Construction work is a much-needed career. It is important to understand and be familiar with the different types of construction equipment. Excavators are an essential piece of equipment for most construction projects. Excavators are used for many different types of jobs. In this article, we will discuss excavators, types of excavators, and hydraulic excavators.

What is an Excavator

Excavators are made up of several different parts. These include boom, dipper, and bucket. All these components of the cab sit on a rotating house. To increase visibility, most excavator cabs rotate 360 degrees. Depending on the manufacturer and nature of the project, excavators have tracks or wheels. Excavators come in a variety of sizes and classes. They can weigh up to 180,000 pounds. An excavator can be diversified by other attachments to take the place of a digging bucket. For example, you can swap out the bucket for an auger, drill, ripper, or rake. Excavators can be used for many jobs.

Types of Excavators

There are six types of excavators available. These include crawler excavators, dragline excavators, suction excavators, long-reach excavators, mini excavators, and wheeled excavators.

Crawler excavator

The crawler excavator is most commonly used for projects such as mining, trench digging, and landscape grading. Crawler excavators have tracks that can travel on a job site. They are better for rough, uneven terrain. Crawler excavators are incredibly powerful machines and have hydraulic power.

Dragline excavator

Dragline excavators are a larger type of excavator that uses a hoist rope and dragline system. They are often used to clear dirt and soil for underwater projects, pile driving, or road excavations. Dragline excavators are generally transported in separate pieces to a job site because of their awkward size. They are assembled at the site and are generally used for larger job sites and projects.

Suction excavator

Suction excavators are used to clear dirt, soil, and debris using water jets and a high-pressure vacuum. They are wheeled-operated excavators. Suction excavators are often used for underground applications, debris cleanup, and other delicate excavation projects.

Long reach excavator

A long-reach excavator has arms that extend up to one hundred feet with attachments. Because they reach further than most other excavators, they are used for heavy-duty digging and industrial demo projects.

Mini excavator

Mini excavators are a compact, smaller version of the crawler excavator. They are useful for narrow job sites or job sites with obstacles. Mini excavators are also used for jobs with delicate terrain such as landscaping. They are ideal for small jobs because they have zero tail-wing compatibility. Mini excavators are often used for DIY landscape projects.

Wheeled excavator

A wheeled excavator is the same as a regular excavator. The only difference is that rather than being on tracks, it is on wheels. Wheeled excavators are more popular in Europe and are typically used for working in urban areas since their wheels are kinder to finished roads and pavement than the traditional metal track. However, wheeled excavators are becoming more popular in city projects.

Hydraulic Excavator

A hydraulic excavator or digger, is a large vehicle that is designed for excavation and demolition purposes. Hydraulic excavators consist of a chassis, boom, and bucket, and move via tracks or wheels. They range in size and function. Hydraulic excavators weigh between 3,000 and 2 million pounds and their range is between 19 HP and 4,500 HP. Hydraulic excavators rely on hydraulic systems.

Hydraulic excavators are used for a wide variety of projects. They are used for demolition purposes. However, even the smaller models can also demolish buildings. Hydraulic excavators also move large amounts of material such as minerals from one place to another. They are used alongside bulldozers and loaders in a construction zone.

There are several advantages to hydraulic excavators. They are small enough to work on specific tasks within a project area and can usually be transported from one project to another by either being towed or carried on a large truck. Also, many different attachments can be used on hydraulic excavators. These attachments include a mallet for demolition purposes, a blade for scraping, or a grapple for picking up objects.

There are also disadvantages to hydraulic excavators as well. They are heavy vehicles and cannot simply be driven across large distances or on non-reinforced roads. Hydraulic excavators use a large amount of fuel which can make them very expensive to operate. Also, hydraulic excavators can be difficult to repair due to their large size and many moving parts.

Construction Excavation

Construction excavation is essential to the construction process. It is the process of removing soil and rock from a specific area before pouring a foundation. Excavation in construction also involves leveling the ground and preparing it for the construction of a building or structure. Construction excavation is also used to dig trenches to install underground utilities, such as water and sewage pipes, electrical cables, and gas lines. This helps to ensure that the utilities are properly installed and functioning and that they do not interfere with the construction process. Excavation is used to uncover artifacts or other objects of historical or archaeological interest. This can provide valuable insights into the history and culture of the area and can help to shed light on the lives of the people who lived there.

Before beginning a project, it is important to carefully plan and design the project. Excavation can be labor-intensive depending on the size of the project. Be sure to take into account the type of soil or rock being removed, the location of the excavation site, and the potential impact on the surrounding environment. Overall, excavation is an important process that enables us to uncover an area’s hidden history and build the foundations for new construction projects. It is a challenging and demanding field of work, but it can also be incredibly rewarding, providing valuable insights into the past and helping to shape the future. Proper planning and execution are essential to ensure the safety of workers and the integrity of the site.

Finally, choosing the right excavator for your construction project depends on various factors. Consider the size of the construction project you are doing. Whether you are renting or buying construction equipment, plan carefully and use the correct equipment. This will help ensure the success of your construction project.

Cranes are a necessity in the construction industry. By using their hooks and booms, cranes help transport large and heavy materials at the work site. Cranes are created to help lessen the load of the workers and make their jobs easier, transporting things that are too heavy or dense for the workers to transport otherwise.

Essential to work site safety procedures

Without proper safety protocols in place, and without proper safety procedures, cranes can be dangerous to workers and passersby.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 44 people die in crane-related accidents in the U.S. each year. Crane accidents occur equally at construction sites (24%) and factories or plants (24%), with nearly 70% of crane accident fatalities occurring in the specialty trade, heavy and civil engineering, and construction industries.

More than half of the reported fatal crane injuries involved the worker being struck by an object or equipment. Also, cranes can pose a risk to pedestrians, cyclists, and passing motorists.

Reports indicate that 90% of crane accidents are the result of human error, so they could have been prevented. It is imperative for those working on or around cranes to undergo the proper safety training, so accidents can be avoided and injuries can be prevented.

ATS offers training for crane operators and also offers safety courses as well. Call today to learn about the available programs.

There have been major changes in the hotel construction process. These changes are because of changing demands of both hotel owners and operators as well as hotel guests. Regardless of whether the construction project is a new construction, a gut renovation, or an expansion, these changes are here to stay. Here are a few of the current popular trends in hotel construction.

• The 2030 challenge – Which is the American Institute of Architects 2030 Challenge has the aim of limiting or minimizing damage caused when there is a construction project.
• Sustainability – Build sustainability, so it will last longer and minimize waste and use.
• Seco-Friendly – Share your sustainability story by constructing around eco-friendly experiences and environmental initiatives while using eco-friendly products when possible.
• Modular Developments – Modular developments are not as limited anymore, and now, they help push the boundaries further and are used in top-end developments.
• Planning For Longer Construction Times – Delays are happening. There are supply chain shortages and it is taking longer to get what you need to do the job, so figure in that extra time when giving an estimate for project completion.
• Use Local Sourcing – Try to get as many materials and things as you can locally, so you limit the travel time and limit the carbon footprint as well.
• Know Where Materials Come From – Know where the materials are coming from, so you can figure out how long it will take to get them. Also, know if they are in stock or on backorder.

These trends have become part of the norm in the construction industry. What was once predictable is no longer as predictable, and you never know what challenges may be thrown your way, so plan ahead.

Recent reports indicate that the construction industry is in dire need of skilled laborers. Here is a closer look at what makes skilled workers and the skills that are needed to be a skilled worker in the construction industry.

There are many must-have construction skills. To succeed you must have the following capabilities:

• Physical strength and stamina
• Manual dexterity and coordination
• Strong reading and math skills
• Building and mechanical knowledge
• Excellent vision and depth perception

If you are a skilled worker, you will have no trouble finding employment in the construction industry. With the proper training, you can gain the skills that the field demands, and you can also get the safety training needed to protect you – and others – while on the job.

By learning how to do your job safely and how to operate the tools of the trade, you are improving your job opportunities. Also, crane operators and other heavy equipment operators are in demand in the construction industry.

Associated Training Services (ATS) has been helping construction workers get the training they need to succeed since 1959. There are specialized training programs available as well as heavy equipment, crane, rigging/signalperson, tower crane, commercial truck driving, digger derrick, and directional drilling training programs available.

Call (800) 383-7364 to discuss your training needs and to learn more about the programs we have available. We are accredited, and financial aid is available.

Operators:

Industrial rigging, as well as dismantling operations, necessitate the use of at least one, if not many, pieces of heavy equipment, such as cranes, forklifts, aerial lifts, and other similar equipment. It’s not easy to operate heavy machinery. If your workers aren’t properly educated, it can cause a slew of issues for your task and company. This is why accredited safety training for heavy machinery operators is so critical before beginning the job.

Many heavy machinery operator schools provide training and skills that allow applicants to become certified by one or more nationally-recognized professional associations. Heavy machinery operators are not required to be licensed or accredited in all states. In addition, not all forms of equipment need licensing or certification to work in those areas that do. So, what is the significance of professional certification?

Some states do not mandate the licensing and/or certification of heavy equipment operators.

While not all states mandate heavy machinery operators to be licensed or certified, many do. Although precise criteria differ by jurisdiction, many states recognize technical association certification as either a prerequisite for licensing or as appropriate enough on its own to run some heavy machinery within their boundaries.

Training for Heavy Equipment

Heavy equipment operator courses provide instruction in a range of equipment styles, enabling participants to broaden their versatility and experience on the job, which is appealing to employers. The following are some examples of machinery that students can practice to operate:

• Backhoes
• Rough Terrain Forklifts
• Road Graders
• Excavators
• Inspection and maintenance of equipment
• Dump Truck
• Bulldozers

Pay and Benefits:

A high school degree or GED is usually all that is needed to be accepted into a heavy machinery operator training program. Graduate students of the program discover that their salary as a heavy machinery operator much exceeds their former regular paycheck life.

National averages and real earnings can differ depending on the job and position. Many operators with the complexity and range of experience and skills learned from a heavy machinery operator training program, on the other hand, would discover themselves attracting higher demand and earn higher salaries than their rivals.

Additionally, certain companies will reimburse their employees for heavy machinery schools’ job education and training programs. Aside from the decent pay and benefits, the job is demanding and provides the satisfaction of seeing the tangible effects of one’s labor.

Safety:

If an accident occurs on the construction site as a result of insufficient preparation, it may greatly increase the project’s total expense. Mishaps may cause machinery to break down, necessitating the procurement of repair parts or, in the worst-case scenario, a completely new piece of equipment. Operators who have received rigorous instruction know how to prevent these mishaps and properly find Used Heavy Equip for Sale. They also learn how to best maintain the machinery so that it can be kept up and running on a daily basis with minimal maintenance.

Heavy Machinery Care Routine

In the past, implementing a Preventative Maintenance program into your heavy machinery care routine was considered a costly and unnecessary decision. It was often a scenario where the mindset was to fight the problems as they arose with heavy equipment, instead of performing the preventative care necessary to keep breakdowns from occurring in the first place. 

Yet, as it is well documented that preventative maintenance keeps breakdowns to a minimum, and when breakdowns occur, they are limited to less costly and quicker repairs being needed, we’re seeing the implementation of preventative maintenance programs in shops much more frequently than before. A perfect time to implement such a program is when you are winterizing your heavy equipment. If you’re already prepping your equipment, checking fluids, and replacing worn parts to ensure it will run through the rougher weather, why not go ahead and put a preventative maintenance program into place? 

The benefits you’ll see that are nearly instantaneous are: 

Problems With Machinery Are Caught Early 

Instead of a hydraulic pump completely blown and in need of replacement, you notice the leaking hydraulic fluid, and the seals can be replaced. These are the type of immediate cost and labor savings that a preventative maintenance program can ensure that you will see almost immediately when you put a preventative maintenance program in place.

Everyone knows that if you continue to run a piece of machinery on a failing part, you will see a continuous downhill slide in that machinery’s performance. You can go from a few failing seals to a pump, seals, and blown lines quickly if you don’t address the problem when it is in the beginning stages. 

Minimizing Fuel And Other Fluid Waste 

Let’s face it, fuel and other fluids are not cheap. It’s a costly venture to own and operate heavy equipment. The price of oil for a front-end loader alone can quickly drain your vendor credit account. Multiply that expense by every piece of machinery you’re running in your fleet, and you have a major expense on your hands. 

When you’re operating your machinery at less than optimum performance, you’re putting equipment drag into play on your fluids and fuel levels. You’ll burn through your fuel at an accelerated speed, and depending on the maintenance that piece of machinery needs, you may very well run through all of the machine’s other fluids at breakneck speed as well. 

The Number Of Major Repairs Are Decreased with Preventative Maintenance 

If you catch a breakdown in the early stages, you can prevent major parts from being destroyed. As we discussed earlier, it’s much easier and cheaper to replace seals than it is to replace the entire hydraulic pump. If you allow a failing part to affect every part down the line, you’re turning an already fragile situation into a potentially harmful and very expensive breakdown, where the entire issue could be resolved with just a few seals being replaced. 

Protects Employees From Machinery That Isn’t Operating Safely 

The last thing, any heavy equipment owner needs is an OSHA recordable. Not only are you risking such an occurrence by not properly maintaining your heavy equipment, but when OSHA shows up on-site, they will expect to see every maintenance record that you have on that piece of equipment. 

When you put a reliable preventative maintenance program or a CMMS into place, you arm yourself with records that are indisputable, and with the knowledge that you did everything possible to protect your employees from the harm that can come when they run faulty equipment.

Extends Heavy Equipment Life By Significant Time Periods 

We all want to get the maximum mileage out of our heavy equipment. It is expensive to purchase, and if you’re not getting maximum value from your heavy equipment, it is a huge waste of your hard-earned money. Why not properly maintain your equipment and ensure that every engine hour possible is worked on your equipment? 

When you implement a preventative maintenance program and address minor issues with your equipment while they are still minor, you’re maximizing your equipment hours and preventing small parts breakdown from becoming time and labor-consuming major breakdowns. By simply addressing your equipment needs in a timely and preventative fashion, you can and will see major breakdowns decrease. In addition, you will extend the life of your equipment every time by reducing wear and stress on the machinery, and ensuring that the equipment maintenance is addressed on time and with the proper frequency as recommended by the manufacturer.

ATS was recently mentioned in the International Cranes & Specialized Transport magazine for March 2020. The article covers the latest news on the industry as well as what ATS offers for training and how we contribute to the skilled trades. Follow the link to the magazine and scroll down to page 15 to read the full article.

You can find out more about ATS and the training programs we offer by visiting www.operator-school.com or by calling one of our admissions representatives at (800) 383-7364.

The Importance of Properly Trained Employees

OSHA can fine employers, and those fines can add up quickly. If employees aren’t properly trained, or if there are PPE violations, OSHA can issue a citation for each employee violation. While not every case will warrant a per-employee citation, those fines and citations can be issued as the agency sees fit.

If your company doesn’t always have all its employees wearing their PPE, it can mean serious financial problems. As an example, the rule was enacted because a company hired 11 undocumented workers from Mexico. These employees were put to work handling asbestos, but they weren’t provided respirators.

At that time, before the regulation was enacted, OSHA wanted to enact 11 different citations, but the court consolidated them into one single citation. With the new rule, 11 citations would be 11 times the cost of one citation.

Ensuring Employees Are Properly Trained

As an employer, you are responsible for making sure your employees have undergone popular training and have access to the required PPEs. The violation could be financially devastating to your business, and it could cost you significantly in the long run because you could lose employees who have already been trained to do the job.

The cost of paying the OSHA fines and then hiring and retraining new employees can set your operation back significantly, so it isn’t worth the risk. You should make sure your employees have all the proper certifications and training so they will know how to handle their job duties and the proper safety protocol and procedures required for the job.

Proper Training

At ATS Specialized Training School, we offer all the necessary certifications and training programs to ensure your employees understand the processes and know the requirements. Call us today to learn about the different training programs.

When you are getting ready to work on an excavation project, you will want to make sure you choose the best equipment for that specific project. Buildings, overpasses, bridges, and roads all require a strong foundation. The start of a strong foundation is excavation.

Excavation experts must handle the earthmoving, digging, and grading to prepare the site. Excavating encompasses a variety of tasks, including excavating gravel pits to help build roads, smoothing parcels of land for building homes or businesses or working on an overpass or a bridge.

The Tools Used For Excavation

There are several different kinds of tools for excavating. Skid steers, track loaders, mini excavators, backhoes, graders, and dozers are among those that are more commonly used for excavation work. Here is a rundown of some of the most popular excavation equipment:

• Backhoes – Backhoes are the standard for making trenches, backfilling areas, digging, and moving materials across the work site.
• Skid steers – Skid steers are small machines that have to lift arms able to dig, carry materials, and scoop. The scoop will grab anything on the ground quickly, such as rock or gravel, and then reach high enough to load it into a truck.
• Mini excavators – These machines feature a base scoop for digging and a bucket for hauling, help move materials, and grade the land parcels easily.
• Multi-terrain loaders – These are stronger machines that can get to those challenging remote worksites where compact track loaders aren’t able to go. These machines are designed to climb steeper grades and move across bumpier terrain and then do moving, scooping, digging, and pushing for your project.
• Compact track loaders – These are great for pushing around materials, grading a surface, and leveling out the land. You can use these for home landscaping projects and work great in the smaller areas for roadwork.

At ATS, we offer training for those wanting to operate heavy equipment. We help those who are interested in a career in excavating. Call us today at (800) 383-7364 to learn more about our training programs.

Increase in the Number of Operating Tower Cranes Across the United States

A tower crane operator has an important job. They are going to maneuver heavy loads by shifting their heavy loads from one area to another part of the worksite. To operate one of these tower cranes, the construction worker must undergo extensive training and understand how to safely and professionally operate the equipment.

While there is growth in the construction industry, the role of tower crane operators may be seeing more growth than any other role in the construction industry. The number of crane operators declined by 7.16 percent from 2016 to 2017 dropping from 60,478 crane operators to 56,148 crane operators.

The 2017 workforce consisted of 56,100 crane operators, who have an average salary of $58,486, which is $6,421 per year more than the average annual salary for workers in the country. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 7.4 percent growth rate for the workforce during the next decade, but they expect to see a greater demand for additional crane operators with an 8.48 percent increase in crane operators during that same 10-year period.

Why The Need For More Crane Operators?

The growth of the country remains strong and building projects and construction work is continuing. With the need for better infrastructure and the construction and updating of roads, bridges, and so forth, there is an increase in the number of construction workers needed – including those who can operate cranes to lift the heavier things on the job site.

The demand for crane and tower operators is expected to be greater than the national average for workers in general, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. With the increase in demand, many companies will increase salaries and improve benefits so they can be more competitive and recruit higher quality and better-trained crane operators.

Crane Operator Training

To operate a crane, the worker must undergo extensive training to get the proper certifications. ATS offers crane operator training programs and even has obtained a new tower crane to use for training those who want to pursue a career in the field. Call (800) 383-7364 to learn more about the training programs available.