LogisticsISCO 9613
Street sweeper
A street sweeper is a person who operates sweeping equipment and machinery to remove waste, leaves and debris from streets.
Check yourself in a minute: street sweeper
Rate 5 of the 29 essential skills of this occupation (European ESCO data). No account needed.
maintain personal hygiene standards when cleaning
work in outdoor conditions
disinfect surfaces
empty community waste collection bins
ensure compliance with waste legislative regulations
About street sweeper
The sweeper operates mechanical street sweeping equipment and adjusts brushes, water and suction to what is on the road: grit after winter, leaves in autumn, glass and spillage after an incident. Cleaning techniques apply to the parts a machine cannot reach, which still have to be done by hand.
The operator follows safe street sweeping procedures in traffic conditions, which govern where the machine goes, at what speed and with what lighting and signage. The sweeper maintains the street sweeping machine and the cleaning equipment as a whole, performs minor repairs, and keeps records of sweeping operations, which is how a service shows which streets were done and when. Waste is managed as a separate duty: what is collected has to be emptied, sorted where required and taken to the right place.
Personal hygiene standards are maintained during cleaning, since the work involves contact with waste. Requirements for the job are set by the employer.
European Skills Framework
Skills and knowledge areas required for this occupation based on European classification.
Essential (29)
cleaning industry health and safety measurescleaning industry health and safety measuresPreventive and interventional methods used in the cleaning industry to maintain health and safety for all workers and tertiary persons.health, safety and hygiene legislationhealth, safety and hygiene legislationThe set of health, safety and hygiene standards and items of legislation applicable in a specific sector.discharge of collected wastedischarge of collected wasteThe procedures to be followed to discharge the collected waste safely and in the designated place for doing this. Waste incineration treatments are excluded.waste managementwaste managementThe methods, materials and regulations used to collect, transport, treat and dispose of waste. This includes recycling and monitoring of waste disposal. It excludes procedures related to waste inciner...local geographylocal geographyThe range of physical and geographical properties and descriptions of a local area, by street names and not only.cleaning techniquescleaning techniquesVarious techniques and tools used to clean different types of surfaces to achieve a certain degree of cleanliness such as sweeping, vacuuming, degreasing and wet cleaning.safe street sweeping procedures in trafficsafe street sweeping procedures in trafficPractices related to sweeping streets in traffic in a safely manner, respecting traffic rules and stationary places.maintain personal hygiene standards when cleaningmaintain personal hygiene standards when cleaningMake sure to keep yourself clean and tidy and wear protective equipment when performing cleaning activities, as required by the health and safety procedures of the task or the organisation.work in outdoor conditionswork in outdoor conditionsCan cope with the different climate conditions such as heat, rain, cold or in strong wind.disinfect surfacesdisinfect surfacesApply the correct cleaning procedures, taking into account safe handling of disinfectants, to remove contaminants, pollutants, and bacterial risks, from various surfaces, such as buildings exteriors, ...empty community waste collection binsempty community waste collection binsEmpty containers placed on public sites used for the disposal of non-hazardous waste and to transport the waste to waste treatment and disposal facilities.ensure compliance with waste legislative regulationsensure compliance with waste legislative regulationsImplement and monitor company procedures for the collection, transport and disposal of waste, in compliance with all regulations and legal requirements.manage waste rockmanage waste rockMove the collected debris and waste to the designated collection point and dispose it according to legal and organisational requirements.perform ground maintenance activitiesperform ground maintenance activitiesClean building grounds of rubbish, glass or any other trash, mow grass or trim bushes.use personal protection equipmentuse personal protection equipmentMake use of protection equipment according to training, instruction and manuals. Inspect the equipment and use it consistently.clean public areasclean public areasDisinfect the areas to which the public has access.supervise site maintenancesupervise site maintenanceSupervise the clean-up and maintenance of a specific site in order to ensure it is fit for purpose.establish waste collection routesestablish waste collection routesEstablish and outline the routes which would ensure efficient and fast waste collection in the designated area.carry out pressure washing activitiescarry out pressure washing activitiesUse high pressure equipment in order to clean areas, surfaces and materials.manage wastemanage wasteManage or dispose of significant amounts of waste materials and/or hazardous materials, in accordance with legislation, thereby respecting environmental and company responsibilities. Ensure required l...maintain cleaning equipmentmaintain cleaning equipmentClean and preserve the equipment and material used for cleaning purposes in a proper state.clear out drainsclear out drainsRemove organic materials and other debris from pipes, usually using a snake, a long device that is pushed down the pipes.clean equipmentclean equipmentPerform cleaning routines after equipment use.vacuum street debrisvacuum street debrisUse vacuum machinery to collect and remove waste or leaves in urban areas.manage routine wastemanage routine wasteTreat routine waste carefully when performing cleaning activities and ensure that the waste collection and surrounding areas are maintained clean at all times.clean public furnitureclean public furniturePerform cleaning activities of objects or equipment in the public domain, on streets or other public places, used for various purposes.maintain street sweeping machinemaintain street sweeping machineMonitor sweeper to ensure a good operating condition by checking fuel levels, air pressure, and hydraulic systems.operate mechanical street sweeping equipmentoperate mechanical street sweeping equipmentUse and adjust accordingly mechanical equipment such as vacuums, guards, sprayer or water hoses used to eliminate street debris.perform outdoor cleaning activitiesperform outdoor cleaning activitiesAdapt the cleaning working methods and procedures to the environmental conditions and adapt to weather conditions such as rain, strong wind or snow, when this affects the performance of the equipment ...
Optional (31) — show
cleaning productscleaning productsThe ingredients used in the development of cleaning products, their properties and risks.waste transport legislationwaste transport legislationRegulations and legislation concerning the safe transportation of hazardous and non-hazardous waste materials, products, and appliances.graffiti removal techniquesgraffiti removal techniquesMethods, materials and procedures to remove graffiti posts from public surfaces: identifying the surface type and material to be removed, selecting a removal method and chemical substances and applyin...personal protective equipmentpersonal protective equipmentTypes of protective materials and equipment foreseen for various types of tasks such as general or specialised cleaning activities.waste removal regulationswaste removal regulationsThe regulations and legal provisions governing waste removal activities.ecologyecologyThe study of how organisms interact and their relation to the ambient environment.mechanicsmechanicsTheoretical and practical applications of the science studying the action of displacements and forces on physical bodies to the development of machinery and mechanical devices.maintain inventory of cleaning suppliesmaintain inventory of cleaning suppliesFollow the stock of cleaning materials, order new material when the stock is empty and follow their usage to maintain a constant supply.communicate with waste treatment facilitiescommunicate with waste treatment facilitiesCommunicate with facilities dealing with the treatment of hazardous or non-hazardous waste in order to ensure efficient cooperation in the organisation of waste treatment procedures.sort wastesort wasteManually or automatically sort waste by separating it into its different elements.clean confined spacesclean confined spacesPerform required cleaning activities in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces which pose risks to human health and safety such as tanks, wells, manholes and open ditches. Take all the preventive measu...clean particular areas manuallyclean particular areas manuallyPerform cleaning activities in specific areas by hand, when the surface is small or obstructed and the only means to clean such places is manually.carry out cleaning of road drainscarry out cleaning of road drainsRemove leaves, litter, and other debris to prevent blockages in drains and sewers.follow work schedulefollow work scheduleManage the sequence of activities in order to deliver completed work on agreed deadlines by following a work schedule.drive vehiclesdrive vehiclesBe able to drive vehicles; have the approapriate type of driving license according to the type of motor vehicle used.adapt to different weather conditionsadapt to different weather conditionsCope with regular exposure to extreme weather conditions and hazardous environments.perform emergency street clean upsperform emergency street clean upsRespond appropriately to emergency cases for cleaning streets after accidents, manifestations or heavy snow fall.perform cleaning activities in an environmentally friendly wayperform cleaning activities in an environmentally friendly wayUndertake all cleaning duties in a manner which minimises environmental damage, follow methods that lessen pollution and wastage of resources.maintain groundmaintain groundMow grass, rake leaves, and remove fallen limbs and trash. Remove weeds from landscapes in parks, greenways and other properties. Maintain the grounds and landscapes of private clients and businesses....perform street cleaning manuallyperform street cleaning manuallyClean urban public spaces such as streets by manual means, using brushes, brooms or rakes, as required by the working procedures and when other equipment is not able to do so.plan maintenance activitiesplan maintenance activitiesPlan and organise the process aimed at preserving equipment or systems in good working condition by inspecting the installation, resolving malfunctions, replacing worn parts and performing other maint...maintain waste collection recordsmaintain waste collection recordsMaintain records on waste collection routes, scheduling, and types and volume of waste collected.clean sewerage systemsclean sewerage systemsClear out and clean items that block the flow of sewerage in the sewerage system by hand or with a machine.clean building floorsclean building floorsClean the floors and stairways of buildings by sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping them, according to hygienic and organisational standards.complete report sheets of activitycomplete report sheets of activityKeep written records of the service provided on a regular or punctual basis, with explicit hours of work performed and signature.clean amusement park facilitiesclean amusement park facilitiesEliminate dirt, rubbish or impurities in amusement park facilities such as booths, sporting equipment, vehicles and ride units.maintain a safe, hygienic and secure working environmentmaintain a safe, hygienic and secure working environmentPreserve health, hygiene, safety and security in the workplace in accordance with relevant regulations.ensure equipment maintenanceensure equipment maintenanceEnsure that the equipment required for operations is regularly checked for faults, that routine maintenance tasks are performed, and that repairs are scheduled and performed in the case of damage or f...operate motorised street sweeping machineoperate motorised street sweeping machineUse motorised street sweeping equipment to sweep gutters and streets.perform manual work autonomouslyperform manual work autonomouslyShow the ability to pursue basic manual tasks without the help or assistance of others, not needing supervision or guidance, and taking responsibility for one's actions.drive waste collection vehicledrive waste collection vehicleDrive a heavy truck which is equipped for waste collection services in a safe manner, compliant with road legislation and waste management legislation.
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Frequently asked questions
What does a street sweeper do?
Street sweepers operate sweeping equipment and machinery to remove waste, leaves or debris from streets. They maintain records of sweeping operations and maintain, clean and perform minor repairs to the equipment used.
What skills does a street sweeper need?
A street sweeper needs 29 essential skills, including cleaning industry health and safety measures, health, safety and hygiene legislation, discharge of collected waste, waste management, local geography.
Will AI replace street sweeper jobs?
The AI disruption score for street sweeper is 35/100 (moderate risk). Skills most exposed to automation: follow work schedule, maintain waste collection records, complete report sheets of activity. Most resilient: work in outdoor conditions, adapt to different weather conditions, clean particular areas manually.
AI Replacement Risk
35/ 100
Moderate Risk
Low riskHigh risk
Quick Facts
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