Heavy Highway Construction
Heavy Highway Construction covers the foundational skills of safety, site work, heavy equipment operations, paving, earthmoving, hand tools and traffic regulations to prepare learners for professional success. Coverage of key safety skills are integrated throughout to ensure learners are prepared for real-world application of these skills.
The two-level Heavy Highway Construction curriculum supports two unique training pathways and credentials for Heavy Highway Helpers and Heavy Highway Construction.
Craft Snapshot
Curriculum Details
Module ID 36101: Introduces the trainees to careers, equipment, and processes used in the construction of highways and bridges.
Module ID 36111: Describes the types of heavy equipment, utility equipment, and cranes used in the construction of bridges and highways. Trainees will be expected to recognize the equipment and describe its use.
Module ID 36110: Reviews the safety hazards and precautions associated with construction of highways and bridges. It also emphasizes the importance of following safety procedures in order to prevent accidents and injuries associated with working in hazardous places/conditions.
Module ID 75104, from Field Safety: Introduces the signs, signals, and barricades found on various job sites, and covers highway work-zone safety requirements.
Module ID 22308, from Heavy Equipment Operations Level Two: Describes soil classification systems and explains how shrink and swell factors affect equipment selection. Discusses how soil conditions affect equipment performance and explains techniques for working with various types of soils.
Module ID 22210, from Heavy Equipment Operations Level Two: Expands on information covered in Level 1 in relation to setting and interpreting grade stakes. Also provides information and instructions on controlling surface water and ground water on a job site, as well as the layout of foundations and laying of pipe.
Module ID 22207, from Heavy Equipment Operations Level Two: Covers basic math skills required for site excavation work. Includes methods and practice in calculating the areas and volumes of various geometric shapes, as well as formulas and methods used to calculate cut and fill requirements on a job.
Module ID 22209, from Heavy Equipment Operations Level Two: Explains how to read site plans to calculate cut and fill requirements. Provides instruction and practice in interpreting both roadway and construction site drawings used for excavation and grading work.
Module ID 38102, from Basic Rigger: Describes basic rigging and safety practices related to rigging activities. Describes the use and inspection of equipment and hardware used in rigging. Explains how to apply common hitches. Covers jacks and hoisting equipment.
Module ID 21106, from Mobile Crane Operations, Level One: Covers safety standards and best safety practices relevant to the operation of cranes. Describes safety considerations related to power lines, weather conditions, and specific crane functions.
Module ID 21102 from Mobile Crane Operations, Level One: Introduces mobile crane equipment with an in-depth discussion of terminology and nomenclature. Explains the basic scientific principles associated with mobile crane operation.
Module ID 53101, from Signal Person: Describes the communication process between the signal person and the crane operator. Covers electronic communications as well as the standard hand signals in 29 CFR 1926.
Module ID 22201, from Heavy Equipment Operations Level One: Provides a broad introduction to the process of planning and executing earthmoving activities on various types of construction projects. The use of heavy equipment such as bulldozers, scrapers, excavators, and loaders is explained.
Module ID 22307, from Heavy Equipment Operations Level Three: Provides training on common types of equipment and instruments used for finish grading; materials and methods used to stabilize soils and control soil erosion; and finishing and grading methods used for various applications.
Module ID 27306, from Carpentry Level Three: Provides an introduction to working in and around excavations, particularly in preparing building foundations. Describes types and bearing capacities of soils; procedures used in shoring, shielding, and sloping trenches and excavations; trenching safety requirements, including recognition of unsafe conditions; and mitigation of groundwater and rock when excavating foundations.
Module ID 36107: Explains the operation of plants used to manufacture concrete and asphalt paving and describes the different types aggregates.
Module ID 36108: Describes paving operations, paving equipment, recycling processes, and quality control requirements for both concrete and hot-mix asphalt paving.
Module ID 27309, from Carpentry Level Three: Describes elevated decks and formwork systems and methods used in their construction. Covers joist, pan, beam and slab, flat slab, composite slab, and specialty form systems and provides instructions for the use of flying decks, as well as shoring and reshoring systems.
Module ID 27308, from Carpentry Level Three: Covers the applications and construction methods for types of forming and form hardware systems for walls, columns, and stairs, as well as slip and climbing forms. Provides an overview of the assembly, erection, and stripping of gang forms.
Module ID 27304, from Carpentry Level Three: Explains the selection and uses of different types of reinforcing materials. Describes requirements for bending, cutting, splicing, and tying reinforcing steel and the placement of steel in footings and foundations, walls, columns, and beams and girders.
Module ID 36112: Introduces the trainees to the safety concerns associated with concrete, as well as concrete testing, concrete admixtures, and the proper procedure for placing concrete.
Module ID 30108, from Ironworking Level One: Identifies the materials used in steel-framed buildings. Explains how to read basic structural blueprints.
Module ID 30109, from Ironworking Level One: Identifies the types of construction that utilize structural steel, the components of the structures, and the process involved in erecting a steel structure. Explains the principles of structural stresses and the requirements of bolted connections.
Module ID 36201: Describes the common types of bridges, along with the components that make up the substructure and superstructure of a bridge. The module also discusses the types of materials used in bridge construction, presents basic surveying equipment and practices, and explains how to interpret bridge drawings.
Module ID 36202: Describes the types of footings used to support bridges, as well as various types of piles and pile-driving methods. Safety practices associated with pile driving on land and in marine environments are also covered, along with environmental protection issues.
Module ID 36203: Describes the forms used to fabricate concrete walls, columns, footings, pile caps, and other bridge structures. This module covers site-built and manufactured forming systems and includes instructions for cleaning and storing forms.
Contributing Subject Matter Experts
Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) are a vital part of NCCER’s Curriculum development process. SMEs are construction and maintenance professionals who have journey-level experience and have experience teaching their trades to others.
Antonio Vazquez, Hubbard Construction Company
Dan Nickel, Carolina Bridge Company, Inc.
Darry Welker, Sundt Construction
Gerald Andrews, Construction Education Foundation, Inc.
John Lupacchino, Gaylor Electric, Inc.
Jon Goodney, John Deere
Justin Johnson, Quality Electric
Kevin Burns, R.E. Burns & Sons Co., Inc.
Mark Jones, Charah
Mike Powers, Tri-City Electrical Contractors
Nelson Plumb, Crossland Construction Company, Inc.
Randy McSherry, Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Inc.
Richard Nickel, Carolina Bridge Company, Inc.
Rick Wilson, Bridgerland Applied Technology College
Roger Richards, Blythe Development Co.
Russell Copley, Crowder Construction Company
Scott Mitchell, Cianbro Companies
Sean Ray, Sundt Construction
Thomas Horrell, Crowder Construction Company
Instructor Resources
Instructor Toolbox
NCCER’s Instructor Toolbox provides easy access to important instructional resources for your training program. You’ll find downloadable course planning tools, examples of classroom activities and projects, and instructor tips and best practices to help you enhance your program.
Instructor Requirements
No special requirements are needed to teach Level 2, other than our standard instructor requirements. However, to be able to provide the Basic Rigger credential, instructors must be qualified to teach the Rigger Practices, Crane Safety and Emergency Procedures, Basic Principles of Cranes and Crane Communications curriculum.