If you are interested in operating heavy equipment, you might want to train to get a job working with the railroads. A railroad crane, which is sometimes called a crane car or wrecker, is a kind of crane that is used for working on railroads for three different purposes.

Here are reasons railroad cranes are used:

• Freight handling
• Permanent way maintenance
• Accident recovery work

While the crane’s design might differ based on the kind of work it will be used for, it will have the same basic configuration. They are designed with a rotating body that is mounted onto a chassis that has flanged wheels. The body will support the boom and has the mechanisms used for operating and lifting. Most larger cranes will have a cabin for the operator.

A coupling gear is fitted onto the chassis so a locomotive can move the crane, but many cranes are self-propelled so they can somewhat move around the job site. If the crane has a jib that is larger and extends beyond the chassis length, a boom car will be provided to protect the jib and to let the crane be coupled within the train. A boom car is a flat wagon that allows the jib to be secured for transport. It often has storage areas for supplies and special equipment.

Operating Crane on Railroads

Operating a railroad crane requires special skills and training. The operator must understand the operations process and all the safety techniques because the equipment will be used for detailed jobs in tight spaces. And, if the job isn’t done correctly, it could put many lives on the line and millions of dollars of equipment at risk.

Railroad cranes have capacities ranging from 15 tons to 250 tons. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets requirements and standards regarding railroad crane operation. If you are interested in a career in railroads as a crane operator, you will need to get the proper training and certifications so you can adhere to the standards established by OSHA.

Associated Training Services (ATS) offers a heavy equipment training school that teaches students how to use cranes, including those used by railroad companies. To learn more about the programs available, call (800) 383-7364 today!

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.

Fatal accidents within the heavy equipment and crane industry

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.

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.

It is no surprise the growth in construction and telecommunications throughout America has led to an increased need for directional drills to bury fiber optics, electrical lines, water pipes, sewer lines, etc. Further, the use of backhoes or excavators isn’t always practical, feasible, or economical, due to existing hazards or terrain. That leaves Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) as the most efficient option and the fastest-growing type of equipment for utilities, municipalities, contractors, and the communications industry. Associated Training Services has the knowledge, curricula, and instructional staff to deliver your organization the highest quality training for your directional drill operators.

Primary Objective:

Through a combination of classroom and field training sessions, participants will acquire the knowledge and skills required for operating a directional drill efficiently and safely.

Training Subjects:

Standard training subjects are as follows:

• HDD Safety
• General Maintenance of Equipment
• Pre-Planning
• Field Operation
• Tracking Electronics
• Drilling Fluids
• Maintenance
• Locator Equipment / Operations
• Downhole Tools

Employers all over the country are looking for qualified and certified heavy equipment operators. But there is only one way to become a certified heavy equipment operator. You’ll need to enroll in a heavy equipment operator training class, get your certification, then you can apply to jobs all over the country just like these:

• LAFAYETTE, IN Hiring heavy equipment operators.
• REEDSBURG, WI Hiring heavy equipment operators.

If you want to see more heavy equipment job leads like these, you can join the Total Resources Network or enroll in the Associated Training Services Heavy Equipment School and you’ll get a free membership. Not only does the ATS job board include heavy equipment operator jobs all over the U.S., but it also includes Class-A CDL truck driving jobs, mobile crane operator jobs, rigger, and signalperson jobs, and foreman jobs. you’ll see all the best heavy equipment jobs all over the country, and you can apply for any of them for which you are qualified.

If you do not already have your heavy equipment certification, there’s an upcoming class scheduled and you can get enrolled today.

ATS has the best training school with the best heavy equipment training instructors. Our instructors are certified and have been working with heavy equipment for years. You’ll learn how to operate each piece of equipment safely, how to perform inspections and basic maintenance, how to identify soils, and even how to layout a work site. Start your career in heavy equipment today. Enroll in the ATS heavy equipment training school.

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!

Heavy equipment operators enjoy high job satisfaction across the board. One reason for that could be the excellent pay scale. Beginning operators make above minimum wage in most places, and the median income for a heavy equipment operator is $18.00 an hour. Of course, there are varying factors that influence how much heavy equipment operators are paid on the job. These factors include:

• Location
• Experience
• Employer
• Skill level

Just to name a few.

As heavy equipment operators gain new skills and experience, they make more money. It’s not unheard of for an experienced operator to earn up to $28 an hour. And if the operator is trained as a mobile crane operator, then the pay could be even higher. Add to that a Class-A CDL certification, rigger/signalperson training, and hazardous materials handling, and you’ve got a pretty good career in the works.

How to Become a Heavy Equipment Operator

Salaries are also influenced by location. If you are in Denver, for instance, you could earn 12 percent more than heavy equipment operators in other cities. Residents of Seattle could earn 25 percent more. Las Vegas heavy equipment operators earn on average 23 percent more than heavy equipment operators elsewhere. If you live in Charleston, you’ll likely earn less.

Even still, heavy equipment operators enjoy a lifetime of job satisfaction, and it’s fairly easy to get started. Your first step is to enroll in heavy equipment operator training. When you do, you’ll be paired up with a career counselor to help you develop job search and networking skills as you train for your career. When you graduate, you’ll have a lifetime membership to a job search board. Your heavy equipment operator career is waiting for you right around the corner.

We hear it from the time we are small: warnings about the possibility of falling when we are in a hurry. When the location is a large piece of heavy equipment, rushing to get on or off always has the potential for an accident. Adding wintry conditions and bulky clothing increases the possibility into a probability.

The Main Cause of Falls From Heavy Equipment

Gravity.

That isn’t a funny comment, that’s the truth. If you think that losing your balance or slipping will not result in going down, you are not thinking clearly. Unless you are working on the space station in zero gravity, you have to keep your mind on what you are doing when climbing up or down a giant machine because the ground is far enough away to hurt when you hit. Add the torque of catching your clothing on a snag or banging into metal while you fall and the results are painful. They also are job- or life-threatening.

Gravity Rules You Can’t Ignore

When you get your heavy equipment operator training at a reputable school like ATS, one of the big themes you hear repeated is safety. The rules regarding heavy equipment safety have been developed through sad experience. See if you can imagine what happens if one of these rules is ignored:

• 3 points of contact at all times when getting on or off 
• pre-trip inspection for loose bolts or icy surfaces
• use the handrails and steps on the equipment; never jump off
• face the equipment when getting on or off
• never get on or off a moving piece of equipment
• keep cabs clean and uncluttered
• wear non-slip boots

Each one of these rules has a story behind it, told by countless operators who learned the hard way that gravity always wins.