The end of the year brings no greater joy than the opportunity to express to you season’s greetings and good wishes. Associated Training Services – ATS, would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday to all families and friends. May your holidays and New Year be filled with joy.
Here are some gift ideas for operators in your life.
Best wishes,
Associated Training Services Staff
Crane operators are some of the most skilled people operating on any site, being able to maneuver such large equipment and their loads with such precision can be awe-inspiring to watch. It’s why so many people love cranes, but there is also an inherent danger in crane work, and the potential for accidents is greater than with most other site equipment.
While modern technology, new construction techniques, and increasingly skilled operators mean that accidents today are much rarer than even 30 years ago, every accident is still one too many, and as such, we should never stop looking for ways to eliminate them. Accidents come in all shapes and sizes of course, tipping over in extreme weather is one type of accident that has been seen in recent years, a consequence of the increase in the size of cranes in general. However, many accidents can be attributed to human error, whether that is an operational or communication failure, maintenance deficiencies, or even a failure to follow safe practices by site workers.
The issue of extreme weather is one that can be dealt with through more closely monitoring weather reports, allowing preparation for the conditions, however for others where human error is responsible, then education is the solution. Specific, professional crane operation training is proven to give operators the confidence and knowledge to operate these ever more complex, large cranes more safely. However, it is not just the physical operation of a crane that training can improve, although, with such heavy loads today, that aspect is crucial for onsite safety. For operators, increased training can also help them spot potential safety issues on-site before they occur.
This could be potential communication issues that a specific site brings, it could be worker positioning during the movement of a load or when checking over equipment before the operation to recognize maintenance issues. It is the ability to see a problem before it becomes one, through understanding where the risk is and what it looks like, in every aspect of the crane operator’s job, that makes regular crane operation training so important.
As every year cranes are becoming larger and more complex, so the need for training on these new machines becomes more important, the need to understand all aspects of operation, including safety being critical. With larger loads, larger cranes, tighter deadlines, and tighter budgets ensuring that crane operation remains as safe as possible increases the responsibility placed on operators and site management. While errors can never be completely eliminated, having the required training provides operators with the skills and knowledge to operate a crane safely, and just as importantly, recognize where issues for the safety of the crane and those around it could be compromised before an accident occurs. Crane operator training today is not just important, it is essential.
Advances in technology happen in almost every aspect of our lives today, it is no surprise that for heavy machinery operators, there have been several in the last decade or so. One such advance, GPS location technology, first appeared in dozers and motor graders and quickly became an integral part of the day-to-day operation of those machines. By combining that precision location data from satellites, and the latest 3D topographical plans of a site, operators could be sure they were taking just the right amount of soil or dirt away at exactly the right location. The technology enhanced the operator’s skills and delivered improved performance across the board.
While the technology is advanced and is able to use satellite data for precise measurement in real-time, the way the systems actually work is straightforward, making it a practical application on any site. For dozers or motor graders, a receiver antenna is placed on the blade, or more often today, built into the machine at suitable points, with the system getting real-time adjusted position data from base stations set up on site. A 3D topographical map of the site is loaded up and displayed on the machine’s monitor, and overlaid with the required cut data, or it can even allow the GPS to guide the blade to create the grade as required.
What this means for operators is more accuracy, safer operation, and more efficiency. Operators cut where needed, to the right depth every time, saving time and money by adding efficiency. But not only that, because the operator has all the data required, having people around the machines guiding them is no longer necessary, and that itself is a safety benefit.
While initially this system was just used for dozers and graders, it is now appearing in many other heavy machines, including excavators, and while some industries are wary of technology-changing things, for the heavy machinery operator this is definitely a good thing. Having precise location control is not only useful for material removal, but it also enhances situational awareness for all operators, it is a tool that really gives operators the ability to deliver improved performance on any site.
With GPS appearing on more and more heavy machinery, operators need to become familiar with the technology to get the most out of it, but when they do, a safer, more efficient, and less stressful operating experience means that for operators all over the country, whether working with dozers, excavators or haul trucks, GPS technology is improving the working day. In a time where technological advances are often seen as a potential threat to workers, GPS stands out as an advanced tool that works with the operator, improving performance while increasing safety, and allowing the operator to really make the most of their own skills.
Learning a new skill is a great way to begin a new career, and ATS has a huge choice of courses available that have a proven success record when it comes to delivering real-world results for students. Whether it’s a Crane Operator Course or a Heavy Machinery Course, a Truck Driving course, or something else, they all provide both classroom and on-site instruction to kick-start your new career.
However, learning a new skill can be daunting, and there are costs to cover, not least the accommodation to spend the duration of the course away from home while you learn. Because these skills are valuable to the economy, there are a variety of funding assistance options available for covering the cost of courses themselves through government and other programs, but ATS also provides housing assistance that makes sure you have the comfortable place you need to help relax and focus during the course.
We use our local dormitory to provide housing assistance for students, and we reserve a room for you in the dormitory facility to cover the full length of your training course. With cable TV, air conditioning, a refrigerator, microwave, and wifi in each room, laundry facilities available when you need them, and a great location just 5 miles from ATS itself, you have one less thing to worry about for your training, you know you have a great place to stay!
With restaurants, grocery stores, and everything you need within walking distance, it’s not just a place to stay, but a great base to make the most of your time in Wisconsin and explore this great state in your spare time. Whether you are on a course to start your first career or are looking to retrain from something else, the idea of the course, especially before you arrive, can be a little intimidating, but without an assisted housing plan, we hope to get everyone settled quickly and enjoying learning those new skills that will lead to a new career.
For our valued students who have served in the military, as a thank you for your sacrifice for our safety, we offer further accommodation assistance with every course. This takes the form of a housing voucher that covers the complete cost of your stay at the ATS dormitory in a double occupancy room for the entire duration of your course. This applies to all veterans who have been honorably discharged from the military and submit their Form DD214 to the school registrar, and we hope this goes a little way in expressing our gratitude to those veterans.
Our housing assistance is just one way we make the sometimes-daunting prospect of learning new skills a more enjoyable experience for all our students, allowing them to concentrate on learning the skills they need for their new careers.
Since this is Thanksgiving, we here at Associated Training Services would like to take a moment and thank all the hard-working men and women that keep America growing. We are grateful to be training and certifying those individuals that keep America strong. So, take time this holiday to kick off your boots and thank the important people in your life and the ones that make your dreams possible, and enjoy your meal. We wish everyone a safe, peaceful, and happy Thanksgiving!
Associated Training Services and the Diesel Driving School would like to thank all our hard-working and dedicated employees that make us the nation’s greatest heavy equipment operator, mobile crane operator, and CDL school. Without all your hard work, none of this would be possible. Happy Thanksgiving to all employees and their families hope you have a wonderful holiday.
Thanksgiving is a public holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. It originated as a harvest festival. Thanksgiving has been celebrated nationally on and off since 1789 after Congress requested a proclamation by George Washington. It has been celebrated as a federal holiday every year since 1863, when, during the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November. Together with Christmas and the New Year, Thanksgiving is a part of the broader fall/winter holiday season in the U.S.
We all know education is important when it comes to our careers, but while some think that a 4-year college degree is the only answer, is that really true? With ever-increasing costs and uncertainty of future employment reflecting that investment, there are alternatives to look at when it’s time to build a foundation for your career like a vocational school.
Instead of spending four years racking up a lot of bills and probably debt, a short-term vocational class can give you the skills to start earning quickly and building a successful career with it. As we see many graduates earning less, the right career from a vocational course can match and exceed graduate earnings as well, without the huge costs to get you there.
With a career as a truck driver or heavy machine operator, you don’t have to wait four years, with a short term vocational school course measured in weeks rather than years that give you in-demand skills, you can be earning money sooner rather than later, and with great earning potential as well. The other advantage of the cheaper vocational school option is that there is much less stress. After a 4-year degree, there is an immediate stress of knowing the amount of debt that needs repaying, or just how much that education cost and that kind of stress really is the last thing you need as you take your first footsteps into a new career.
Taking a short-term vocational school course doesn’t just benefit you financially either, for many of us, it can simply be a better learning environment. Classes are smaller, not only meaning more attention from tutors but can simply be a less intimidating environment that helps people flourish and achieve their potential. Not everyone suits the college environment. Of course, a vocational course also mixes classroom study with hands-on training, and this again can be a better fit for many people, who find they learn more, much easier, in this kind of approach.
The other thing such hands-on training does is better prepare you for the work environment, and this is an area where a vocational school has a tangible advantage over colleges. For those taking their first steps in a new career, having practical experience in that working environment can be incredibly valuable, not just to you as a worker, but to the employer too. The transition from student to employee is not straightforward, and having practical experience from a vocational school can make it a much easier process.
Today, a 4-year college course is not the only route to a successful career. Whether it is financial reasons, or that as a student vocational learning simply suits you better, or even that you want to get your career started sooner rather than later, a high-quality vocational school course can provide a route into a successful, prosperous career, so think about what is best for you, today.
As we move into November with Veterans Day just around the corner, here at ATS we like to take a little time out from our training focus and think about what Veterans Day means to us, and give thanks to all the brave men and women who keep us safe and represent this great nation so well.
Veterans Day is a holiday that honors those who have served in the military because those men and women do not stop being the heroes they are once they leave the forces, they remain our heroes for life. At Associated Training Services, we are extremely proud of every person that serves in the military, and our respect for them is unending.
That is why we are extremely honored to be able to say that as an organization, we have trained over 2000 veterans throughout our existence, and actively promote several programs that support veterans in retraining, including the GI Bill ® among others. We believe this kind of help is invaluable to ensuring our veterans have the best chance at adapting to civilian life possible. That is why we offer qualified veterans a program to cover the cost of their accommodation during any courses they take with us, as a way of saying thanks for their sacrifices on our behalf.
ATS is very proud of our connection to the military, not just with veterans, but we have also been privileged to assist the US Army and the Engineering Corps in training as well. For us, Veterans Day is an important holiday that reminds us of the people who put everything on the line to keep us all safe, a day where the nation shows its respect and gratitude to our heroes. It is important to remember though, they are veterans 365 days a year, not just this day, and they deserve our respect and gratitude all year round.
Here is some important and scary information you should know and take into consideration when looking into the heavy equipment industry or the crane industry. No one expects to go to work and be unsafe, but within the heavy equipment and crane industries there will always be a certain amount of risk, due to the nature of the job.
Construction sites, mining facilities, and so on can never be completely controlled, and sometimes accidents do happen. In fact, fatal accidents are very rare, with the most recent government figures showing just 12% of fatal construction accidents being heavy machinery or crane-related. However, even with that level, it is important to understand how these accidents occur, so we can all avoid them in the future. Studies have constantly shown that one of the main contributors is operator error.
With operator error such a large contributor to the frequency of such accidents, it is an area that needs addressing by the industry. That is why training is so important today, and getting the right, hands-on training as close to a work environment as possible, really is essential for every heavy machinery or crane operator today.
At ATS we take safety seriously and work hard with our students, both in the classroom and out in the field to offer comprehensive training that not only prepares students for the job itself but the unpredictability of a construction site. With our unmatched industry expertise and unique training programs, we help our students master the work environment, spotting danger before it becomes a problem. They learn to operate under pressure while maintaining the highest levels of equipment and operational safety.
A good safety record can always be improved, and that is why we ensure our students are the best equipped to operate machinery and cranes as safely as possible. Get in touch today and see the difference that our safety-focused, mixed theory, and practical courses give to your confidence and ability on-site.
All over the country, there is an increased demand for horizontal drilling construction involving buried pipes, cables, and fiber optics, largely driven by the importance of internet connections to everyday life, be that for work or at home. Once, that involved digging big trenches right along roads and paths, laying the cables, and then filling them back in, but today you will rarely see that kind of construction. So, how do they install all these underground pipes and cables without any trenches? The answer to that is horizontal directional drilling or HDD.
It is a simple idea but took technology a while to catch up and be able to accomplish it, but the basic operation involves digging an entrance pit, a single hole that is there to catch drill water, and then simply drilling horizontally along the required path at the correct depth from there. The drilling machines involved are complex and can drill as much as 1000 feet underground, requiring skillful control and situational awareness from the operator.
As you can imagine, the ability to lay cables and other communication equipment below ground without disturbing the surface is incredibly useful, especially in cities and towns, where using this approach means no more roadworks, traffic disruption, and so on. It is not just there, any location near rivers and other obstructions where excavation simply is not practical also benefits, saving time and money for the contractor and often making otherwise impossible projects viable. With an almost limitless demand for new communication options as well, the two together make this the fastest-growing method for utilities, the communications industry, and municipalities in the country.
Why is this important to know? Because it really is the fastest-growing equipment used in the industry today, and that means skilled horizontal drill operators are in high demand. As you know, high-demand jobs pay well, and with an ever-changing work environment and on-site teamwork required, it is also an interesting and enjoyable career too. Here at ATS, we offer a Directional Drill Training Program that provides the knowledge, experienced staff, and curricula needed to deliver highly skilled drill operators for any organization.
Using a combination of hands-on experience with real equipment and classroom theory work, our comprehensive course and dedicated instructors help trainees not only learn the skills and knowledge needed to operate horizontal drilling equipment effectively but to operate safely and efficiently on-site. The intention is to ensure that every attendee leaves the course completely capable of operating the equipment skillfully and safely at all times, with a good understanding of both overground and underground operations and maintenance.
The course covers all aspects of horizontal drill operation, including safety, general maintenance, pre-planning, field operation, drilling fluids, downhole tools, and electronics, providing a complete understanding of HDD operations. With such demand all over the country, this is a valuable opportunity for those looking to expand their skill set or to enhance existing knowledge. With HDD only increasing in use, the skills this course provides offer real opportunities in the construction industry today.
As with all aspects of construction work, when digging safely it is important to make sure the whole process is as safe as possible for everyone concerned and to do that we must understand the risks that we take on when digging. Risks from equipment are obvious, and on-site safety procedures take care of that aspect of the dig, but there is another area of risk when digging, and that is that we don’t always know what is underneath us in any location.
Today the country is crisscrossed with underground pipelines, most of them are part of our utility systems, and each presents a danger of its own. From electrical power lines and lighting cables to gas and oil pipes, sewers and drain lines, and even petroleum and gas lines in some situations, all present real danger to operators, those on the site, and the general public should they be damaged.
It is not just danger of course, while the immediate issues of cutting a power line for the operator are clear, there is also the problem for possibly thousands of people it can affect, something else to be avoided too. But, without starting digging, the question is, how do you know what you will find once your digging starts?
The good news is that there is a nationwide initiative to combat this, known as “call before you dig”, in fact, it is a legal requirement to call the service before digging. While a national service, each state runs its own version, accessing it involves dialing a state code plus 811, and you can quickly find the state code for your site online. Contractors should call 2 to 10 days before work starts, giving the location and details. Outline the area of the dig in white paint to show the utility company the affected area. The call center will pass the information to the appropriate utility companies, who will mark lines in that area for you.
Once the lines have been marked, you must then confirm with the service that the lines have been accurately located. How you confirm does vary little from state to state, so check with your local center for the exact process.
You can call for a remark should the loss of marking be unavoidable during the project, part of a contractor’s legal requirement is to maintain the marks throughout the project’s life, and with the lines carefully marked, the dig can continue safely, avoiding problems and reducing risks.