

      Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.

    • Service Orientation

      Looking for ways to help people.

    • Critical Thinking

      Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

    • Active Listening

      Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

    WorkKeys®

    Applied Math
    0
    Workplace Documents
    3
    Graphic Literacy
    3

    Abilities

    • Trunk Strength

      Using your lower back and stomach.

    • Spatial Orientation

      Knowing where things are around you.

    • Inductive Reasoning

      Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.

    • Visual Color Discrimination

      Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.

    • Depth Perception

      Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.

    • Hearing Sensitivity

      Telling the difference between sounds.

    • Night Vision

      Seeing at night or under low light.

    • Visualization

      Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.

    • Arm-Hand Steadiness

      Keeping your arm or hand steady.

    • Finger Dexterity

      Putting together small parts with your fingers.

    • Multilimb Coordination

      Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.

    • Glare Sensitivity

      Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.

    • Written Expression

      Communicating by writing.

    • Speech Recognition

      Recognizing spoken words.

    • Deductive Reasoning

      Using rules to solve problems.

    • Far Vision

      Seeing details that are far away.

    • Mathematical Reasoning

      Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.

    • Information Ordering

      Ordering or arranging things.

    • Explosive Strength

      Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.

    • Perceptual Speed

      Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.

    • Extent Flexibility

      Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Fluency of Ideas

      Coming up with lots of ideas.

    • Near Vision

      Seeing details up close.

    • Dynamic Flexibility

      Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.

    • Sound Localization

      Noticing the direction that a sound came from.

    • Problem Sensitivity

      Noticing when problems happen.

    • Peripheral Vision

      Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.

    • Manual Dexterity

      Holding or moving items with your hands.

    • Originality

      Creating new and original ideas.

    • Oral Expression

      Communicating by speaking.

    • Memorization

      Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.

    • Wrist-Finger Speed

      Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.

    • Oral Comprehension

      Listening and understanding what people say.

    • Selective Attention

      Paying attention to something without being distracted.

    • Category Flexibility

      Grouping things in different ways.

    • Written Comprehension

      Reading and understanding what is written.

    • Flexibility of Closure

      Seeing hidden patterns.

    • Time Sharing

      Doing two or more things at the same time.

    • Gross Body Equilibrium

      Keeping your balance or staying upright.

    • Number Facility

      Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.

    • Stamina

      Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.

    • Dynamic Strength

      Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.

    • Speech Clarity

      Speaking clearly.

    • Reaction Time

      Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.

    • Auditory Attention

      Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.

    • Speed of Limb Movement

      Quickly moving your arms and legs.

    • Static Strength

      Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.

    • Rate Control

      Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.

    • Control Precision

      Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.

    • Response Orientation

      Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.

    • Speed of Closure

      Quickly knowing what you are looking at.

    • Gross Body Coordination

      Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.

    Knowledge

    • Mechanical

      Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    • Fine Arts

      Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

    • Sociology and Anthropology

      Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.

    • History and Archeology

      Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.

    • Psychology

      Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

    • Geography

      Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.

    • Therapy and Counseling

      Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.

    • Chemistry

      Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

    • Transportation

      Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

    • Foreign Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

    • Medicine and Dentistry

      Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

    • Law and Government

      Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

    • Food Production

      Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

    • Personnel and Human Resources

      Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.

    • Engineering and Technology

      Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

    • Public Safety and Security

      Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

    • Biology

      Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

    • Physics

      Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.

    • Communications and Media

      Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

    • Building and Construction

      Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

    • Administration and Management

      Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

    • Production and Processing

      Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

    • Economics and Accounting

      Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.

    • Design

      Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

    • Education and Training

      Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

    • English Language

      Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

    • Customer and Personal Service

      Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

    • Mathematics

      Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

    • Telecommunications

      Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

    • Administrative

      Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

    • Philosophy and Theology

      Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.

    • Sales and Marketing

      Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

    • Computers and Electronics

      Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

    Career Video

    Additional videos and more information available on CareerOneStop

    Pay

    • Ohio Annual Salary 46100/yr
    • Typical Salary
    • Ohio Hourly Wage 22.17/hr
    • Typical Hourly Wage

    Ohio Employment Trends

    • Currently Employed 5,980
    • Yearly Projected Openings 550

    Typical Education

    Personality

    Realistic: People interested in this work like activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions.They do well at jobs that need:
    • Dependability
    • Concern for Others
    • Integrity
    • Attention to Detail
    • Cooperation
    • Self Control

    Tools

    • Adjustable widemouth pliers
    • Adjustable wrenches
    • Aggregate spreaders
    • Agricultural tractors
    • Air compressors
    • All terrain cranes
    • Articulating boom lift
    • Axes
    • Barricades
    • Bituminous material distributors
    • Blades or tooth or other cutting edges
    • Bridge cranes
    • Burners
    • Cargo trucks
    • Chip Spreaders
    • Circuit tester
    • Cold planers
    • Compactors
    • Concrete mixers or plants
    • Concrete spreaders
    • Conventional truck cranes
    • Delivery trucks
    • Derricks
    • Desktop computers
    • Disks
    • Ditchers
    • Draglines
    • Drain or pipe cleaning equipment
    • Dump trucks
    • Earthmoving buckets or its parts or accessories
    • Flatbed trailers
    • Forklifts
    • Front end loaders
    • Gas generators
    • Graders
    • Grouting machines
    • Hammers
    • Hand held rock drills
    • Hand sprayers
    • Harrows
    • Hydraulic pumps
    • Hydraulic truck cranes
    • Impact wrenches
    • Kettle exchangers
    • Laser printers
    • Lasers
    • Lawnmowers
    • Light trucks or sport utility vehicles
    • Low cab forward tractors
    • Machetes
    • Measuring wheels for distance
    • Minivans or vans
    • Mobile excavators
    • Mowers
    • Mud pumps
    • Non temperature controlled tanker trailers
    • Paint mixers
    • Paint sprayers
    • Paving breaker tools or accessories
    • Paving breakers
    • Personal computers
    • Picks
    • Pile drivers
    • Platform lift
    • Pneumatic hammer
    • Pneumatic sanding machines
    • Post hole digger
    • Power chippers
    • Power saws
    • Pressure or steam cleaners
    • Rakes
    • Road pavers
    • Road rooters
    • Road surface heater planers
    • Road wideners
    • Rock cutters
    • Rollers
    • Safety chains
    • Scaffolding
    • Scissor lift or lift table
    • Screwdrivers
    • Scrubbing machines
    • Seeder attachment
    • Shovels
    • Snow blowers
    • Snowplow attachments
    • Spades
    • Spot welding machine
    • Sprayers
    • Tampers
    • Theodolites
    • Track bulldozers
    • Track excavators
    • Two way radios
    • Vacuum cleaners
    • Vibratory plates
    • Water pumps
    • Water trucks
    • Weeders
    • Wheel bulldozers
    • Wheel loaders

    Technology

    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Internet browser software
    • Office suite software
    • Presentation software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software

    Tags

    • InDemand occupations are considered a priority by the state of Ohio.
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