The Fiber Drop Laborer is responsible for assisting with the installation, repair, and restoration of underground telecommunications service drops from the main fiber network to residential and commercial properties.
This is a physically demanding, outdoor construction position involving hand digging, operating small equipment and tools, installing conduit and fiber drop lines, completing property restoration, and supporting the crew in safely and efficiently completing assigned work.
The successful candidate must be dependable, safety-conscious, productive, respectful when working on customers' properties, and willing to work in changing weather and site conditions.
Key Responsibilities Fiber Drop Installation
- Install underground fiber optic service drops to residential and commercial properties.
- Assist with routing service drops from telecommunications pedestals, handholes, or network infrastructure to buildings.
- Install conduit, microduct, direct-buried cable, tracer wire, and other telecommunications materials as required.
- Complete hand digging and expose existing utilities where necessary.
- Assist with trenching, plowing, boring, or other approved installation methods.
- Pull or place fiber cable through conduit.
- Maintain proper depth, routing, and installation standards.
- Assist with accessing and working around telecommunications pedestals and handholes.
- Identify installation obstacles and report concerns to the Crew Lead or Supervisor before proceeding.
Utility & Site Safety
- Review utility locates before excavation begins.
- Understand and respect utility markings and tolerance zones.
- Hand expose utilities when required.
- Immediately report damaged, missing, questionable, or conflicting utility locates.
- Never excavate in an area where required locates are missing or unclear without authorization.
- Follow company safe work procedures and client requirements at all times.
- Participate in daily hazard assessments, toolbox talks, and safety meetings.
- Wear required personal protective equipment.
- Report incidents, near misses, property damage, utility contacts, and unsafe conditions immediately.
Property Restoration
- Restore disturbed property following fiber installation.
- Backfill and compact excavations.
- Replace topsoil, sod, seed, gravel, decorative stone, or other surface materials as required.
- Maintain clean and professional worksites.
- Minimize unnecessary property disturbance.
- Ensure restoration meets company and client standards before leaving the site.
- Report pre-existing property damage or unusual site conditions before beginning work whenever possible.
Equipment & Tools
- Safely operate hand tools, power tools, compactors, concrete/asphalt saws, trenchers, mini equipment, and other equipment when trained and authorized.
- Perform basic daily inspections of assigned tools and equipment.
- Keep company vehicles, trailers, tools, and equipment clean and organized.
- Report damaged or defective equipment immediately.
- Properly secure tools, equipment, materials, and loads during transportation.
Productivity & Work Quality
- Work efficiently to meet daily production expectations.
- Follow the direction of the Crew Lead, Foreman, Supervisor, or Project Manager.
- Complete assigned work correctly the first time whenever reasonably possible.
- Assist other crew members when required to keep production moving.
- Maintain workmanship standards even when working under production deadlines.
- Notify supervision when conditions may prevent the job from being completed as planned.
Customer & Public Interaction
- Conduct yourself professionally while working on customer properties.
- Treat homeowners, customers, coworkers, inspectors, and members of the public respectfully.
- Direct technical questions, complaints, or disputes to the Crew Lead or Supervisor when appropriate.
- Do not make unauthorized commitments regarding repairs, compensation, schedules, or scope of work.
- Respect customer privacy and property at all times.
Documentation
- Complete required job records accurately.
- Take before-and-after photographs when required.
- Document completed work, restoration, unusual conditions, and deficiencies.
- Assist with recording measurements and installation information.
- Use company mobile applications or job-management systems as required.
- Immediately report incomplete work or deficiencies rather than marking work complete.
Physical Requirements
Employees in this position must be able to:
- Perform physically demanding outdoor construction work for extended periods.
- Regularly lift and carry construction materials, tools, and equipment.
- Perform repeated bending, kneeling, shoveling, digging, lifting, and walking.
- Work around uneven terrain, excavations, traffic, mud, dust, and construction equipment.
- Work outdoors in hot, cold, wet, windy, and changing weather conditions.
- Enter and exit vehicles and equipment repeatedly throughout the workday.
- Work extended hours when project requirements demand it.
QualificationsRequired
- Reliable attendance and punctuality.
- Ability to perform physically demanding construction work.
- Ability to follow instructions and established procedures.
- Strong awareness of workplace and excavation safety.
- Ability to work effectively as part of a crew.
- Willingness to work outdoors in varying weather conditions.
- Ability to communicate professionally with coworkers and the public.
- Valid driver's licence when driving company vehicles is part of the employee's duties.
Preferred
- Previous telecommunications, utility, landscaping, excavation, or construction experience.
- Experience installing underground telecommunications or fiber drops.
- Experience reading utility locate sheets.
- Experience operating compact construction equipment.
- Experience with property restoration.
- First Aid, WHMIS, Ground Disturbance, traffic-control, or other relevant safety training.
Performance Expectations
Fiber Drop Laborers are expected to demonstrate:
- Safe work practices.
- Reliable attendance.
- Consistent productivity.
- Quality workmanship.
- Care when working around buried utilities.
- Respect for customer property.
- Proper care of company vehicles and equipment.
- Accurate documentation.
- Willingness to accept direction and coaching.
- Teamwork and a positive working relationship with other crew members.
- Immediate reporting of mistakes, damages, incidents, and safety concerns.
Repeated unsafe work practices, failure to follow instructions, preventable property or utility damage, poor attendance, unacceptable workmanship, dishonesty, or inappropriate conduct toward customers, coworkers, or members of the public may result in corrective action.
Reporting Structure
Reports To: Fiber Drop Crew Lead / Telecom Supervisor / Project Manager
Department: Telecommunications
Employment Type: Seasonal / Full-Time, depending on operational requirements
Work Location: Various project and customer locations
General Statement
This job description summarizes the primary responsibilities of the Fiber Drop Laborer position. Employees may be required to perform other reasonable duties related to telecommunications construction, restoration, equipment maintenance, traffic control, material handling, or general construction operations as assigned.
Pay: $20.00-$25.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
