Carbon emissions and the impact of our activities on the environment have become a hot topic in almost every industry, and the heavy machinery industry is no different. In fact, many of the buildings being constructed across the country, including some of the biggest developments of the decade are designed to be environmentally friendly buildings that use a variety of sustainable energy sources. Similarly, with mines, ways of reducing the environmental impact of the mining process itself are constantly being developed.

But until now, that focus had not really impacted the machinery used to carry out the construction or mining. Heavy equipment has developed significantly through technology, making an operator’s job safer and improving working conditions, but drivetrains have not changed too much over the same time.

Volvo, in partnership with Swedish construction company Skanska, is changing that, as they are trialing a complete mining transport solution, from excavators to trucks, all based on electric and hybrid power. The 15-ton truck, called the HX2, is a hybrid solution that uses a diesel engine in combination with electric motors to provide the power. In addition are the LX1, a hybrid wheel loader that has already been tested in California, and the EX1, which is a 70-ton excavator prototype that is perhaps the most interesting of the three.

The EX1 still uses a diesel engine to power the wheels for mobility, but once in position, it switches to an electric supply. In this prototype, this is not provided by batteries but is connected by cable to a wind-powered electric supply. In the mining application, all 3 machines are also operating autonomously, and they are fitted with a range of sensors to assess the world around them.

However, in the near future, it is the powertrains that are the most likely to make their way onto sites, with hybrid and potentially even all-electric drivetrains being an essential part of the need for reduced emissions. As we look at the Volvo prototypes as a sign of future heavy machinery, there seem to be several challenges that still need to be overcome. The major thing they all show is that battery technology is not yet at a stage where it can fully power site machines for an entire day without a recharge. That is why there are hybrid units, with the all-electric excavator using an external, connected power source to keep it going rather than internal batteries.

For heavy machinery owners and operators, hybrid machines offer a familiar operating and maintenance experience, so it’s better for the world around us without adding too much to the operator’s workload. With trials ongoing from Volvo, it is only a matter of time before hybrid machines begin appearing on sites from all manufacturers.

Skid steers are small, upright, rigid-framed vehicles that are common on almost any construction site you visit. They get their name from the simple way they have maneuvered around, with the wheels on each side mechanically locked together. Usually having four wheels, to turn a skid steer, the operator changes the rotation speed of the wheels on one side or the other, causing the faster rotating side to skid around and turn the vehicle.

On sites short of space this maneuverability is incredibly useful, they can turn within their own length so are ideal for even the tightest of spaces. They are also popular because skid steers are so versatile, and for operators, that means that every day is a little different, making it a varied career that people enjoy. While the most common fitment for a skid steer is a front loader bucket. This can be used for loading as well as pushing or transporting material, but for operators, it’s a very different experience than with traditional front loaders. Skid steers are used not just on construction sites, but are found on farms as well, and are used in large numbers for landscape gardening applications too.

The agility itself makes this an interesting vehicle to operate, but the small size also means that the lift arms actually pivot behind the operator, and this itself is something an operator must get accustomed to. Loading buckets are not the only attachment in use though, and skid steers are often seen using augers for drilling, and trenchers and are even used with snow blower attachments for clearing roads of snow in winter. You will see skid steers being used to dig holes from the inside, using ramps to remove material from the excavation. This approach is often used when space is restricted, such as in projects that require excavation underneath a building, or areas where site space is significantly reduced for some reason.

A career as a skid steer operator has a lot of potential, with varied work to keep interest high and good pay and the best way to launch that career is through effective training. As with all heavy machinery, operating skid steers accurately and importantly, safely within a site environment takes skills and understanding.

Our professional training course teaches both in the classroom and on-site, providing a broad view of skid steer operation in a variety of conditions, with a particular focus on maintaining safety for the operator and other workers around the vehicle during its operation. That training when successfully completed opens the door to so many career options, and with the skid steer in so much demand across so many different industries and situations, it really is a career that can build for a lifetime.

There are an increasing number of homes and new businesses being built around the country, with projects in every state providing new builds or renovating existing structures or repurposing larger developments. However, that construction does not end at the project site, and all this activity means that there is an increase in utility needs and digger derrick operators as well. Couple that with the steady upgrading of utility supply and you find that in every state, utility work is in high demand.

There are a number of skills that are essential for utility work of any kind, but one of the most common is for digger derrick operators. Digger derricks are some of the most versatile heavy equipment in use today, not just in utility work, but in all construction. With a history dating back over 70 years, these machines have adapted to the changes in utility work as the years have passed, until today we have a machine that can dig holes and turn in screw anchors, lift and set poles and transformers, and provide a lift platform for linemen when needed. It is at the core of almost all utility work, and because the machine is, so is the digger derrick operator.

At ATS we provide a comprehensive, accessible training solution that not only gives you the skills to operate a digger derrick accurately, safely, and effectively in any situation but the on-site awareness and confidence to build a successful, lucrative career. Our digger derrick course covers all aspects of operation and includes both classroom-based education as well as practical, hands-on experience with the machines in our dedicated sites. This ensures our students are prepared for the reality of site work, something employers are looking for and appreciate.

With a curriculum that includes all aspects of operation, from the detailed safety-focused operation, including the components of the machine itself, an inspection of all equipment and site evaluation, through to all aspects of the machine operations for its various functions, identifying and dealing with underground hazards, safely pulling poles and operating around overhead utility hazards. From setting the machine up, to stowing the digger derrick components for transport and everything in between is covered in this comprehensive course.

At the end of the course, students are ready to successfully pass both written and practical digger derrick exams administered by the National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators (NCCCO). This is a nationally recognized award that employers are looking for, putting students in the best position to launch a successful career in an industry that values their skills. With ATS to guide you, that career could be yours sooner than you think.

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.

Advances in technology happen in almost every aspect of our lives today, it is no surprise that for heavy machinery operators, there have been several in the last decade or so. One such advance, GPS location technology, first appeared in dozers and motor graders and quickly became an integral part of the day-to-day operation of those machines. By combining that precision location data from satellites, and the latest 3D topographical plans of a site, operators could be sure they were taking just the right amount of soil or dirt away at exactly the right location. The technology enhanced the operator’s skills and delivered improved performance across the board.

While the technology is advanced and is able to use satellite data for precise measurement in real-time, the way the systems actually work is straightforward, making it a practical application on any site. For dozers or motor graders, a receiver antenna is placed on the blade, or more often today, built into the machine at suitable points, with the system getting real-time adjusted position data from base stations set up on site. A 3D topographical map of the site is loaded up and displayed on the machine’s monitor, and overlaid with the required cut data, or it can even allow the GPS to guide the blade to create the grade as required.

Future of GPS

What this means for operators is more accuracy, safer operation, and more efficiency. Operators cut where needed, to the right depth every time, saving time and money by adding efficiency. But not only that, because the operator has all the data required, having people around the machines guiding them is no longer necessary, and that itself is a safety benefit.

While initially this system was just used for dozers and graders, it is now appearing in many other heavy machines, including excavators, and while some industries are wary of technology-changing things, for the heavy machinery operator this is definitely a good thing. Having precise location control is not only useful for material removal, but it also enhances situational awareness for all operators, it is a tool that really gives operators the ability to deliver improved performance on any site.

With GPS appearing on more and more heavy machinery, operators need to become familiar with the technology to get the most out of it, but when they do, a safer, more efficient, and less stressful operating experience means that for operators all over the country, whether working with dozers, excavators or haul trucks, GPS technology is improving the working day. In a time where technological advances are often seen as a potential threat to workers, GPS stands out as an advanced tool that works with the operator, improving performance while increasing safety, and allowing the operator to really make the most of their own skills.

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.

Some of us don’t think much about it until we start to build a new building near our home or work.  Then, we usually just complain about how the construction affects traffic and slows everything down.

But stop to think about it: what would life be without construction; without heavy equipment? Before heavy equipment, everything was done by hand. Picks and shovels; wheelbarrows; and long hours of hard work.

Heavy Equipment Development

Through the early 1900s, the horse-driven and steam-powered heavy equipment revolutionized the construction industry, increasing productivity and shortening the length of time construction projects took to complete. With the invention of the internal combustion engine, the industry began to change even more.

The Interstate Highway System construction during the 1960s was the boom time for the construction and heavy equipment industries.  This type of work called for high-horsepower equipment and new types of equipment.

The high horsepower scrapers were developed to move the massive amounts of materials produced by the highway system construction.  There were hundreds of scrapers at work on these projects.

The 1960s was also the “monster machine” decade.  Machines grew in size and horsepower; the surface mining industry called for machines that are still the largest, even today, including the 360-ton haul truck, which has grown to a 400-ton haul truck, becoming more productive and efficient, but not much bigger.

The 1970s faced the Arab oil embargo.  This produced an increased need for coal, which increased the demand for heavy equipment.  The demand was so great, that ordering a large machine found a 2 to 3-year waiting list.

In the 1980s, a recession transformed the industry, with a lot of companies failing.  The recession also changed the future of the four major heavy equipment manufacturers: International Harvester,  Euclid, Caterpillar, and Allis Chalmers.

By the 1990s, only Caterpillar remained with its original name.  In the mid-’90s, a wave of environmental laws forced manufacturers to begin making cleaner and more efficient diesel engines.

The most recent recession in 2008 caused the focus to change from ownership to leasing of heavy equipment. Currently, over 40% of all equipment is bought by rental companies.  The pressure on manufacturers continues, to produce more energy-efficient heavy equipment.  Continued development of electrification of major engine components and more energy-efficient alternatives to conventional powertrain systems are the expected future of heavy equipment.

Even with all of the changes, the global heavy equipment market is estimated to be around 192 billion U.S. dollars in 2017. During 2017, it is expected that around 809,000 construction machines will be sold worldwide, with approximately 186,000 delivered to customers in North America.

No matter what you think about construction and heavy equipment: no roads, no buildings, no houses; nothing in our lives could be constructed without heavy equipment and the construction industry, and the people who run the heavy equipment.  Together with the trucking industry, everything in our lives, from our homes to where we shop, depends on the construction, heavy equipment, and trucking industries.

Heavy equipment operators are all around you, earning good money in stable careers. A few of those operators learned on the job, but there are gaps in their knowledge because they didn’t actually go through professional training. Selecting a nationally-known school like ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Programs gives you the advantage of superior safety, increased versatility, and enhanced hiring ability.

Superior Safety

The classes and materials at ATS are developed by the industry with the goal of producing operators who can do the job. Construction, earthmoving, and other heavy equipment jobs are dangerous but necessary. The job won’t get done when people are getting hurt, so it is in a company’s best interest to have workers operate in safe conditions. Professional training includes both classroom instruction and being at the controls of a variety of heavy equipment so the student is fully prepared for the job.

Increased Versatility

When you know how to operate more types of heavy equipment, you have increased versatility on the job. A site may need someone who can use a backhoe or a wheel loader. Often there are excavators, bulldozers, or graders. Being able to run these along with skid steers or all-terrain forklifts means they don’t need to hire somebody else to do it. Since grade reading, laser levels, soils, site layouts, and heavy equipment maintenance are also taught, graduates of ATS are versatile professionals able to do more than just one thing, and that increased versatility means enhanced hire ability.

Enhanced Hireability

Employers look for professionally trained heavy equipment operators because they want to profit in their business. Hiring a heavy equipment operator who only knows how to operate one type of machine and doesn’t know how to do that safely is like asking for costly accidents on the job. ATS graduates are sought after because they have the skills and knowledge employers need.

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.

As usual, Associated Training Services has job listings all over the country. From heavy equipment operators in Roanoke, Virginia to Class-A CDL truck drivers in Muskego, Wisconsin. Here’s the latest:

• ROANOKE, VA hiring heavy equipment operators.
• CHUNCHULA, AL hiring heavy equipment operators.
• CORBETT, OR hiring mobile crane operators.
• DE PERE, WI hiring Class-A CDL truck drivers.
• CORPUS CHRISTI, TX hiring mobile crane operators.
• WI, REEDSBURG hiring Class-A CDL truck drivers
• MADISON, WI hiring mobile crane operators with Class–A CDL.
• SPEARFISH, SD hiring heavy equipment operators with Class–A CDL.
• NEW HOPE, PA hiring heavy equipment operators. 
• FARMINGTON, NM hiring heavy equipment operators.
• MUSKEGO, WI hiring Class-A CDL truck drivers.

If you’re thinking about a career as a heavy equipment operator or Class-A CDL truck driver, now is the time to get your training. Even if you want to specialize in a particular type of heavy equipment operations–for instance, mobile crane operations–you can get great training at a great price from seasoned industry professionals. You might even qualify for employment or housing assistance. Financial assistance is also available for all qualified candidates.

Once you’ve been trained to operate heavy equipment on the work site or drive a truck, then you can find the right job for you. Specialize in skills like Class-A CDL and you can command top pay. If you have multiple qualifications, then you’ll be in even higher demand. A mobile crane operator with a Class-A CDL license will always be employable.

Start your heavy equipment career today.