# Unskilled Labour in Construction

> Unskilled labour does heavy manual work on site, from carrying mortar to clearing debris. See how labour challans record the workforce in SuperWise.

Canonical: https://superwise.site/glossary/unskilled-labor/
Last updated: 2026-11-01

Site workers who do heavy manual tasks such as carrying, digging and cleaning without formal technical training.

## What is Unskilled Labour?

Unskilled Labour is the part of a construction site workforce that does heavy manual work needing physical endurance but no formal technical certification. In India it is the largest group on site. These workers excavate trenches, carry bricks on their heads, mix concrete by hand and clear debris, and they assist skilled trades such as masons and steel fixers.

## Practical example

To plaster a multi-storey building, a [labour contractor](https://superwise.site/glossary/labor-contractor-thekedar/) deploys 5 skilled masons and 10 unskilled labourers. The labourers form a human chain on the [scaffolding](https://superwise.site/glossary/scaffolding/) and pass wet mortar pans up to the 3rd floor. The better-paid masons can then keep trowelling mortar onto the wall without stopping.

## In SuperWise

In SuperWise a contractor's daily workforce is recorded on labour challans. Each challan names the contractor, a labour category (a resource of type Labour) and the number of workers or man-days, with photos of the workers and the GPS location of the entry. The [DPR](https://superwise.site/glossary/daily-progress-report/) then lists the contractor workforce present on the report date in its Labour Details section.

[Daily reporting](https://superwise.site/features/construction-daily-report/)

## Related terms

- [Labour Contractor (Thekedar)](https://superwise.site/glossary/labor-contractor-thekedar/)
- [Scaffolding](https://superwise.site/glossary/scaffolding/)
- [Daily Progress Report (DPR)](https://superwise.site/glossary/daily-progress-report/)

## Related
- [Labour Contractor (Thekedar)](https://superwise.site/glossary/labor-contractor-thekedar/)
- [Scaffolding](https://superwise.site/glossary/scaffolding/)
- [Daily Progress Report (DPR)](https://superwise.site/glossary/daily-progress-report/)
- [Daily reporting](https://superwise.site/features/construction-daily-report/)