Safety is an important issue in any workplace. Construction brings many dangers, however, for some heavy equipment operators, safety becomes a bigger problem when they are working away from a construction site. There are dangers everywhere in life, yet as you go about your daily business, are you aware of the dangers both above and below you?

Excavator operators need to be more observant than most since those above and below dangers are ever-present. Looking up and staying alive is a common theme in heavy equipment training programs. Why look up? Overhead power lines are everywhere and they represent a major danger to heavy equipment operators. Bring down live power lines and you could create all sorts of problems. To begin with, your equipment could be become ‘live’. If you try to escape, you run the risk of being electrocuted. Stay, and there’s a risk of fire, more so if those live power cables are sparking.

That’s above. What about below? Hidden below your feet are all the service pipes carrying water, sewage, sometimes telephone or power, and gas. The latter is a major cause for concern since a minor break in a pipe could lead to a major explosion – and we have seen a few of these in recent years.

Running into problems with overhead power lines or underground services can cause problems for operators, particularly crane and excavator operators who frequently raise their equipment well above eye level. Those problems also create huge problems for residents and businesses. Loss of power is one thing, being evacuated because of a dangerous gas leak is ever more of a problem.

Most reputable heavy equipment training programs include study of these issues and how to prevent incidents from happening. Workplace safety is a big issue today, so you do need to ensure you receive the best training possible before entering the workplace. If you can remember to look up when using your heavy equipment, and to check on the location of underground services, you should be able to avoid problems. Plow in without any thought, and you’ll most likely cause problems for yourself and those around you.

Excavators are one of the core vehicles that most heavy equipment training programs cover. There is a reason for this. Many of the skills, terms used and processes extend across the complete range of heavy equipment. By learning these components, you will have the beginnings of a solid foundation in heavy equipment operations.

For most people, an excavator is nothing more than a trench digger. This may well be a major component of an excavator operator’s working life, but it is certainly not the only component. Excavators are also used in material handling, demolition, general grading and landscaping, heavy lifting (for example, the lifting and placing of pipes), river dredging and mining, just to name a few. When it comes to trenches, the skills required go far beyond just digging a hole (or trench). Excavator operators need a rounded knowledge of how to dig, service and back fill a trench; how to load material onto trucks; and related skills such as benching and sloping.

So, while an excavator may be used primarily for digging trenches, those skills can be transferred to other vehicles. For example, the principles of demolition, general grading and landscaping can be applied to most heavy equipment. Skills such as backfilling, benching and sloping can also be applied to most heavy equipment vehicles used in construction.

If you are interested in finding out more about excavators, their role in construction, and how to become an excavator operator, contact the nation’s leading supplier of well trained heavy equipment operators. ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools operate training schools in a number of locations around the nation with heavy equipment training programs commencing on a regular basis. Excavator operators are well paid compared to many other careers and the opportunities are there for new operators to join the workforce.

Excavators are used in a wide variety of industries and the job prospects for each industry is varied. Although the majority of operators tend to work in construction, there are other industries that also rely on competent operators. Some of the industries and their prospects include:

• Government – government, particularly local government can be reliable employers. The demand for heavy equipment operators can be in season. Prospects are still strong in this sector.
• Highway and Heavy Construction – prospects remain strong in this area.
• Mining – prospects fluctuate and although mining is a year round activity, vacancies can be seasonal.
• Logging – prospects are fairly weak in this industry. Excavators are not widely used and the competition for the few vacancies can be strong.
• Quarries – this is another industry where vacancies are few and competition strong.
• Water Management – vacancies in water management are moderate, however, employers in this sector tend to target operators with a lot of experience.

When you first look at that sort of scenario, you may feel that working as an excavator operator could be risky. However, it should be remembered that the two biggest users of excavator operators are the construction (including roads, bridges and highways) and government where almost 80% of all operators work. The mining industry uses excavator operators although they are often upskilled to more powerful and larger machinery.

Generally speaking, if you are looking at a career as a heavy equipment operator and the role of an excavator operator appeals, look to the general construction field first. Most other sectors demand operators with two or more years experience across a range of activities. Sectors like the logging industry also want operators that are highly proficient in the use of excavator attachments. It’s an interesting career working as an excavator operator, and one that can be well paid as well. Heavy equipment training is the key to opening the door to this career.

Whether you are digging through topsoil, sand, clay or rock, the machine of choice generally is an excavator. However, employers don’t stay in business for long if they don’t make the right decisions. When it comes to digging holes, you need good operators and the right tools. When it comes to excavators, a good operator will struggle if required to use the wrong tools; having said that, having all the right tools won’t make a poor operator look good either.

Sourcing the right tools is the easy part. In fact the hardest part is probably sourcing the finance to pay for the tools. Excavators are certainly not cheap machinery, and that’s for a basic excavator. Once you start adding the various attachments, you are looking at a huge investment, an investment the business relies on to succeed.

With that in mind, businesses have an even tougher job; finding the right operator for their business and equipment. With so much money invested in equipment, the last thing the business needs is a poor operator who causes more damage than good. The longer a machine is ‘off the job’, the more money it is costing the business.

Good operators are not that scarce. It is finding them that can be difficult. Over time businesses develop a system, a system that often involves networking and word-of-mouth referrals. Training providers such as ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools are often asked for referrals of their good students. Why? Because they have built a sound reputation for providing skilled graduates who are ready to work.

If you are seeking a career as an excavator operator then gain your skills through a training provider that is highly regarded throughout the industry.

Going to a heavy equipment training school to undertake excavator training can provide you with a really good skills base. However, once you get out into the workplace, your training continues. Learning by doing is certainly one of the best options, however, sitting back and just watching the experienced operators at work can be a big lesson in itself.

It’s not restricted to excavators either. Just watch the experienced hands at work on bulldozers, graders or any other heavy equipment. The reason I picked on excavators today is because I took a little time yesterday to watch an excavator at work. They may be large cumbersome beasts, but there are a few little tricks that some operators pick up with experience.

The excavator I was watching had almost finished digging a large trench. It had about 10 feet left but was really cramped for any room to move. It certainly had difficulties extending its arm. One option was to send the excavator home and get either a smaller unit in or perhaps a backhoe. Of course, that takes time and you know what they say, ‘time is money’.

Here is where the experience of the operator came to the fore. He set about building a mound, only five or six feet high. Once completed, he navigated his excavator to the top of the mound. From an increased height of only five or six feet, he had the extra room to extend the excavator’s arm and complete the trench, the last part being only a few feet in front of the mound he had built. Where it would have taken a couple of hours to swap equipment, he had the job completed.

Of course, without a solid training base you will never come to appreciate the little tips that experienced operators can demonstrate. Excavator training by a quality heavy equipment training organization is a must if you ever hope to be in a position where your experience can be passed on to the next generation. You have to get the basics right before you can learn the more advanced processes.