The excavator and bulldozer play a tag team role in many mining environments, none more so than the coal mining industry. Here they are the kings of heavy equipment virtually running the whole show. All other heavy equipment rely on these two operating effectively.

Excavators are powerful units of heavy equipment designed to chew away at the coal face, taking huge bites. Most excavators rely on one or more conveyor belts to remove the mined material to either large dump trucks or to a huge pile awaiting transport away from the mine.

Bulldozers provide the grunt when it comes to push. Bulldozers collect the excess material from around the excavator. This allows for easier for easier movement around the site. The bulldozer is also ensuring that all the mined coal is heaped up ready for transport.

The work hand-in-hand; one scraping the other pushing. Heavy equipment operators in the coal mining industry may specialize in just one piece of equipment or they may be relied upon to operate several different pieces of heavy equipment. Gaining a cross section of training is always going to be a big plus when it comes to looking fro employment.

At ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools we endeavor to provide you with that cross section of heavy equipment training to prepare you for employment in a cross section of industries including the coal mining industry.

With winter rapdily approaching there are many towns and cities that will be looking to use snow plows of some shape to keep their streets clear of snow. To operate a snow plow you will need training in the use of heavy equipment.

Whilst snow plow work may be season, the skills gained in learning to use heavy equipment can also be in used in construction, mining and civil works, so they can always be put to use. Once winter returns you can again hit the streets to keep them clean.

There are many different types of snow plow used. They range from bulldozers on wheels to graders down to tractors that drag a plow behind them If the snow is particularly thick then the drag option may not be viable.

Learning to operate heavy equipment is not difficult if you have the right trainers and the right training program. ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools can provide you with effective and industry relevant training in a wide range of heavy equipment. Get the right training and perhaps you can spend your wintery days helping to keep the streets clear of snow.

Most people look at an excavator as a trench digger, or perhaps as a piece of heavy equipment capable of digging holes. Excavators are actually very versatile pieces of equipment that can do a lot depending on the attachments that are available.

Excavators have been used in a wide variety of situations from demolition work through to brush cutting when operators use hydraulic attachments. Some of the task involving excavators include:

1. Digging of trenches, holes, foundations
2. Demolition
3. General grading/landscaping
4. Heavy lift, e.g. lifting and placing of pipes
5. River dredging
6. Mining, especially, but not only open-pit mining
7. Brush cutting with hydraulic attachments

Learning to operate an excavator is not difficult, however learning how to do the more specific tasks such as river dredging may require more intensive on the job training. However, if you don’t have the basic skills then learning some of the more advanced task could be very difficult.

ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools has a full range of heavy equipment training including excavators. Pay them a visit and see if becoming an excavator operator is a career for you.