workers clean cars at a carwash, automobile dealership, or rental agency. Some clean industrial equipment at manufacturing firms.
Refuse and recyclable material collectors gather garbage and recyclables from homes and businesses to transport to a dump, landfill, or recycling center. Many collectors lift garbage cans by hand and empty them into their truck. Some collectors drive the garbage or recycling truck along a scheduled route. When collecting materials from a dumpster, drivers use a hydraulic lift to empty contents of the dumpster into their truck.
Work Environment
Many refuse and recyclable material collectors work for local governments.
The work of hand laborers and material movers is usually repetitive and physically demanding. Workers may lift and carry heavy objects. They bend, kneel, crouch, or crawl in awkward positions.
Hand laborers and material movers held 3,315,400 jobs in 2010. They work in a variety of industries.
Laborers and hand, freight, stock, and material movers work in the following industries:
Transportation and warehousing 21%
Wholesale trade 17
Retail trade 16
Employment services 15
Manufacturing 13
Hand packers and packagers work in the following industries:
Grocery stores 24%
Employment services 17
Food manufacturing 9
Machine feeders and offbearers work in the following industries:
Food manufacturing 12%
Wood product manufacturing 10
Paper manufacturing 8
Plastics and rubber products manufacturing 7
Cleaners of vehicles and equipment work in the following industries:
Automotive repair and maintenance 37%
Automobile dealers 21
Automotive equipment rental and leasing 5
Refuse and recyclable material collectors work in the following industries:
Waste collection 37%
Local government, excluding education and hospitals 35
Waste treatment and disposal 13
Injuries
Some material moving jobs can be dangerous. Hand laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, as well as refuse and recyclable material collectors, have some of the highest rates of injury and illness of all occupations. When hand laborers and freight, stock and material movers move heavy objects around a warehouse or onto trucks, accidents can happen, which could cause injury. Because refuse and recyclable material collectors drive so much to complete their rounds, they are vulnerable to traffic accidents.
Some vehicle and equipment cleaners work with heavy machinery, which also can lead to injury. However, these jobs have become less dangerous as safety equipment and regulations have improved. For protection, many workers wear safety equipment, such as gloves or hard hats.
Work Schedules
Most hand laborers and material movers work full time. In addition, most work 8-hour shifts, although longer shifts and overtime are common. Because materials are shipped around the clock, some workers, especially those in warehousing, work overnight shifts.
How to Become a Hand Laborer or Material Mover
Some laborers and material movers work at car washes.
Generally, hand laborers and material movers need no work experience or minimum level of education. Employers require only that applicants be physically able to do the work.
Education
Some employers may prefer to hire workers who have a high school diploma, although it is generally not required for these jobs.
Training
Most of these positions require less than 1 month of on-the-job training. Some workers need only a few days of training. Certain hand freight, stock, and material movers and refuse and recyclable material collectors have up to 3 months of training. Most training is done by a supervisor or a more experienced worker who decides when trainees are ready to work on their own.
Workers learn a safety rules as part of their training. Many of these rules are standardized through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Workers who handle hazardous materials receive additional training.
Licenses
Depending on the size of the truck, refuse and recyclable material collectors who drive the truck may have to have a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Getting a CDL requires passing written, skills, and vision tests.
Advancement
Many of these workers advance to other jobs. Some become material-moving machine operators; others become construction laborers or production workers. In warehousing or retail, experienced workers can move to other parts of the company, such as sales.
Important Qualities
Customer service skills. Laborers and material handlers who work with the public, such as grocery baggers or carwash attendants, must be pleasant and courteous to customers.
Listening skills. Laborers and material movers often need to follow instructions that a supervisor gives them.
Physical strength. Some workers must be able to lift heavy objects throughout the day.
Pay
Hand Laborers and Material Movers
Median annual wages, May 2010
Total, All Occupations
$33,840
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
$28,400
Hand Laborers and Material Movers
$22,560
All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
The median annual wage of hand laborers and material movers was $22,560 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation
