Engineering ServicesISCO 3123
Road construction supervisor
A road construction supervisor is a person who monitors the construction and the maintenance of roads, assigns the tasks and takes quick decisions to resolve the problems that arise. The role is the link between a road project and the crew carrying it out on the ground.
Check yourself in a minute: road construction supervisor
Rate 5 of the 24 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.
conduct quality control analysis
monitor stock level
inspect construction sites
inspect construction supplies
ensure equipment availability
About road construction supervisor
Allocating and supervising the work is the daily substance. The supervisor supervises the workers, plans the allocation of resources, and decides in what order the sections and the operations are done.
Speed of decision is part of the role rather than a personal trait. A road site stops when a question is unanswered, and plant standing idle costs money by the hour, so the supervisor settles matters on site instead of referring them.
Quality and safety are the two fixed constraints. The supervisor performs quality control analysis, carries out inspections of the construction materials, and works from a knowledge of mechanical systems for the plant in use. Securing the work zone belongs here too, and it is specific to this trade: road work is carried out beside moving traffic, and the arrangement that protects the crew and the public is the supervisor's responsibility, alongside the construction health and safety procedures.
European Skills Framework
Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.
Essential (24)
types of asphalt coveringstypes of asphalt coveringsDifferent types of asphalt covering, based on their bitumen content and composition. The strengths, weaknesses, and price points of each type. Special properties such as porosity, resistance to skiddi...mechanical toolsmechanical toolsVarious type of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.road traffic lawsroad traffic lawsThe rule governing the circulation of vehicles, such as national traffic codes and the rules of the road.mechanical systemsmechanical systemsMechanical systems, including gears, engines, hydraulic and pneumatic systems. Their functions and likely defects.conduct quality control analysisconduct quality control analysisConduct inspections and tests of services, processes, or products to evaluate quality.manage health and safety standardsmanage health and safety standardsOversee all personnel and processes to comply with health, safety and hygiene standards. Communicate and support alignment of these requirements with the company's health and safety programmes.monitor stock levelmonitor stock levelEvaluate how much stock is used and determine what should be ordered.inspect construction sitesinspect construction sitesEnsure health and safety during the construction project by inspecting the construction site regularly. Identify risks of putting people in danger or of damaging construction equipment.work in a construction teamwork in a construction teamWork as part of a team in a construction project. Communicate efficiently, sharing information with team members and reporting to supervisors. Follow instructions and adapt to changes in a flexible ma...inspect construction suppliesinspect construction suppliesCheck construction supplies for damage, moisture, loss or other problems before using the material.ensure equipment availabilityensure equipment availabilityEnsure that the necessary equipment is provided, ready and available for use before start of procedures.secure working areasecure working areaSecure the operation site fixing boundaries, restricting access, placing signs and taking other measures in order to guarantee public and staff safety.plan resource allocationplan resource allocationPlan future needs of various resources such as time, money and specific process resources.plan shifts of employeesplan shifts of employeesPlans shifts of employees to ensure completion of all customer orders and satisfactory completion of the production plan.follow health and safety procedures in constructionfollow health and safety procedures in constructionApply the relevant health and safety procedures in construction in order to prevent accidents, pollution and other risks.evaluate employees workevaluate employees workEvaluate the need for labour for the work ahead. Evaluate the performance of the team of workers and inform superiors. Encourage and support the employees in learning, teach them techniques and check ...supervise staffsupervise staffOversee the selection, training, performance and motivation of staff.process incoming construction suppliesprocess incoming construction suppliesReceive incoming construction supplies, handle the transaction and enter the supplies into any internal administration system.react to events in time-critical environmentsreact to events in time-critical environmentsMonitor the situation around you and anticipate. Be ready to take quick and appropriate action in case of unexpected events.use safety equipment in constructionuse safety equipment in constructionUse elements of protective clothing such as steel-tipped shoes, and gear such as protective goggles, in order to minimise risk of accidents in construction and to mitigate any injury if an accident do...keep records of work progresskeep records of work progressMaintain records of the progress of the work including time, defects, malfunctions, etc.guide operation of heavy construction equipmentguide operation of heavy construction equipmentGuide a colleague in operating a piece of heavy construction equipment. Follow the operation closely and understand when feedback is called for. Use communication techniques like voice, two-way radio,...liaise with managersliaise with managersLiaise with managers of other departments ensuring effective service and communication, i.e. sales, planning, purchasing, trading, distribution and technical.coordinate construction activitiescoordinate construction activitiesCoordinate the activities of several construction workers or crews to make sure they do not interfere with each other and to ensure that the works are done in a timely manner. Keep up to date on the p...
Optional (31) — show
construction product regulationconstruction product regulationRegulations on construction products quality standards applied throughout the European Union.types of membranestypes of membranesThe materials used for the drumhead of membranophone musical instruments include animal skin, plastic and synthetic fibers such as aramid fibers.machinery load capacitymachinery load capacityThe maximum load capacity of the operated piece of machinery, under different circumstances and in different positions and movements. Passive load capacity and active load capacity, which is measure w...cost managementcost managementThe process of planning, monitoring and adjusting the expenses and revenues of a business in order to achieve cost efficiency and capability.asphalt mixesasphalt mixesThe properties, advantages and disadvantages of asphalt mixes such as Marshall and Superpave mixes and the way they are best applied.advise on construction materialsadvise on construction materialsProvide advice on and test a wide range of construction materials.remove road surfaceremove road surfaceRemove an existing road surface. Use the appropriate machinery or coordinate with machine operators to assist in the excavation of asphalt or concrete road coverings.lay base courseslay base coursesLay the stabilising courses that support a road. Lay the road base, which enhances the drainage properties of the road, and a sub-base if called for. Use the correct material for this, usually a mix o...work ergonomicallywork ergonomicallyApply ergonomy principles in the organisation of the workplace while manually handling equipment and materials.apply proofing membranesapply proofing membranesApply specialised membranes to prevent penetration of a structure by dampness or water. Securely seal any perforation to preserve the damp-proof or waterproof properties of the membrane. Make sure any...provide first aidprovide first aidAdminister cardiopulmonary resuscitation or first aid in order to provide help to a sick or injured person until they receive more complete medical treatment.work safely with hot materialswork safely with hot materialsTake care when handling hot materials. Wear the right protective clothing and take care not to burn yourself or others, damage equipment, or create fire hazards.liaise with local authoritiesliaise with local authoritiesMaintain the liaison and exchange of information with regional or local authorities.liaise with financiersliaise with financiersLiaise with people willing to finance the project. Negotiate deals and contracts.recruit employeesrecruit employeesHire new employees by scoping the job role, advertising, performing interviews and selecting staff in line with company policy and legislation.transport construction suppliestransport construction suppliesBring construction materials, tools and equipment to the construction site and store them properly taking various aspects into account such as the workers' safety and protection from deterioration.maintain equipmentmaintain equipmentRegularly inspect and perform all required activities to maintain the equipment in functional order prior or after its use.inspect drainage channelsinspect drainage channelsMaintain and clear gutters, sewer systems, and other water carrying facilities to ensure proper drainage and prevent damage to infrastructure such as roads and railways.calculate needs for construction suppliescalculate needs for construction suppliesTake measurements on site and estimate the amount of materials required for the construction or restoration project.place temporary road signageplace temporary road signagePlace temporary traffic signs, lights and barriers to alert road users of activities on the road.order construction suppliesorder construction suppliesOrder required materials for the construction project, taking care to purchase the most suitable material for a good price.inspect asphaltinspect asphaltInspect the placement of asphalt concrete ensuring that the specifications are met and no flows are present.use measurement instrumentsuse measurement instrumentsUse different measurement instruments depending on the property to be measured. Utilise various instruments to measure length, area, volume, speed, energy, force, and others.prepare subgrade for road pavementprepare subgrade for road pavementMake sure the surface underneath the road is ready to be paved. Ensure that it is flat, stable and able to resist the mechanical stresses of road traffic.lay concrete slabslay concrete slabsLay concrete slabs, used as road covering, on a prepared surface. Guide a crane operator to position the slab in the right place and manually set it correctly, often using tongue and groove joints.provide technical expertiseprovide technical expertiseProvide expert knowledge in a particular field, especially concerning mechanical or scientific subjects, to decision makers, engineers, technical staff or journalists.negotiate supplier arrangementsnegotiate supplier arrangementsReach an agreement with the supplier upon technical, quantity, quality, price, conditions, storage, packaging, send-back and other requirements related to the purchasing and delivering process.train employeestrain employeesLead and guide employees through a process in which they are taught the necessary skills for the perspective job. Organise activities aimed at introducing the work and systems or improving the perform...pave asphalt layerspave asphalt layersUse different grades of asphalt to lay the asphalt layers of a road. Lay an asphalt base layer with low bitumen content to provide a stable surface, a binder layer with intermediate bitumen content, a...inspect road signsinspect road signsInspect road signs for signs of corrosion, outdated information, nicks and dents, legilibility and reflectance. Decide on the course of action when problems are found.clear accident siteclear accident siteRemove large objects such as a damaged vehicles, clear debris and dispose of it in compliance with legislation, clean the place and remove temporary traffic signs.
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Frequently asked questions
What does a road construction supervisor do?
Road construction supervisors monitor the construction and maintenance of roads. They assign tasks and take quick decisions to resolve problems.
What skills does a road construction supervisor need?
A road construction supervisor needs 24 essential skills, including types of asphalt coverings, mechanical tools, road traffic laws, mechanical systems, conduct quality control analysis.
Will AI replace road construction supervisor jobs?
The AI disruption score for road construction supervisor is 31/100 (low risk). Skills most exposed to automation: monitor stock level, keep records of work progress, process incoming construction supplies. Most resilient: use safety equipment in construction, provide first aid, types of membranes.
AI Replacement Risk
31/ 100
Low Risk
Low riskHigh risk
Quick Facts
SectorEngineering Services
ISCO GroupScience and engineering associate professionals
Essential Skills24
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