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Every course we teach includes a section that refers to safety on site, and it is something that is incredibly important for every heavy equipment operator, every day. However, part of that dedication to safety includes the clothes we wear, but what do you need to look out for to get the right safety clothing when on-site?

Boots

Having good boots is important, not only for protection but for comfort too, there is nothing worse than a pair of boots that hurt when you have a long day ahead of you. Steel-toed boots are of course essential, but also look for quality leather that will wear in and provide real comfort, good grippy soles are important too, and always ensure that the lacing is strong and sturdy too.

Gloves

The right gloves are a balance between protection and flexibility, you don’t want gloves that get in the way too much, as they just become annoying after a while, but very thin gloves don’t really offer enough protection. For winter, insulated gloves, especially those that use effective but light insulation such as Thinsulate, are a wise choice, and for all seasons, goatskin gloves provide strength and abrasion resistance without adding weight.

Safety Glasses

Glasses should be of the right kind, for instance, made specifically to fit over your ordinary glasses if you wear them. All glasses should conform to government safety standards.

Hard Hat

There are two things you need from your hard hat, that they conform to safety standards, and that they fit well. Fit is a personal thing, but make sure it’s comfortable to wear, it can become really annoying over a long period if it’s not.

Hearing protection

Again, make sure yours complies with regulations, and today many incorporate radio systems so that you can stay in contact with site supervisors.

High-Visibility Clothes

Having a high-visibility jacket is essential on most sites today, and it is something you shouldn’t ignore. It can be the difference maker and save you from disaster, especially on sites with multiple pieces of heavy equipment operating at the same time.

Finally, think about the rest of your clothing, you want to avoid anything particularly loose, as that has the potential to get caught in mechanisms, and make sure in the winter that you have appropriate warm clothing as needed. It may not always seem too cold, but after a day on-site it can creep up on you.

Whatever career you are looking at within the heavy machinery or trucking industry, whether crane operator, haul truck driver, or something else, the journey begins with high-quality training and national credentials. Here is where you hone your skills, in the classroom and on-site, to be able to operate in a safe, effective manner, enabling any student to build a successful career with in-demand skills.

However, there are a lot of choices when it comes to training, and finding the right course can be a little overwhelming. It doesn’t have to be though if you know what to look for. Quality tuition is a must, delivered by industry experts through engaging classroom content and practical, onsite experience that prepares students for all aspects of the job. It is this in-depth understanding of the job and its requirements, along with the practical experience that only hands-on instruction can provide, which gives students the confidence to take on the responsibilities and succeed in their chosen careers.

But having all of that skill and understanding is only of use if employers understand that you have them. In this competitive industry, having the right skills is essential to land that job, especially when first starting out.  That is why our training courses deliver nationally recognized credentials, from the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO).

Our crane operator examinations are all NCCCO certified, with both written and practical tests, and this combination of NCCER and NCCCO recognition provides a solid base of national recognition for our students. Not only does it guarantee the quality of instruction, but ensures that every student’s achievements and abilities are acknowledged countrywide, by employers, regulators, and others throughout their career. For any student looking to build a career as a crane operator, this should be an essential part of any course you look at.

They can be one of the larger pieces of heavy machinery on any site, but the tractor-scraper has managed to be one the least appreciated machines in the industry too. Designed to move large quantities of earth, and consists of a tractor and rear truck, which is a hopper that can be moved up and down as required, and features a sharp blade at the front. When lowered, the blade cuts into the earth and shaves off the top, pushing it into the hopper. When full, the hopper can be emptied at a drop-off point, usually through a hydraulic pusher that forces the collected earth out of the back.

While it may not attract as much attention as the huge dump trucks or the more interesting backhoes and so on, the scraper is an important element of any construction site, moving earth for construction work to begin. Scrapers come in many sizes, although even the smallest capacity would be considered a large piece of heavy equipment by anyone’s standards, and there are variations of the design too. Elevating scrapers use a conveyor belt system to transfer scraped earth into the bowl, or hopper, further back, making loading much simpler, and they are very popular on smaller projects.

From the smallest, 10-yard sizes to the huge mining scrapers, operators can find themselves in all kinds of construction projects, from roadworks or commercial construction projects to huge mining sites or even agricultural use, scrapers are found on all kinds of sites and endless different projects.

Until recently, scrapers seemed to be losing their appeal for construction firms, preferring the multi-tasking capabilities of other machines, however, by incorporating clever technology and features that aid accuracy, speed, and ease of use, modern scrapers from the likes of CAT and Terex are seeing a resurgence in their use. The latest scrapers, featuring computer-controlled unloading features and other operator assistance features, provide a more efficient, cost-controlled earthmoving solution that provides real moving power for construction needs.

However, there are limitations to the scraper’s talents, and you are unlikely to see them used on the smallest of sites, simply due to their size, while they also operate at their best when the distance between loading and unloading is kept to manageable distances. A scraper is not the solution for the long-distance movement of material. However, with the aid of modern technology and improved maneuverability, the scraper today provides efficient earthmoving for a variety of construction, including road and building works and even in agriculture.

For heavy machinery operators, modern scrapers are fantastic machines, with computer aids to help load and unload, and damped hydraulics to smooth the ride on even the harshest site, these machines are in demand and used on most major construction works, offering great career prospects.

It’s that time of year again, to prepare for winter road work. Winter is here for most states or is fast approaching for others, the weather is getting colder and the possibility of snow is rising every day in many parts of the country. So, what does your state government do to prepare for the winter, especially in those places where mountains of snow need to be cleared every week?

They obviously need to collect the equipment and materials needed in central compounds, ready to be deployed, which means snowplows, trucks, and other heavy equipment of course, along with the materials they use. It can vary from state to state, depending on how severe the winter is expected to be, but in general, there are two treatments for roads to protect from ice and snow.

The first is for anti-icing, which is to stop ice buildup on the roads, to begin with. Here, they use a liquid solution to lower the temperature at that water freezes and stops snow and ice from sticking to the road and pavement surfaces. You may be used to salt being the anti-ice solution, but high winds can blow salt off the road before the snow turns up, or the way salt is applied leads to it bouncing everywhere, often way from the road surface, losing its effectiveness. Instead, the liquid solution, usually liquid brine, stays where it is sprayed, so less waste and it works better. In the very cold temperatures of some states, they use liquid magnesium chloride instead, which is more expensive but remains effective at much lower temperatures.

During a snowstorm, and afterward, the process used is de-icing, and here is where snowplows are used to clear the surface snow and ice, while further de-icing materials are used to loosen the grip of the snow and ice on the road surface, for this rock salt is an economical and effective material to use. This combination of de-icing material and the snowplows and dump trucks can usually clear roads fairly quickly and get people on the move again.

So, to prepare, states and counties assemble their liquid brine, rock salt, spray trucks, and snowplows in strategic locations around the road network, ready to be deployed as needed but to be effective, they really need to apply the anti-icing measures before the storm arrives. To do that, they use the highly accurate national weather service forecasts, helping them to see storms coming and then, as they move closer, to track in real time via satellite. This ensures the heavy machinery operators know when and where treatments need to be applied for the best results.

Next time the snow starts to fall, think about the work, machinery, and manpower that is behind the efforts to keep your roads clear. For machinery operators, whether that is a snowplow, or spray truck putting the de-icing or anti-icing treatment down, this is one contract where a job well done can make a difference to thousands of people the very next day.

As the last remnants of the holiday season are behind us, we begin to look forward to the new year and the opportunities available. But before we do, it’s time to look back at the gifts we got this year, and perhaps give some ideas to make sure that as a heavy machinery operator, you find a gift that puts a smile on your face.

There is any number of novelty t-shirts, mugs, and stickers you can find out there today that are perfect for the heavy machinery operator, with all kinds of message and so on. This year, we got a thermal mug in the office, a great addition and perfect for a day out on site. However, we all agree, the best gift anyone here has ever received is definitely a great pair of work boots. Not only do they keep you comfortable all day, they protect your feet and just make working that bit more enjoyable. Timberland, Irish Setter and Keen all make great boots that are comfortable all day and are built to last as well.

If you didn’t get that perfect set of boots this year, just remember to drop hints next time around, or if you are wondering what to buy a heavy machinery operator next birthday or holiday, now you know what to look out for. If you did get a great mug, t-shirt, or even that perfect pair of work boots, it’s time to put them to good use now as the new year gets underway.

It has been a great year for us here at ATS, and we just want to take this chance to thank every single person who took one of our courses over the last 12 months and helped make 2017 one to remember. For those who haven’t yet made that choice to train for a career in heavy machinery, we look forward to helping many of you find that new career or learn some extra skills during this new year through our comprehensive range of training courses.

We hope that all your dreams become reality over the next 12 months, and wish each and every one of you a happy and prosperous 2018.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday

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.

Don’t Forget About Your Operators

Here are some gift ideas for operators in your life.

Best wishes,
Associated Training Services Staff

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.

Housing Assistance

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.

Veterans

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.

Knowledge: Where Does Thanksgiving Come From?

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.

Your Career Can Benefit From 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.