Like any other machinery, skid loaders work best when they’ve been looked after. This means regular monthly inspections, cleaning, and maintaining every part of the machine. But the big question is, how often do you need to repeat your maintenance checklist in order to get the maximum performance out of your skid loaders. Is it annually? Monthly? Or daily? We talked to a few local mechanics and operators and got our answer – it’s monthly. Let’s find out why.

Benefits of Monthly Maintenance and Inspections

1.     Safety

Creating a safe working environment should be the top priority in any workspace – even more so on a construction site. Even though skid loaders are some of the most versatile and tough heavy machinery out there, maltreating or not doing the required maintenance can make them more dangerous – both for the operators and those working around them. Burnt-out brake pads, dangerously high engine temperatures, and malfunctioning hydraulics are often causes of tragedy – but all of this can be avoided.

Give your operators and mechanics the time and resources to carry out the required maintenance tasks. If you think your operators are not well-versed with best maintenance practices, hold a short training seminar to create awareness.

2.     Preventing Costly Breakdowns

A skid loader that isn’t working is a skid loader that isn’t making money. More downtime means your operators and in many cases, other members of your construction crew cannot go about their work. But it all becomes a lot worse if your skid loader has to be sent to the shop for repairs.

Heavy machinery repair bills can easily reach thousands of dollars at a time. But inspecting and ensuring no undue stress leads to extra wear and tear. Parts in the engine bay are more sensitive to friction and temperatures and a lack of proper fluids can wreak havoc. Regular inspection will ensure that irregularities or even the smallest problems don’t go under the radar and eventually lead to breakdowns.

Avoiding breakdowns also means you won’t miss important deadlines, keep up with your schedule, and not have to pay for skid loaders on hire.

3.     Efficient Performance

When skid loaders are not working at max efficiency, the operating costs will be higher. These costs may increase due to higher lower fuel mileage, having to change oil/hydraulic fluids more frequently, shorter track life, and parts like belts, motors, and fans burning out much quicker. The best way to avoid this? Maintain your skid loader monthly.

When parts like hydraulic pumps are clean and working under optimal conditions, you’ll get higher performance at lower costs.

In a nutshell, monthly maintenance will increase the life of your machine, prevent costly breakdowns and delays, and keep everyone around the skid loader safe. If you don’t have a maintenance checklist, don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. 

The Ultimate Monthly Maintenance Checklist

1.     Attachments

Attachments are important parts of your skid loader that add versatility and additional capability to your machine. However, because they change as per the requirements of the job, they are often overlooked and do not get the maintenance they deserve – don’t make this mistake. Inspect all of your attachments every month.

2.     Tracks/Tires

Track tension or tire pressure is one of the most critical aspects of safe operations as improper tensioning can lead to excess wear and tear or worse, causing the skid loader to walk out of the tracks. Wrong tire pressure can also damage the undercarriage and decrease the overall stability of the skid loader.

3.     Fluid Levels and Oils

Oil and hydraulic fluids lubricate the internals of your skid loader and prepare them for the extremes of working under harsh conditions. The operator or mechanic should check fluid levels every month to ensure they are at the right level and top them off if they aren’t. The monthly inspection also means the mechanic will be able to spot and clean grime before it builds up excessively.

4.     Internal Systems

The engine, electronics, hydraulic, and cooling system too requires a monthly inspection to ensure no damage was done to any of these parts. Monthly maintenance also means the mechanic will be able to check the build-up of any contaminants before they can cause any damage. You might also have to change or repair the fans, motors, and belts on a monthly basis.

So there we have it. Monthly – the sweet spot of regular maintenance for your skid loader.

Heavy equipment operators are essential to modern life. They perform tasks that most of us aren’t willing to do and that most of us aren’t qualified to do. Here are six essential things heavy equipment operators do every day.

1. Build roads – From the time that President Eisenhower started building the Interstate highway system–and even before that–America’s roads have been constructed by men (and women) who power the heavy equipment that make it possible.
2. Dig basements – If you live in the northern part of the United States, you likely have a basement. Someone has to dig it out, for a basement is nothing more than a hole in the ground filled with concrete walls. Heavy equipment operators dig those holes.
3. Dig trenches – Before water and sewer lines can be laid, there has to trench to lay them in. Heavy equipment operators dig those trenches. If you like drinking water and appreciate where your waste goes, thank a heavy equipment operator.
4. Grade parking lots – Have you ever watched a heavy equipment operator smooth out a piece of land? They were likely grading a parking lot. This is one of the many important tasks heavy equipment operators perform every day, and that includes driveways.
5. Haul dirt, rocks, and other materials – Dump trucks carry dirt that heavy equipment operators pull out of a trench, basement hole, or piece of land being excavated.
6. Lift things – Crane operators can lift a man to work on a highway, lift heavy objects like timber and box crates full of cargo, and perform other tasks that involve using heavy equipment to reach new heights.

If you want to become a heavy equipment operator, learn about the ATS heavy equipment school. Enroll Now!

There’s no such thing as a “low-level job” in heavy equipment operations. They’re all high-level jobs if by “high-level” you mean requiring specialized skill and paying well for that skill. There’s no other industry where you get to play with such cool toys and be paid well for it.

This week, all around the nation, we offer you these heavy equipment job listings. If you want one, join our job board to get more details. If you haven’t been trained to operate these types of equipment, take the first step and enroll in heavy equipment training today. This time next month you could be gainfully employed and accepting one of these high-level jobs in your neck of the woods.

• FOREST CITY, IA Hiring mobile crane operators.
• WAUKESHA, WI Hiring Class- A CDL truck drivers.
• SUPERIOR, WI Hiring Class- A CDL truck drivers.
• MONTELLO, WI Hiring heavy equipment operators with CLASS- A CDL.
• MONTROSE, MN Hiring heavy equipment operators with CLASS- A CDL.
• CEDAR RAPIDS, IA Hiring Class- A CDL truck drivers
• CHANA, IL Hiring heavy equipment operators.
• ROGERS, AR Hiring mobile crane operators.
• BRODHEAD, WI Hiring Class- A CDL truck drivers.
• GREEN BAY, WI Hiring Class- A CDL truck drivers.
• CEDAR RAPIDS, IA Hiring Class- A CDL truck drivers.

A lot of the heavy equipment jobs this week are in the heartland. It isn’t always like that. Sometimes, you’ll find more jobs in the south, in the west, or even in the northeast. Either way, it goes, you could have one of these jobs if you get the right training. See you in class!

If you’ve ever imagined yourself sitting high up in one of those buckets steering a backhoe or a front-end loader from one end of a construction site to another, then this post is for you. It doesn’t have to be a pipe dream. It can be a reality, starting right now. Here are five reasons you should enroll in heavy equipment training and become a member of one of the best careers in the world.

1. Heavy equipment jobs are always in demand – It’s true. As long as people are driving automobiles, there will be a need for roads and bridges. And as long as there are roads and bridges, will need heavy equipment operators. Even if there weren’t any roads and bridges, as long as people are building things — homes, schools, churches, skyscrapers — there will be a need for heavy equipment operators.
2. The pay is great – Okay, so some heavy equipment operators don’t make a lot of money starting out. But all you have to do to make yourself more in demand and to earn the best pay on the job site is to acquire multiple certifications.
3. There is room for advancement – Heavy equipment operators become job site foremen and safety officers. The opportunity is ripe for advancement within the ranks of heavy equipment operators.
4. Baby Boomers are retiring – Older members of the profession are retiring in droves, and they will continue to retire for the next 20 years. That means there is plenty of opportunities right now for younger people to start their careers in heavy equipment.
5. Heavy equipment operators are admired – Every kid in the world looks up to and admires the men and women steering these huge machines. Even many adults see the benefit of heavy equipment operators because of the high value of what they do. It’s one of the most respected professions in the world.

If you want a skill that will always be in demand and that will lead to a rewarding career, then heavy equipment operations are for you.

There’s no law that limits you to how much career training or jobs you can receive. A general rule of thumb is this: The more you know and the more you can do, the more valuable you’ll be to potential employers. For that reason, we recommend training on as many different types of heavy equipment as possible.

In the Heavy Equipment School basic course, you’ll be trained to operate the following equipment as a matter of course:

• Backhoes
• Front end loaders
• Wheel Loaders
• Skid steers
• Scrapers
• Bulldozers
• Road graders
• Excavators
• All-terrain forklifts
• Articulated haul trucks

You’ll also learn valuable and useful skills such as grade reading, soil identification, laser levels, worksite safety, reading site layouts, and basic heavy equipment maintenance. We won’t leave anything to chance. Your education will set the course of your heavy equipment career, so we take it seriously.

How to Get a Leg Up With Employers

Learning how to operate the basic heavy equipment you’ll see on most construction sites is the best way to get a foot in the door of a heavy equipment career, but going beyond that will enhance your career prospects and make you more employable. You’ll also earn more once you are on the payroll. That’s why we recommend the following training courses, as well:

• Mobile crane operations
• Truck Driving
• Rigging/Signalpersons training

With each of these specialized training courses, you’ll be certified to work in the heavy equipment industry as you learn important skills from the best instructors in the business. The sooner you enroll in training, the sooner you’ll be employable and make good money in a heavy equipment career.

Our focus and concentration are on training future truck drivers and heavy equipment operators in five key areas of professional vocational training.

Associated Training Services (ATS) has been instrumental in training heavy equipment operators and truck drivers all across America since 1996. Before that, we were affiliated with the Diesel Truck Driver Training School, which got its start in 1963.

1. Heavy equipment operations – From bulldozers and scrapers to cranes and other heavy construction equipment, ATS will train you in all areas of safe operations so that you can enter your career with huge momentum.
2. Crane operations – Crane operators are a special breed. ATS will train you and certify you to operate all kinds of cranes. When you graduate, you’ll be nationally certified to operate a crane on any work site.
3. Truck driving – Truck drivers are some of the highest paid equipment operators in the country. Once you get your CDL license, you can work local or long haul and know with confidence that you have been trained to handle any conditions.
4. Safety – Safety is one of the most important considerations for any construction crew. ATS is OSHA-compliant in all its training programs. We will teach you to operate every piece of equipment on the construction site safely and efficiently.
5. Construction trades – No matter what construction trade you wish to enter – from mining to oil rigging – ATS will train you to operate the equipment that is essential for your field choice.

Start your training today and enter your heavy equipment operation career with the right frame of mind.

More and more states are requiring that heavy equipment operators be certified before they can work on site. For that reason, it behooves the aspiring operator to seek the necessary training and receive the certification to get a job and stay employed.

Even if certification isn’t required in your state, they might be necessary, it’s a good idea to seek certification anyway.

You never know when your state will follow suit and require certification. You also never know when you might need to travel or move to seek employment. When you get to your new destination, the last thing you’ll want to do is take a break from your career to get certified. If you already have your certification, then all you’ll need to do is step into your new position.

Certification benefits you in other ways too. It shows potential employers that you are serious about your career. It also shows that you know the responsibilities of your occupation.

When you show potential employers your national certification and that you know how to handle heavy equipment operations, you’ll be more confident of yourself, and you’ll have a leg up on the competition. Your career will enjoy a lot more employment prospects if you have the credentials to prove your knowledge and expertise.

On construction sites and other industrial work locations where large heavy machines are used, someone has to set that equipment up so that operators can use it. The operators generally don’t set up their own equipment. There are specialists who do that for them prior to the work assignment. These specialists are called riggers.

Riggers also come along behind the operators and dismantle the equipment when the work is done.

This is a very demanding job and is fraught with many safety hazards. We are talking about a lot of moving parts, and many of those parts are themselves quite heavy. Riggers could find themselves using heavy equipment, such as cranes and loaders, to move heavy machinery components into place so that the rigging team can assemble them properly. On large industrial sites, the set up and assembly portion of the project could take days to complete.

Riggers, like any heavy equipment operator, must be trained to proficiently carry out the tasks of their jobs. This training is subject to OSHA standards.

If you are interested in becoming a heavy equipment rigger, consider taking the ATS Rigging and Signalperson training course.

ATS will qualify you to become a heavy equipment rigger and certify you by OSHA standards to carry out the heavy tasks associated with setting up and tearing down a work site. Not only do riggers assemble and disassemble heavy equipment on site, but they are also often called upon to move equipment from one location to another. It’s an important job with highly specialized skills.

If you’re a construction worker and you feel you are stuck in rut, now could be a good time to get out of that rut by moving sidewise into a career as a heavy equipment operator. The future for operators is strong – in fact, there is real risk that operators will be in short supply in years to come. Changing careers is always risky, however, you are staying in construction, and your current skills will always be there should the need arise.

Many employers will appreciate your dual skills. They can employ you as a heavy equipment operator knowing they can use you in other areas should the need arise. If you’re currently employed, your employer may well find that additional skills such as heavy equipment operations are a bonus.

Heavy equipment operators earn a good deal more than general construction laborers. Training is a short three weeks to gain the basic skills, skills sufficient to get you into the workplace as an entry level operator. Undertaking your training through a recognized heavy equipment operator training organization is a must if you want your new skills recognized.

Don’t let costs hold you back. Financing is available, and the terms are very reasonable. Your current employer may welcome your new skills; if not, our career services department can help you locate a job that will give you the experience required to build your career. Get out of the rut and become a well-paid skilled construction worker in the field of heavy equipment operations. You won’t regret the change once you’re settled in.

Sometimes it can be hard to watch the news on television each night, especially when there are disasters that dominate that news. We are used to the annual scourge of tornadoes and hurricanes, the occasional passenger plane that crashes, and highway pileups. The recent explosion at a fertilizer plant is another in the long line of disasters to strike in recent years, however, there was one scene that really stood out on news bulletins, and that was the line of trailers loaded with heavy equipment ready to go in and clean up.

There were bulldozers, loaders, excavators and backhoes, all ready to do their part to clean up the scene ready for possible rebuilding. There’s no doubt that excavators and backhoes are being cautiously used to remove rubble in an attempt to find those who are still reported missing. Whilst these disasters take the news, heavy equipment operators work in other areas such as firefighting and even in the military. You can join the military and become a fighting bulldozer operator. Yes, you’re a soldier, however, your main job is to operate a bulldozer building runways, bridges, or just clearing land for new buildings.

That’s just part of the diversity of heavy equipment operators, and whilst these jobs may be at the extreme edge, they are important and require highly skilled operators. The best platform for a career as a heavy equipment operator is through a thorough training program that includes plenty of in-the-seat training and well-designed classroom training that ensures you not only have the skills but you also have the knowledge – and that’s important in today’s world where safety and new technology are high on the agenda.

If you think that heavy equipment operations is boring, think again. It can be interesting, very challenging, and often fraught with danger. If you are looking for that sort of challenge in life, then be sure to undertake the right heavy equipment operator training. Then use that platform to gain as much experience as possible.