It’s still winter in most places up north. And there is still ice and snow on the ground. In fact, Southern Pennsylvania just received snow last night. So will that kill the excavators?

Absolutely not. When a trench needs to be built, there’s no better tool than an excavator. It’s a machine that was built for the job. But, while that’s true, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend using the bucket for breaking up ice. The excavator has other tools for that. One tool that has proven to be useful for breaking up ice is the ground-breaking pick.

Backhoes are OK. They are versatile machines, but excavators are more powerful. In fact, put them side by side and let them have a contest and I guarantee you that excavator will win on breaking ice.

Heavy equipment operators are often multi-skilled operators. If you know how to operate a backhoe, chances are you know how to operate an excavator. By taking your training through a heavy equipment school that trains on multiple equipment such as the excavator and backhoe, you improve your chances of obtaining and keeping a long term job.

At ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools, you’ll learn how to use the excavator even on the ice. You’ll be trained in its various functions and how to determine when to use each tool this versatile piece of machinery has to offer. Enroll today and start your career in heavy equipment operations.

It’s a bit of a cliche I know, but bulldozer operations is a real “down-to-earth job.” Let’s face it, what do bulldozers do best? They push earth around. You could probably use a more poetic description – bulldozer operators spend their days carving the earth. The end result is still the same. The have to push dirt around. That sounds fairly simplistic when the reality is that a large bulldozer can push an awful lot of dirt around – tons of it in a day’s work.

Bulldozers are one of the most important pieces of equipment on a construction site. Engineers, builders, and other plant operators all rely on the skill of a bulldozer operator to carve out that landscape according to the plans. If a building is going to be constructed, that firm and level base is what is going to help hold that building up. If a highway is to be constructed, then the road building crews are relying on the bulldozer operator to provide them with a level and accurate road base to start on.

Our farmers still rely on bulldozer operators. Farm roads are often bulldozed, especially after snow or heavy rains have made them impassable. Farmers also rely on bulldozer operators to help in the construction of small dams, vital for those periods during the year when rainfall is minimal. These jobs all require the skills of an experienced bulldozer operator.

When you and I look at a piece of land, we may see some vegetation and dirt. When a bulldozer operator looks at that same piece of land, they will be looking at the soil type (sand, clay etc), tree stumps, large rocks, and anything else that may make the job difficult. Once they have scanned the area, they are ready to go to work.

Training to become a bulldozer operator is fairly straightforward. Three weeks of classroom training and in-the-seat training and you’re ready for entry level employment. Experience comes with time, but you would be surprised at how quickly a new operator learns their craft.

Heavy equipment has been the focus of attention when it comes to safety for several years now. While operators require training that includes safety, onsite workers also have an obligation to act safely around heavy equipment. Work place health and safety training is now mandatory in many industries and where employers have failed to ensure their employees are trained, big fines are on offer.

When it comes to heavy equipment safety, there are several areas that are important to understand. These areas include:

Preservation of self – This is fairly obvious, the last thing any operator should do is act in a way that could put themselves in danger. An obvious example of this is when working around power lines – come into contact with one of those power lines and you could be in real trouble.

Safety of others – The majority of heavy equipment accidents involve injuries to people other than the operator. In some cases, it is the worker on the ground that hasn’t taken care. However, operators should be aware of everyone around them and be trained sufficiently well that they can take avoidance action should a situation become dangerous.

Safety of property – By far the number one result of accidents is damage to property. This includes buildings and vehicles. These accidents generally occur through sloppy work, often because an operator has misjudged a distance. Heavy equipment can cause tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage just through one simple error of judgment.

These accidents are all avoidable. Heavy equipment safety training is designed to cover all aspects of safety. This training is generally included as part of a person’s basic heavy equipment training program. In some states, an employee cannot start work onsite unless they have undertaken this training. If you are looking at heavy equipment training programs, be sure they have a good safety component – you may find it necessary when looking for employment.