The mining industry would not survive today if were not for the heavy equipment used. The world’s appetite for raw materials is such that no amount of human power could ever hope to satisfy it.

There are several different types of heavy equipment in use, particularly in open cut or surface mining. There are those that dig and gouge away at the material being mined, and there are those that push the mined material around. A third group are involved in the transportation of the mined materials.

Excavators do a lot of the actual digging. Some mines sites use explosives to loosen the material then bring in huge shovels that effectively take big bites of the loose material and dump it into equally large dump trucks.

Large bulldozers are used either to scrape up the loose material and work in conjunction with shovels. The bulldozer forms a large pile that shovel can then scoop up. Bulldozers are also used to rehabilitate areas once the raw materials have been mined out.

The trucks used to carry the material to a loading site are massive. Their wheels are the two or three times the height of a man, require large specifically built fork lifts to get the wheels on and off and use tires that can cost up $50,000 each – forget all four – that’s each.

The one thing these heavy equipment operators have in common is the basic training required before they can commence work. Training organizations such as ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can prepare you for a career in the mining industry. Inquire now for details on a course starting near you.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, excavators come in a range of shapes and sizes including the mini or compact excavators. Although a lot smaller than their bigger brothers, and often the subject of many construction site jokes, the compact excavator plays a very valuable role in our society.

Compact excavators have many advantages over other heavy equipment, such as being highly maneuverable and, of course, compact in size. Compact excavators only require a small trailer and truck to transport rather than the large flatbed. They have a much larger range of motion, attachment-carrying versatility, excellent visibility, and better fuel economy.

The range of tasks that a compact excavator can perform are broad and it can complete job in a fairly confined area where other heavy equipment can’t gain access. The machine can, for example, be used on a small construction area to break up the surface or an old concrete base using an attached hammer or breaker. It can then help to load a truck using a special ‘thumb’ attachment and bucket.

Once the debris has been removed, it can level site prior to spreading a base using a standard blade. With a compactor attachment, it can firm down the base ready for the concrete pour. Once the concrete has cured the compact excavator can be used to backfill around the concrete and generally tidy up the site. All of this in a fairly confined space. The job of several larger machines done by one machine. The labor of 10 men and several weeks reduced to one man, a machine, and a couple of days.

You can see why these little beasts are becoming popular. Why are they the butt of jokes? Probably because the larger machines feel threatened! Operating a compact excavator is similar to the large version. Training on heavy machinery will provide the set of skills required to operate machinery of all sizes and ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools specializes in training heavy equipment operators.

There are times when I get asked why I need heavy equipment operator training through a school and not just on-the-job. In reality, you can. However your training wont be complete, wont be recognized nationally and can harm future job prospects. Here is an example of how most of the job descriptions are written when vacancies arise.

DUTIES

• Transports and operates a variety of heavy equipment including, but not limited to tractor trailer unit, lowboy, bulldozer, grader, crane skip loader, tandem drive axle rigs, service trucks, and backhoe/loaders
• Operates a backhoe for excavating utility trenches, placing pipe and backfilling

QUALIFICATIONS
Ability to:

• Operate a variety of heavy equipment including tractor trailer unit, lowboy, bulldozer, grader, crane skip loader, tandem drive axle rigs, service trucks, and backhoe/loaders.
• Adjust and perform preventive maintenance and make minor repairs on the vehicles and auxiliary equipment.
• Operate equipment in compliance with District, State, and Federal Safety Codes.
• Learn to operate and maintain newly acquired heavy equipment.
• Understand the operation of heavy equipment and report any variance from proper operation.

EDUCATION

• Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade supplemented by specialized training in heavy equipment operation.

EXPERIENCE

• One year of experience operating heavy equipment.

KNOWLEDGE

• Operation and maintenance requirements of a variety of heavy equipment.
• Practices, methods, and materials used in construction and maintenance work.
• Traffic laws, ordinances, and rules involved in truck and heavy equipment operations.
• Principles and practices of routine and preventive maintenance of light and heavy equipment.
• The use of hand tools and safety gear.
• Occupational hazards and standard safety practices.

Don’t let all of that put you off. Heavy equipment training schools cover most of those topics at some stage in their training. On-the-job training can provide you with some experience on one piece of equipment, however that limits your future employment to that piece of equipment.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can provide you with training to get started in the heavy equipment industry. We can also help you get your first job so you can gain that 12 months experience that many employers, particularly government related, require.

Being a heavy equipment operator does not suit everyone. There are certain personal attributes that are almost essential if you wish to work in this area. So what are these personal attributes?

The first attribute is simply a love of the outdoors. Working outside in a wide range of weather conditions is part of the job. Whilst most heavy equipment come fitted with weather proof cabs, there are still a lot o machines with open cabs.

The second attribute is a willingness to get your hands dirty. If you’re the kind of person who insists on clean hands 24/7, then this type of work may not be for you. You may not get your hands as dirty and greasy as a motor mechanic, there is still some dirt involved.

The third and perhaps most important attribute is one of patience. If a pile of dirt needs moving, there is a right and wrong way to do it. You can’t rush the job, it needs to be done slowly and methodically.

There are several skills that may also have an important bearing on your success as a heavy equipment operator. These include good hand-foot-eye co-ordination and the ability to accurately gauge distances and sizes.

With those attributes and basic skills, you are well suited to a career as a heavy equipment operator. All you need to add are the actual operational and safety skills associated with the equipment you intend operating.

This where ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can help you. Our accredited training can take those attributes and basic skills and turn them in to qualified and skilled heavy equipment operators. Put us to the test through our free online training program!

The federal government is updating crane regulations and at some stage over the next 12 months new standards will come into force. This will require all crane operators to have the proper training, either through a training school or on the job. Either way, they will have to meet minimum standards and pass written tests to prove their knowledge.

This places more importance on the need for effective training that covers all the minimum standards that are being set. Under the new standards, crane operators will need to be certified. To achieve this, the new regulations will require crane operators to pass both written and practical tests in all 50 states and complete more training where necessary.

Certification will achieved through either an accredited third-party testing organization, through an audited employer testing program or by state/local licensing authorities.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools deliver accredited training for all heavy equipment including cranes. This training will be prepare you for the accreditation process. If your interested in becoming a crane operator then now is the best time to get started.

There is more to heavy equipment operation than just digging holes or shifting dirt. Sometimes you need to use your skills to get in and out of tricky situations.

The following video shows how a backhoe operator uses his skills and his equipment to cross a trench. This could have been a pipeline or small creek or similar and you can see from the video that the trench could have been much wider.

Many would look at this and say it is a gimmick or trick and that you don’t need these skills. It’s debatable, however, what it does show is someone who has mastered their machine. That is what is important.

Their mastery of heavy equipment will have started by learning the basics and building from there. ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can provide you with the skills necessary to start a career as a heavy equipment operator. Can we teach you jump trenches, no, but we can teach you to get the job done efficiently.

Loaders are one of the more common types of heavy equipment found on construction sites. They are similar to a tractor with the bucket on the front with the engine at the back as a counter weight. Unlike excavators, most loaders are wheeled rather than tracked. There is more than one type of loader and some are capable of doing multiple jobs depending on the attachments used.

The loader described is often referred to as a front end loader. These are also known as bucket loaders or scoop loaders because they have a wide square bucket that tilts to capture the dirt or to dig out an area. The bucket is a removable attachment so you can also use it as a forklift or attach a clam shell type of bucket that opens to grab whatever you are working on in its jaws. Loaders of this type are also used for snow removal, dirt removal, farming, and on construction sites.

Other loaders include the little cousin of the front end loader, the skid loader. These come with wheels or tracks and are much smaller loader than front end loaders. One of the major differences between a front end loader and a skid loader is the positioning of the lift arms. On the skid loader they are behind the driver’s shoulders rather than forward of the cab.

Backhoe loader or more commonly referred to as simply backhoes combine two pieces of equipment into one. They have the traditional loader with the front end bucket. However, the rear of the vehicle has a hydraulic arm to which a bucket or ‘hoe’ is attached. The operators seat swivels so the operate can see what he or she is doing when operating the backhoe portion. When using the backhoe there are hydraulic stabilizers the operator can place on the ground in order to lift it off the ground and provide added traction and balance.

To operate any of these pieces of heavy equipment requires training. Basic training on a front end loader will provide most of the skills required to operate all variations. Some extra training may be required to operate a backhoe. ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can provide all the training required to successfully heavy equipment like those described.

Heavy equipment operators have a huge responsibility on their shoulders. They are sitting behind the controls of equipment that is often valued at more than half a million dollars. The tires on these vehicles can be valued in the 10’s of thousands of dollars. And that is just the equipment.

Operators of heavy equipment are also responsible for preparing, and often finishing, the roads we drive on, the houses we live in and the buildings we work and play in. If these operators failed in the jobs then there it is possible the buildings would fall down around our ears. Fortunately, heavy equipment operators are well trained and inspection regimes are in place to ensure the job is done properly.

Whilst operating the equipment, operators also have a duty of care to their fellow workers, other equipment and of course other property and buildings. Heavy equipment can often have blind spots that the operator needs to be aware of and take into account whilst working.

The better trained a heavy equipment operator is, the less problems there are when it comes to safety, quality of work and machinery maintenance and life span. Owners of heavy equipment now recognize the need to employ workers who are trained and often work with training organizations to develop minimum training standards.

Training organizations such as ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools gain accreditation to deliver training to these standards. Employers then look to employ those who have been trained within ATS in the knowledge that those who have graduated can work to the minimum standards required.

Gain your training through ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools and you may find you get preferred in the employment application process to those who have not had formal training.

Once the excavator, backhoe or trench-digger have completed their task, it is time to call in the specialized pipe laying machines. These are relatively easy to operate when it comes to controls. Most units are comprised of a swing control and raising and lowering controls. Of course, like most heavy equipment, they have a drive control for movement.

Pipe laying machines do just that. They pick up pipes are lower them into the trench as precisely as possible. This process means that long lengths of pipe can be lowered and connected fairly quickly. They can be used for hard piping such as the cement piping used for sewerage, stormwater, or mains water. They can also be used to lay softer pipes used for telecommunications such as fiber optics.

Whilst the operation of a pipe layer is fairly straight forward. Many businesses in this field prefer operators that have a history of heavy equipment operation such as a bulldozer, backhoe or excavator. There is certainly a requirement to have the safety aspects of this training before starting work. Training for a pipe layer builds on the skills already acquired and can be done on the job.

To gain skills as a heavy equipment operator, you need training from a reliable accredited training organization such as ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools. At ATS you can be trained in the use of a variety of machines including bulldozers, graders, excavators and front end loaders. Check out the site for details on free online training, training dates and employment assistance.

Excavators are not always excavators. Sometimes, rather than digging holes everywhere like my pet lab, they are used to demolish everything in sight – again, just like my pet lab. All jokes aside, heavy equipment has always had a role to play in demolition work. When you consider how big some buildings are, you can see why. To do it by hand would take years.

These days, a few well placed explosive charges will have a building collapse inside itself. The heavy equipment then rolls in to complete the job. In the past, large cranes where brought it. Their job was to swing huge metal balls at the remaining walls and knock them down. It was slow and dangerous work. These days, excavators are used to pull down the wall.

The long reach excavator an excavator with an especially long boom arm, that is used to demolish buildings. It is designed to reach the upper stories of buildings that are being demolished and pull down the structure in a safe and controlled way.

To operate a long reach excavator requires the same basic skills as a standard excavator operator. These skills can be acquired through ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools. Check out our website for a location near you.