Truck mounted cranes are popular in the field of heavy equipment because of their versatility and mobility. These days the truck mounted crane is capable of lifting quite large and quite heavy loads, in fact some come equipped with ‘feet’ that can be extended either side of the truck body to provide extra stability.

So what is the difference between a truck crane and a standard crane? Essentially nothing. The actual operation for the crane is normally the same. The same controls, the same lifting concepts, the same health and safety aspects. The only difference is that you will need a truck license to drive from one job to the next.

Where some truck mounted cranes do have a big advantage is in their ability to lift a load and drive it closer to the desired location. Obviously this cannot be done with large or very heavy objects, however each model of truck mounted crane has a safe load limit for this type of work.

Truck mounted cranes are used on construction sites, in the mining industry, and can also be found as part of an emergency team, often called in to right vehicles, trucks and trains.

The skills required to operate a truck mounted crane can be obtained through any crane operator training facility such as ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools. Check out their training offers and find the right training program for you.

The best advertisement in the world is the recommendation that comes from the satisfied customer. Someone who has purchased your product and is happy to provide a testimonial of some type. Heavy equipment training is no different and heavy equipment operators that have been through our training school are always satisfied with the training and satisfied with their employment outcomes.

For those individuals who are considering a career as a heavy equipment operator, you should take a minute or two to listen to what other students have to say about their training.

It is one thing to talk about quality training, it another to actually deliver, yet that is one of our important claims to fame, delivering quality training that is broken up into convenient and easy to follow sections. We don’t rush the training in any order, we have designed our training to flow smoothly and hold relevance to you the student.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools are happy to have prospective students review the testimonials left by previous students. You can view the video feedback left by these students on our main web page.

If you are reading this post then the chances you are interested in a career as a heavy equipment operator. If that is right, you are almost there.

A career has a heavy equipment operator is not that difficult to achieve. One of your first steps should be to undertake our free online training program. Everything is done online and once completed you will be able to print out your certificate. If your happy with your results then it is a simple process to inquire about a hands on training program.

Training programs are conducted through a combination of in class and hands on the equipment style lessons. All training is broken down into easy to digest components which helps to make the learning experience less stressful.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can help make your ambitions come true. Your half there now – take the next step and realize your dreams.

Heavy equipment is a little like driving a car. Once you gain the skills, even a year or two away from the wheel wont see your skills wasted. The moment you hop behind the controls the skills will all come flooding back.

Of course, over time the heavy equipment will change and with it the controls and internal layout. However, the basic operation remains the same. These skills are acquired fairly quickly through an accredited training provider. Your time investment is generally less than three months, the skills acquired will last a lifetime.

One trend that comes in waves involves school leavers. They gain the knowledge to operate heavy equipment and use those skills to gain employment. They use that employment to then help them fund their way through college, often in associated industries such as engineering.

College graduates then come into the industry through the heavy equipment sector and start the ladder climb within the business. The heavy equipment skills will always be there to fall back on should the need ever arise.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can provide that accredited training and get you started into a new career. Remember, less than ten weeks provides you with a lifetime of skills.

Once a bastion of male domination, the construction site is becoming an equal opportunity employer as more and more women join the workplace.

Women have been driving trucks for a long time now so it is only natural they would set their sites on other areas within the heavy equipment scene. Today’s machinery is nothing like those of yesteryear. You no longer need brute stength to operate many of these machines. They have incorporated features such as power steering, power assisted hydraulics and a much friendlier cab environment.

Heavy equipment can be operated by anyone, young, old, male or female. Provided you receive the right training, there are no longer any boundaries as to who can operate any of the heavy equipment found on construction site. In fact, it’s not just heavy equipment. You will find women working in a variety of places, from the trades such as carpentry through to metal work and scaffolding, there are no longer any limitations.

Training is the key and training institutions throw their doors open to all who want a career in heavy equipment. ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools places no limitations on the individuals wanting a career in heavy equipment. If the desire is there, the opportunity is as well.

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.