Working as a heavy machine operator is a varied career, every new site or project is different, not just in surroundings, but the machines that you can be operating. When we think about the different machines that are found in today’s industry, there are huge differences in size and ability, but what do they all do?

Skid Steers

Although they come in several sizes, skid steer loaders are some of the smaller machines you regularly see on sites. Extremely popular, these multi-use machines are primarily used for loading material onto trucks, with the bucket able to be lifted high over the operator’s cab. Today there are dozens of attachments available for these machines, including forklifts, planers, augers, and so on, meaning that these small but versatile machines are found on nearly every site you will visit today. For rough or muddy conditions, you will often see tracked versions, the track loader, used in similar ways.

Excavators

Whether a standard, large excavator, or the smaller compact type, excavators, or track-hoes, are perhaps the most recognizable heavy machinery around, and on most sites, a full-size excavator will be one of the largest machines in use. With its long arm and bucket, the tracked vehicle is designed to lift or dig material, and transport it to another point, be that a different area or loaded onto a truck. The tracks provide traction that makes them really suitable for rough terrain, and you will often find these machines fitted with tree shears or specialized grapples for removing trees on logging sites. The smaller, mini machines are very popular for small construction jobs, working in backyard plots or other restricted access areas.

Backhoe

Built to dig, carry and load material, the backhoe is a versatile machine common on almost any site. With a backhoe arm at the rear, essentially a smaller version of the excavator’s arm, and a loader bucket in the front, the backhoe can carry out the tasks of two other machines at once. In size, it is much bigger than the skid steer loaders and can carry larger loads, but smaller than an excavator, although this makes it more maneuverable for precise excavation work. As a do-it-all machine, a backhoe is one you will find on almost any construction site in the country.

Dozers

Tracked for the ultimate versatility in any conditions, dozers are designed to move soil or rock, by pushing it. Size depends on horsepower, some dozers can be extremely large, depending on the amount of material that is needed to be moved and the site itself. Dozers can often be fitted with extra equipment in addition to the blade at the front that is used to push the soil and rocks, with a ripper attachment at the rear used for moving rocks that are embedded into the ground, and often a winch, which can be used for removing stumps or other obstructions.

MSHA, or Mine Safety and Health Administration, certification is the proof of training or retraining within the mining industry as outlined by the Administration, which is required for various jobs within the mining industry.

The most common mining training is found under the Title 30 CFR – Part 46 regulations, which stipulates that new miners must complete a minimum of 24 hours of training in their first 90 days of employment, including 4 hours which must be completed before any new miner can work at a mine, whether they are surface miners or surface mining contractors.

In addition to that initial training, all surface miners and surface mining contractors working at a mining site are required to complete at least 8 hours of annual refresher training every year. The contents of that refresher training are also quite specific and must include changes at the mine that could adversely affect a miner’s health or safety and other health and safety subjects relevant to mining operations at the time. Other than the Part 46 courses, MSHA also has several other training initiatives, including Hazardous Chemicals, Emergency Spill Response, Electrical Hazards, and miners’ rights.

Training Requirements

MSHA training requirements do not just apply to miners themselves, but all surface mining contractors that work at a mining site. Because the regulations themselves define a miner as anyone who is engaged in “mining operations, which is:

• mine development
• drilling
• blasting
• extraction
• milling
• crushing
• screening or sizing of minerals at a mine
• maintenance and repair of equipment
• associated hauling of materials within the mine from these activities

That means heavy machinery operators and truck drivers who operate at a mining site need the MSHA certification just like the miners themselves.

Because Part 46 training is mandatory, anyone wanting to work at a surface mine has an interest in completing this course, this includes contractors and machinery operators, not only for legal compliance but to also have a good grounding in the dangers of mining sites and the safety protocols that provide workers with protection.

While those currently working at a mine must complete the MSHA training to comply with part 46 regulations, for any heavy machinery operator it can be beneficial to look into such certification for yourself, especially the 4 hours required before you can step on site. The reason for this is that it opens up another career avenue, with only qualified people being able to take on mining jobs, having that qualification in advance can help if you are looking to move into that sector.

Working in the heavy machinery industry brings so many options for a varied career, whether it’s operating a crane, building office blocks in the cities, or building roads right across the country, but for some, it can mean a life in the forest, but what machines are used in forestry work if that sounds like your kind of job?

Some may be surprised at just how much heavy machinery is used in forestry work, and how many jobs there are for heavy machinery operators who like the idea of such work.  The machines most commonly used in forestry work fall into two main types, those based on a standard tracked heavy equipment base, using various arms to carry out different tasks, and the wheeled types, which mainly fall into variations of skidders.

First, we can look at the tracked machines:

The Feller Buncher

Designed to quickly fall trees, the feller buncher is based on the standard tracked heavy machinery base and uses a tree-grabbing device on its arm that also contains a high-powered circular saw, or in some cases a shear. It can grab and cut a tree in one motion, and then place the tree on a stack ready for transport.

Delimber

Again, based on a standard tracked heavy machinery base, the delimber is designed to remove branches from felled trees. There are various methods of achieving this, some use chain flails, and others are of a pull-through construction.

Harvester

A Harvester is similar to a Feller Buncher but is adapted to operate for cut-to-length operations, able to fell, delimb and buck trees, that is cut the tree to length with one machine.

Now, we can look at the wheeled machines:

Forwarder

In a tractor and trailer arrangement, a forwarder is designed with a lifting arm to pick up the felled longs and transport them away from the site. Because the logs are lifted off the ground onto the trailer, they are somewhat restricted in the length of the log they can deal with and are primarily found at cut-to-length operations, working in tandem with a harvester.

Skidders

For operations that deal with long logs or full trees, the felled trunks are moved using a skidder. As the name implies, these vehicles are able to deal with long logs because they only lift one end, leaving the other to skid along the ground behind.

There are three common types of skidder, the Clam-bunk, which uses open topped hydraulic jaws to pick up the felled trees, the Line skidder, which uses a winch cable that is manually reeled out and attached to a group of felled trees, or the Grapple Skidder, which has a grapple bucket arm used to grab and lift the trees.

Forestry work is attractive to many as it puts you out in the fresh air, and a training course for heavy machinery can give you plenty of options when it comes to your career.

Modern technology and high training standards mean that safety records are better than ever today, but when cranes are involved, safety should never be taken for granted. As loads have become bigger and sites more complex, the need to create a platform for safety standards and accepted practices that took modern innovation into account was noted by OSHA at the start of this decade. Today, we have a thoroughly modern safety system designed by OSHA that recognizes the risks such large cranes and loads represent and provides the operating practices that best minimize those risks.

Central to those safety standards is training, with operators of cranes requiring certification by an accredited crane operator testing organization for the size of crane they are using. In practice, with relatively few such organizations, this means passing a National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO) training program. These are held by accredited teaching facilities, offering complete training courses culminating in NCCCO written and practical exams. Additionally, OSHA has also detailed Rigger/Signalperson training and standards that work in conjunction with their operator processes.

OSHA takes the view that well-trained operators, riggers, and signal staff operate in a safer way when on site in normal circumstances, but are also trained to recognize risks and take steps to avoid them, and are able to maintain a higher safety standard even in difficult situations. They have been proven correct too, and while the changes in regulations in 2010 did cause some concern in the industry, the better performance and safety today have shown the value of those changes over time.

Here at ATS, we offer a comprehensive NCCCO training program that covers every aspect of crane operation and OSHA regulation compliance. We also have a rigger/signalperson program available that covers all aspects of OSHA regulation as well as NCCCO Rigger 1 and 2 programs as well.

All courses include both written and practical training, and offer comprehensive, effective education for any crane operator or rigger/signalperson, providing not just an NCCCO or compliance certification, but the knowledge, skill, and understanding to be safe and productive onsite.

Our training delivers competent, reliable, skilled workers who understand the job, but also know how to carry out their tasks as safely as possible, for themselves, for the site, and for their team. We are proud to offer courses that actively improve safety on site, and our crane and rigger courses do just that by following all OSHA compliance requirements, with well-thought-out programs and testing via the NCCCO.

Safety-conscious personnel delivers a safer work environment. OSHA believes that and we see it for ourselves, better training, improved safety awareness, and fewer accidents. ATS delivers the training and mindset that produces those results.

When you train for a career in construction operating heavy machinery, there is a lot to learn. Not just the skills to control the equipment safely and effectively, to get it to do exactly what you want every time, but the teamwork and first aid safety required on site, the way communications work on the modern construction site, and how to approach the job on a day-to-day basis. Everyone learns these things and looks forward to putting it all into practice on-site on their first construction project.

But there is one thing we teach our students that is incredibly important, and yet it is the one piece of training everyone hopes they will never have to use. That is, of course, the first aid training we provide for our students.  We provide comprehensive and practical training that focuses on giving every student the confidence and knowledge to deal with potential problems they may meet on-site.

While we never like to think of the worst things happening, and great strides have been made with onsite safety over the last few decades, construction still does carry a certain level of risk and accidents do happen. That is why our first aid training is so important, giving you the knowledge to provide the all-important immediate care that a victim may need after suffering an accident. Studies have shown that those first few minutes after an accident before an ambulance can arrive can be crucial to the outcome in severe accidents and having the knowledge, and just important confidence to provide the necessary first aid can be significant.

Of course, most accidents that happen onsite are minor, and being able to treat a minor injury, or recognize something more serious, is again important both to an individual and to the site team and organization running the site.

There is another aspect of our first aid training that helps each of our students that experience it, and that is an increased awareness of the potential issues around them on site. Because first aid training prepares us for the results of accidents, we become more aware of the possibility of accidents, becoming proactive in safety rather than simply reacting if something goes wrong. This provides a safer working environment for everyone. indeed, it has been shown that sites become safer with an increased number of first-aid-trained staff on site.

We value our first aid training for this and many more reasons, and while we are diligent in providing the high-quality, comprehensive training that will make a difference, we also hope that this is the one skill we teach that our students never have to make use of. You can never be too prepared for an accident, and we ensure that our students do not just have the knowledge, but the ability to act on that knowledge when needed, to make a difference when called upon.

You have seen the incredible opportunity the industry represents and know that is the career you want. You see the stability and earning power of such jobs, so it makes sense, but the problem is that adequate training is essential. While we at ATS do everything in our power to keep the costs as low as possible and offer financial assistance, we know that for some it remains a little out of reach. We believe that this is an opportunity for everyone though, it is a viable career that can lift you out of bad situations, which is why we go out of our way to make it as accessible as possible.

Depending on your financial situation we have a range of assistance options that can help you get the training you need to give you the career you deserve. Whatever your status we encourage you to look over the options available here, you will be surprised at what is available to help you get on your way to that career you want.

Firstly, many of our students are eligible for various state and federal grants for industry training. Schemes from both state and federal governments exist to encourage new workers in vital industries, and also to help workers transition from one industry to another, there are special schemes for Veterans at a federal level that can help tremendously, and finding out what options are available to you really should be the start of the process.

For all Veterans who attend our courses, we offer a housing voucher that covers the cost of accommodation during the course at the school’s housing facility. We do this in recognition of the service you have given us all.

For those who still have a shortfall in funding, we offer a career loan option, that can provide the solution, and with our graduates in demand within the industry, it is a sound investment.  In addition to career loans, we are also proud to be connected to the National Farmworkers Jobs Program, for those farmworkers looking to change the industry. If you qualify for this, we can help you with that program and any questions you may have.

Whatever your situation, we want you to have access to our training, because we know that once graduated, you will have a career that could, and often does, transform your life. We are proud of that and wish to ensure as many people as possible can truly benefit in the same way. If you want that new career, don’t be put off, there are ways to make it possible for you, through a range of government initiatives and our own financing options, you can make a start on that new career and succeed.

Picture the traditional construction worker and their gear, and what do you see? Blue jeans are part of that description for most of us, having been the hard-wearing pants of choice for as long as there has been construction in the country.  But are they still the best solution for something to last the rough treatment your clothes always get? As with almost every aspect of our lives, technology claims to have brought us something better, but is it a reality?

Jeans are the traditional work pants, they have endured for almost the entire existence of construction as the cost-effective, hard-wearing solution, but they have never been without issues. They take a while to dry if they get wet for any reason, even using over trousers in the rain doesn’t always stop it. There are other issues too, but overall the traditional jeans have been the best option available.

Today there are options available from several manufacturers that use the latest lightweight materials and designs to create pants designed specifically for workers in the industry, but do they really improve on the reliable jeans?

There are a number of areas that they do, and while there are many variations, the designs available are mostly an improvement for the modern worker, they have inbuilt knee protection for safety and comfort for instance, so there is no need for extra equipment as would be the case with jeans. That is not all, with water-resistant, tear-proof material, these new options are actually harder to wear those jeans, and also much better onsite, especially in wetter weather. Options with spate linings offer cold weather protection without the need for cumbersome over trousers as well, in many ways the designs and materials really have made all the difference.

Design changes do not stop there, with larger pockets and more accessible pockets, often at the side of the leg for ease of access even if sitting, there has been a lot of thought with these modern options into what industry workers need, and here modern fabrics and construction really has paid dividends too. Where once pockets were small and inaccessible, and a tool belt was often required for anyone who needed to carry a few things around the site, today we have pants with fold-out waist pockets that are in essence built-in tool belts. The strong materials and construction mean that they can hold all the things you need for a day on-site without requiring extra tool belts, bags, protective wear or anything else, all in one package.

It may not seem like much, what pants you wear, but after a long day on-site in damp jeans, a bit of extra comfort can seem very important indeed. That is without taking into account the harder-wearing material, better design, and added comfort and protection.

While some states have fairly consistent climates and avoid the issue, all over the country the effects of a change from the cold, winter temperatures to the very warm summer ones are being seen in the roads that connect our towns and cities together. That calls for road repairs. For the heavy machinery industry, this is regular, reliable construction work that is happening somewhere in the country every year as we see temperatures change.

These projects offer valuable opportunities for heavy machinery workers all over the country, from smaller localized repairs to complete road renewals, the consequences of the shift from winter to summer brings opportunities that all industry workers can benefit from. Good working conditions and summer weather make these particularly appealing sites as well, and for many in the industry are some of the most enjoyable projects out there. Opportunities exist for all kinds of workers but in particular heavy machinery operators find their skills in demand on such projects. With a variety of heavy machinery in use, these challenging but enjoyable projects are well worth seeking out.

What happens is that the road surfaces crack, warp, and even collapse under the stresses that such temperature changes provoke, and while such things are not good for local commuters and those traveling around the country, for the construction industry it is a valuable business source that appears with regularity. Because such movements occur naturally, there is little to combat it, new road designs are always under review however for extremes of temperature the issue of cracking has never been solved.

That is one of the things that makes the heavy machinery industry such a great choice for a career because road repairs like that are not the only regularly occurring construction work out there. From new building works for expanding populations to projects to combat the effects of erosion around our coastlines, the simple movement of time itself brings new opportunities for the construction industry.

This is central to the appeal of the industry for careers because it is at its core an industry that can never become unneeded. For all of us connected to the construction industry, the work itself is interesting and the teamwork and friendships make it enjoyable, but it is the dependability of the need for such work that makes it the career choice it is. Industry is at the center of our way of life, and by just living and thriving, our country generates the work that keeps us busy. That is not going to change in any foreseeable future, making this one of the few industries today that can offer a secure career for life.

Varied and challenging, but always in demand, that ultimately describes the heavy machinery career, but that is also the core of what makes it such a great career for you. Opportunities are always there, in an expanding industry the need for your skills is growing, and as we have discussed, the world around us generates more of that demand simply through the passage of time, it is an industry to build a career in.

Technology has been a focus of exhibitions and industry shows for a few years now, bringing new capabilities and aids to all kinds of work and equipment. From accurate location to improved control and management, technology has brought new ways of operating and new levels of control. But one area of technology that has really come to the fore within the last year that could really change the way we all work is data.

Data collected from machines through telematics has been refined to the point where it can now become a key part of job site management operations, and a central component of optimizing site performance. The latest developments are central data hubs that collate the data coming from all machinery, which will initially aid in ensuring maintenance needs are taken care of correctly, but will swiftly expand into a much broader purpose.

The initial phase allows manufacturers to contact owners and dealers that work needs doing on a specific machine, to highlight issues before they lead to a breakdown, and allow for service continuity and forward planning, as the systems gain in capability, for operators it means reliable equipment and no nasty surprises on site.

However, the data being collected by manufacturers can do much more. While all are still in the process of establishing data levels and how they will approach the use of all of this information, some things are already being shown on a small scale that can transform site operations. One of these is idle-time data, where analysis of the data can allow a manufacturer to highlight areas where a machine job site path could be changed for more efficiency, or even suggest a different machine for the task if the data suggests under or overused.

For job site operations, this remote analysis can produce significant change, offering a broader, yet much more accurate, analysis of the working environment than has ever been available before. By having such detailed information and accurate analysis, the way a job site operates can be adjusted and changed by remote observation, allowing for better, cost-efficient, and safer operations over time.

For many, this reliance on data can seem a little strange, some may even see it as a threat as if they are being watched at all times while in their cabs. While it is easy to dismiss data collection in this way, as the systems mature and capabilities grow, the benefits for any driver or operator will be significant. The right machine for the job every time, accurate job site planning that makes the workday easier, and improved safety as a result of more accurate planning can all come from such systems.

How we work is always changing, that is one of the things that make the job so good, but this change should bring many benefits to everyone on any job site, the power of data will really drive us forward.

The construction industry job market today can be daunting, no matter what your skills the competition is fierce, but more than that, whole industries are rapidly changing, and with those changes come new ways of working, and often fewer jobs, and fewer job security. Knowing where to look for a career that offers some stability is no longer easy, as jobs in many traditional industries seem to disappear before our eyes.

Knowing what to do, what skills will help your career, and providing a reliable source of work is more difficult now than perhaps at any time in the modern world, but there is an answer. We at Associated Training Services believe that the construction industry as a whole and in particular heavy equipment operation offers a dependable option for anyone. Not only that, but we think the ever-changing work, the skill required, and the job satisfaction you get make it a great career too.

But being enjoyable, challenging, and varied is not why the construction industry is a brilliant career choice in the modern job market, that is why you would want to do the job. Look at the country, and you will see why construction is such a good choice. While cars can be made anywhere and shipped around the world, along with most other manufactured goods, the reality is that we always need new roads, new factories, and new construction work, and it cannot be exported across the world, it is a job that is done on-site, and always will be.

There are other challenges for many jobs too, automation is an issue facing many industries today, something that could eventually simply remove millions of jobs that people have taken for granted for the last century or more. However, operating heavy equipment is a skill, it takes a little finesse and situational awareness, teamwork, and adaptability. With each job different, each site different, and each team different, the human touch is essential in many aspects of heavy machinery work.

Our training can give you the skills and confidence you need to forge your career in construction today. In an industry that is seeing increased spending every year, essential for the nation’s survival, construction skills will always be needed. Our comprehensive training opportunities prepare you for the challenges ahead, whether you are looking to be a crane operator, truck driver, digger derrick operator, or heavy equipment operator, we have the expertise to help you learn the skills you need.

Any training is an investment in yourself, but in this changing world, making sure that investment is the right one has never been more important. The construction industry today offers the chance at a stable, reliable career, but more than that, it offers challenging but enjoyable work that brings great job satisfaction and the pleasure of working with a team.