If there is one thing that irks construction companies more than anything else it is the loss of their heavy equipment. New heavy equipment technology is now helping with loss prevention devices being fitted to most new machinery.

You would be surprised at how brazen some thieves can be. They have been known to turn up in broad daylight with a flatbed tractor-trailer and simply load up the machinery of their choice and take off. This normally happens on a weekend, or in the early evening when there is no one on the site to protect the equipment. There have, however, been situations where they have turned up on a working day, with what appears to be an authentic work order, and loaded up right in front of the construction crew. Let’s face it, if the equipment is not being used at the time then it makes sense to move it to a new site – how are the onsite workers to know any different?

The latest heavy equipment technology includes GPS devices that are constantly on. They are often self powered and hidden so even the removal of the equipment’s battery won’t bypass the security system. If the machine is stolen at any time, it can be found, often very quickly, simply by tracking the GPS signal. Security firms will eventually have monitors for all heavy equipment fitted with these devices and an alarm will be raised should one be moved without authorization.

Fortunately for operators, heavy equipment technology like this doesn’t require any special training. In fact, most operators won’t even know of its existence unless told or warning labels are placed on the equipment. Heavy equipment training will only be affected in the short term by the introduction of GPS equipment when it is being used to complete a job – that, however, is a story for a future post.

Undertaking training and gaining a commercial drivers license doesn’t always have to lead to employment. There are thousands of individuals who have their CDL yet they rarely actually drive a truck. You may wonder why then they go to the bother of getting that license.

There are thousands of jobs around where a commercial drivers license is not a requirement, but it can be a ‘handy to have’ skill. Consider the type of work involved in a warehouse. Your day-to-day task would involve moving stock around, loading and unloading trucks, and keeping records of all the stock movements. If there is an urgent call for some stock, or a driver has called in sick, then the person with the truck license may well be the one called upon to fill in.

Heavy equipment operators can also find themselves in a similar situation. Their machine is required at a particular site, but there is no truck driver available to transport it. If you have your commercial drivers license then you are in a position to transport your own machine.

As I mentioned, there are thousands of jobs ranging from the farm to the docks and everywhere in between. If apply for a vacancy in a position where trucking could be useful, and you have your commercial drivers license, you may find that your application is considered more favorably than some else’s who doesn’t have that license.

If you are looking to expand your skills or to make yourself more employable, consider adding the commercial drivers license to your list of qualifications. It may just give you the edge over others applying for the same position. Commercial drivers license training doesn’t have to be undertaken because you want a career as a trick driver. People do the training often just to increase their skills base and to open up their employment options.

Excavators of course do one job extremely well, they excavate. However, that term can be applied quite loosely. For example, mining is one area where excavators perform quite well yet we may not consider it excavating. The same could be said for quarrying and a range of other tasks. Technically, any job that entails digging is excavating – so why not use an excavator?

With that in mind, it is a good thing that this excavator has such a long reach. As the photo shows, the excavator is reaching into the middle of the river. Excavators are used a lot around waterways. They help to keep the bottom clean of debris, silt and rocks, allowing the river to flow cleanly. Some excavators are employed full time, working from one point on a river to another. Once it gets to the end point, it is time to go back to the start again.

There are some areas around the world where excavators are used to ‘mine’ river beds. The floor of the river is dug up and any minerals, particularly gold, are removed before being placed back into the river.

Other rivers use excavators as land based dredges. they can be quite effective in removing silt deposits from the floor of the river. This is often necessary to ensure boats and leisure craft are able to negotiate the river freely.

Working as a heavy equipment operator is not always going to be in a traditional area like construction or road building. There are a lot of unusual or different uses for heavy equipment – some more demanding on skills than others. If you’re looking for a demanding job in heavy equipment, you may want to consider excavator training. You could be working at a mine, in a quarry, on a building site or perhaps in a river – you just never no.

Have you ever paid any attention to heavy equipment safety campaigns like the ‘Look Up and Live’ campaign? One of the leading causes of death to heavy equipment operators is by accidentally coming into contact with overhead power-lines. Whilst the experience for the operator is not that great, energy consumers in the area won’t be thrilled either when they lose their power.

Whether you operate a farm tractor, an excavator, crane or any other heavy equipment, being aware of power-lines has always got to be at the back of your mind. Those working around you have also got to be aware of those power-lines so they can guide you safely around them. As one of the leading causes of death for heavy equipment operators, it is not an issue that can be taken lightly.

Most heavy equipment safety training programs include a component on overhead power-lines. This is because of the number of deaths and injuries that occur each and every year. Unfortunately, there is not a lot that can be done to protect operators should they come into contact with those power-lines. The simple solution of course is to avoid contact with them.

This is just one of many issues that heavy equipment operators need to consider in their day-to-day working lives. If you are planning on training to become a heavy equipment operator, one attribute that is going to be very important is your ability to pay attention to factors not directly related to what you are doing.

Heavy equipment training will always focus on three areas – the equipment itself, providing skills to operate that equipment, and knowledge of heavy equipment safety.

Job placement is one of the hardest components to starting a new career. In fact, it is often the main reason why many decide against embarking on a new career. The biggest fear that human’s possess is the fear of the unknown. When it comes to employment, no employment means no income and that can have a huge impact on our lives.

There is little doubt now that employment in the heavy equipment field is rising. Over the last five years there has been a high attrition rate, mainly affected by those reaching retirement age although many are lost to other careers. This high attrition rate together with the boom in construction is starting to lead to a shortage in qualified operators – and that is where we can help.

ATS has developed a reputation for producing very capable operators through our heavy equipment training schools. This reputation has led to employers approaching us at times looking to recruit new operators, often before they have completed their training. ATS has also established a strong relationship with a network of employers. You have access to this network of employers when you start your heavy equipment training program.

Job placement is an important issue and ATS recognizes the impact that being jobless can have on your life. More importantly, we have discovered that the sooner a graduate can put their skills to work, the more effective their training is as the skills learned are reinforced.

If you are considering a career change and a career as a heavy equipment operator is high on your list, don’t let job placement be the deciding factor. We can help you find those vacancies, you need to concentrate on developing the skills to be effective in that job – after all, your success is our success.

There is a big difference between training for a one off job and training for heavy equipment careers. A one off job is just that – one off. This means you are often trained on only piece of equipment and you are trained to do the job in one specific way. Training for a career should be undertaken on a range of equipment doing a range of tasks.

Is there one off training? There is actually and this is often done by industry itself. If you are employed by a specific industry, or by a business that uses heavy equipment, you will be trained to do the job their way. What is missing is the broader training in safety along with broader training in what each piece of machinery can do.

By undertaking training through a heavy equipment training organization, you get that broad level of training. This won’t prevent you from working in industries that require specific training – in fact, you could be more employable since you have the basic skills required. You would only need to undertake the job specific component, meaning you would be productive far quicker than someone who has to do all the training.

Crane operator training is one area that has a significant number of operators who have only been trained to do one particular job. Those crane operators often struggle when trying to ply their skills in others areas.

If you’re considering a career as a heavy equipment operator and you don’t want to be restricted to one type of machinery, ensure you undertake training for a heavy equipment career – not for a one off task on one type of equipment.

Bulldozers have their origins in agriculture and they are moving back into this industry big time these days. The bulldozer’s origin was that of a humble farm tractor that had a blade attached to the front. We have come a long way since those early days with machinery that ranges in size from as small as a tractor to huge machines that could almost move mountains.

Whilst construction is their main territory now, bulldozers are quietly working away on many farms, often helping to regenerate areas. Bulldozers have many advantages over tractors. They are able to drag tree roots, shift large boulders and carve out uneven ground. Where they are particularly useful is in the creation of dams. A bulldozer can turn an empty plot of land into a dam in no time. If you consider that most dams involve two components, the hole in the ground and the earth embankment surrounding the dam. With the aid of a bulldozer the creation of one, the hole in the ground, helps create the second, the earth embankment.

Whether your helping to build a road, clearing a construction site or helping to build a dam, the skills and the bulldozer training required is identical. What is important is ensuring your training is delivered by an accredited heavy equipment training organization that delivers training to national standards. This will mean your skills are transferable across state boundaries.

There are many bulldozer operators now living in rural communities who work across a wide range of projects. They may be working as a part of a road crew this week whilst next week working on a neighbor’s farm. Next month they may be on a construction site clearing the way for a new building. One thing is for sure, their working lives are never boring.

We live in a world where it seems everything is measured in time. One of the downsides to this is that people will often look for shortcuts so they can save time. When it comes to construction sites, the danger is that these shortcuts can produce serious heavy equipment safety risks. In an effort to reduce workplace accidents and deaths, the Federal Government along with most of the state legislatures all agreed to set in place certain minimum standards.

You will now find that most work related training has some form of safety built into the training program. This ensures that everyone who is entering the workforce has a common line safety training for their industry. Some industries such as construction and operating heavy equipment, their safety training is quite comprehensive.

When you think about it, the use of heavy equipment has the potential to cause damage to a lot of people and property. It is not just fellow workers, it could be those walking (or driving) past a construction site. Property at risk includes the building they are working on, those buildings surrounding that lot and of course other construction machinery.

The operators themselves are not immune to injury despite the latest in cab design, particularly when it comes to rollovers. That equipment can be extremely heavy and can hit the ground with the same impact as two cars colliding at 60mph. That’s quite a punch if your in the operators seat.

At ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools we pride ourselves on the level of training provided including heavy equipment safety training designed to meet national standards. Employers know that graduates from ATS are not only competent in using their equipment, they have also got the necessary safety training to meet national and state safety training requirements. Keep the workplace safe by thinking carefully on the safety training you receive – the next life you save could be your own!

Wheel loaders are common on construction sites but they can suffer from one problem, the larger vehicles can be cumbersome and difficult to maneuver in tight situations. This led to the introduction of what we call an articulated wheel loader.

An articulated vehicle is simply a vehicle that has been ‘broken’ into two separate pieces. The vehicle is then rejoined using a system similar to attaching a boat trailer to a car – only on a much larger scale and a little more involved. Like a boat trailer, an articulated vehicle swivels on a central point with each half able to move back on themselves.

This is the principle of articulation. You see it more frequently with large truck and trailer combinations. The benefit of articulation is that it can maneuver in much smaller areas than traditional wheel loaders. Where articulated wheel loaders are different to other forms of articulation is that steering is handled through the rear wheels rather than the front wheel. This leaves the front of the vehicle free to do what it does best, scoop material up and transport it where it needs to go.

We are entering an interesting time when it comes to the demand for heavy equipment operators. With so much construction happening around the country the demand for operators is on the increase. This includes loader operators, particularly wheel loader operators.

Wheel loader training is undertaken as part of a broader heavy equipment training program. This provides skills in a range of heavy equipment including wheel loaders. Once training has been completed, operators can choose to specialize as wheel loader operators if they choose. The demand for operators is there, we just need fill those vacancies with suitably qualified operators.

As August rolls in there is one thing we know, winter is not that far away. Before you know it many of us will be knee deep in snow and grateful for the grader operators that are at least keeping our roads open. I also know one other thing, come winter, many areas will be calling for grader operators. It will be too late to start your training then, you have to prepare now for when that demand starts.

The counties in the north west are particularly vulnerable to road closures due to snow with most counties employing teams of grader operators to clear the roads. John Deere is one business that recognizes the importance of graders producing machines that specialize in snow clearing.

To be employed as a grader operator often required two things: recognized grader training and some experience in the field – not necessarily in snow, although it helps. By undertaking your grader training now, you will leave yourself with plenty of time to gain on-the-job experience operating a motor grader. There are ample opportunities in construction and road maintenance for new operators to gain experience – all that is missing is the training.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools can fill in that missing piece providing quality training in heavy equipment including motor graders. Many of our schools have motor graders – it’s simply a matter of contacting us to find out which school is closest to you.

You may think that work pushing snow is only limited to the coldest months of the year. That’s not true. Come the end of winter, demand for grader operators often increases as roads that were packed with snow during winter are cleared. This generally happens in spring as it all starts to melt and opens up roads previously only accessed by snowmobiles. In many cases, roads then need grading to repair the damage caused by ice and cold water. Graders can be in demand in some areas for up to five months each year with ongoing work then in highway construction and maintenance. The winter is calling – are you going to be one of our snow clearing grader operators?