The life of a heavy equipment operator can be one of financial security and respect within a community. These men and women are recognized as the force behind the building of the roads citizens travel on and the buildings where many work. With the financial rewards and recognition comes a lot of responsibility, these heavy equipment jobs can be extremely dangerous if the proper precautions are not taken. A heavy equipment operator must have the skills required to complete his job in a quality manner, but heavy equipment safety must always be his or her number one priority.

A construction site is a fairly dangerous place in general. When several pieces of heavy equipment are working the same site, this just multiplies the danger. The chances of a serious incident occurring increase if people are not properly trained on heavy equipment safety. Some of the more horrific accidents can happen simply by not paying attention to one’s surroundings. Many a worker has been crushed by equipment overturning or even run over by a piece of heavy equipment. Others have been hurt or even killed when getting caught between a wall and a piece of equipment. All of these accidents can be avoided if a proper heavy equipment safety training program is in place.

Heavy equipment safety training is taught at all Heavy Equipment training schools, but it also needs to be performed at the company level on a regular basis. The importance of heavy equipment safety cannot be taken lightly. This essential training also needs to be kept interesting to ensure it effectively gets through to operators. No matter the skill level of an operator, heavy equipment safety must be the number one priority on a work site. The alternative can be life taking.

The exciting and lucrative world of heavy equipment operators is a dream for many, and it can be an exciting life. After all, sitting in a bulldozer or crane pushing and pulling levers sounds like a pretty good gig, but there is much more to being a heavy equipment operator than just this. Training on numerous pieces of equipment is an important part of becoming an operator, but perhaps even more important are the “little things” that a good training school will provide to help a heavy equipment operator strive on the work site. These are the skills that will ensure that an operator is effective and safe on the work site.

Some of these often overlooked skills are grade reading, work site safety and heavy equipment maintenance. These courses sound like very minor items. Perhaps, even throw away classes, but in reality, these can be some of the most important classes an operator will take. These classes will actually teach a trainee the fundamentals needed in the construction and engineering industries. It is essential that these are part of any training school’s curriculum for heavy equipment operator training.

A heavy equipment operator trainee obviously wants to learn to drive a bulldozer or a crane immediately, but it is essential that he is trained in the basics of safety and maintenance. An employer will be looking for a well-rounded operator that has been trained in all aspects of the job. Every good training school will ensure that a trainee has mastered these “little things” prior to moving onto the more exciting aspects of the job.

Once a worker has completed the Heavy Equipment Operator training, he will often head right out to his new career at an engineering or construction company. The new skills that have been taught will begin to become second nature with the experience gained in the field. At this time, a worker will either decide that he or she is happy working as a heavy equipment operator, or that he is looking for something more from his career. There are many paths that can be taken at this point, but one route that can be chosen in this decision making process is to move into crane operations.

Crane operators require some additional training and skills above the requirements for a heavy equipment operator to safely operate these mammoth machines. To be able to operate a crane on a work site, the passing of a certification test is required. With these additional requirements comes more responsibility regarding safety and effective work practices, but with these additional requirements also comes additional pay for the crane operator. In many workers’ eyes, this additional crane operator training is well worth the time spent to ensure a higher salary at the end of the day.

Crane operator training can be a huge investment in any worker’s future. In about a month, a heavy equipment operator can be trained and certified to operate a crane and advance his career. Crane operators are in high demand right now due to the “baby boomer” generation reaching retirement age. Now is a great time for heavy equipment operators to get the crane operator training under their belts. What better time than now to advance a career?

Heavy equipment operators are no different to many other workplaces in that OSHA safety requirements are enforced. This includes mandatory safety training relevant to the equipment being used, the work being done, and the site where the work is being done. Heavy equipment operators working on suspected hazardous waste sites will, for example, require HAZWOPER training. If you are working on a construction site, you may need specific construction induction training.

The concept of OSHA safety training is, as the name suggests, to ensure that employers provide safe working conditions, and that employees follow the right safety procedures. When your first start heavy equipment operator training, you will notice there is a heavy emphasis on safety. There’s a good reason for this – heavy equipment is very dangerous if used inappropriately.

At ATS Heavy Equipment Training Schools, we include safety as an important component of a student’s training. Our training meets many of the OSHA and industry standards for certification compliance leaving employees to provide any further job specific training. Competent graduates from our heavy equipment training program are well received by employers because of the safety training already completed.

For those considering a career as a heavy equipment operator, it is important to understand who is responsible for safety in the workplace. If you’re not sure – it’s the employer, so when you apply for a vacancy and you have already completed many of the training requirements, your application is looked on very favorably – the employer only needs to fill in the blanks. Safety training is an expensive process so employers want to minimize their costs. When looking for heavy equipment training, be sure their is a strong safety component – it will help you get that first job.

Heavy equipment has been the focus of attention when it comes to safety for several years now. While operators require training that includes safety, onsite workers also have an obligation to act safely around heavy equipment. Work place health and safety training is now mandatory in many industries and where employers have failed to ensure their employees are trained, big fines are on offer.

When it comes to heavy equipment safety, there are several areas that are important to understand. These areas include:

Preservation of self – This is fairly obvious, the last thing any operator should do is act in a way that could put themselves in danger. An obvious example of this is when working around power lines – come into contact with one of those power lines and you could be in real trouble.

Safety of others – The majority of heavy equipment accidents involve injuries to people other than the operator. In some cases, it is the worker on the ground that hasn’t taken care. However, operators should be aware of everyone around them and be trained sufficiently well that they can take avoidance action should a situation become dangerous.

Safety of property – By far the number one result of accidents is damage to property. This includes buildings and vehicles. These accidents generally occur through sloppy work, often because an operator has misjudged a distance. Heavy equipment can cause tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage just through one simple error of judgment.

These accidents are all avoidable. Heavy equipment safety training is designed to cover all aspects of safety. This training is generally included as part of a person’s basic heavy equipment training program. In some states, an employee cannot start work onsite unless they have undertaken this training. If you are looking at heavy equipment training programs, be sure they have a good safety component – you may find it necessary when looking for employment.

For the last couple of months there has been a lot of interest in the events involving the miners trapped in Chile. It’s these types of events that bring home the real need for workplace safety. Heavy equipment safety goes beyond simple workplace safety – the equipment itself is a deadly tool if not operated within limits. Did you notice what they used to raise and lower the ‘Phoenix’ rescue capsule? It was a large mobile crane. What probably hasn’t registered with most people who followed these events was the safety aspect of that crane.

Having drilled through to the trapped miners, rather than plowing ahead and trying to free them, they tested every safety aspect possible. The crane double and triple checked to ensure it was on a stable footing. The crane was positioned precisely so that it could raise and lower the rescue capsule with ease. In fact, they practiced the raising and lowering dozens of times before they were happy to perform the rescue. Did you watch the rescue? If you did you will have seen the speed of the cable constantly changing – this was at the instruction of the rescue foreman. This means their communications were spot on as well.

This is a rare and unusual situation. However, the rescue itself, from the crane operator’s perspective, was just another job (albeit with half the world watching and men’s lives at risk). That operator’s training, together with the training of those on ground, was integral to the success of that rescue. For most heavy equipment operators, the job is far more mundane than rescuing people. However, the heavy equipment safety that is required is no less. When looking at heavy equipment training, don’t forget the events of Chile – be sure your training has a strong safety aspect to it.

Safety has been recognized as one of the most important issues in workplaces. To help reduce workplace accidents, training organizations now include heavy equipment safety training in all their heavy equipment training programs. Safety is really a matter of common sense. Unfortunately, saving time and taking shortcuts and plain carelessness are the two leading causes of accidents.

There are three core concepts to heavy equipment safety training. As I mentioned, they are based really on common sense. These three concepts are:

• Protection of Self – You would think this was one area where operators wouldn’t need training. However, they do. Simple observations like being aware of overhead powerlines, other equipment and the terrain you are operating on are extremely important. Correctly anchoring or balancing your work is also important. The ramifications of not protecting yourself can often impact elsewhere with people and property around you also at risk.
• Protection of those around us – Protecting your work colleagues is the second concept. Again, it comes back to awareness. Do you know who is working around you and where they are? Being aware of what is going on around you is important. This helps you to avoid placing them at any risk. Those issues mentioned above also help to protect those working around you.
• Protection of property – If you are protecting yourself and protecting your work colleagues then the chances are you will also be protecting the property around you. At the risk of sounding like a cracked record – awareness is again the main issue. Knowing where buildings and vehicles are at all times helps you to ensure you don’t come into contact with them at any time.

I said there were three basic concepts and there are. But as you can see, when it comes to heavy equipment safety, being observant and aware of what is going on around you is at the center of those concepts. There are other issues, of course: maintenance, preparation, a clear head; they are all a part of heavy equipment safety. Are you a safe worker – or do you cut corners and work carelessly? If that’s you then you should perhaps consider another career rather than heavy equipment.

A major component of heavy equipment safety for excavator and crane operators is the look up and live philosophy. It can be all too easy to fall into the tunnel vision trap when you are digging trenches or using a crane to move objects at or below eye level. This tunnel vision sees an operator focus on what is in front and down from their position in the cab. Of course, danger often lurks from above.

A story by Tessa Muggeridge (Sept. 24, 2009 08:17 AM – The Arizona Republic) involves a crane operator who was working on a road side. With traffic light, he was using part of the road to move his load. When a truck appeared, he instinctively moved the crane’s boom out of the way – and straight into overhead power lines.

He was probably focused on what he was doing and the traffic – which is fine, that is his job. What he forgot to add into that focus before even climbing into the cab was what was overhead. This has to be a part of an operator’s checklist before starting work. What is around them and what is above them. If they are close to power lines, they need to make a mental note to be ultra-cautious.

The crane operator was lucky – he lived to tell the tale, suffering serious burns on his ears, face, chest and legs. He wasn’t the only victim – a work colleague would have to consider himself very unlucky. He suffered second-degree burns and blisters on his ears. How? He was wearing a communications head set and power flowed through the crane and into him.

It’s an unfortunate accident yet one that could have been avoided. Occupations Safety and Health Administration will now review the accident and you can guarantee that some of the questions they will ask will include whether or not the crane operator was certified and what, if any, heavy equipment safety training the operator had received. Heavy equipment safety is important – when working with equipment, look up and check for power lines – it may just save your life.

How would you like to spend a day outdoors digging trenches? Sound like fun? Okay, here you go, here’s a shovel, let me know when your done!

What, you’re back already? Doesn’t sound like fun? – oh well, let’s get a bigger bucket then. How about a bucket that holds half a ton of dirt? Now we are talking business – and that’s a small bucket when it comes to excavators. Have you ever wondered what it is like to spend a day inside the cab with an excavator operator. It may sound boring, but in reality, it’s quite fun.

You need to be up early. Excavator operators can be at work at 6am – sometimes earlier. Some, by the way, are just finishing work for the night at 6am. Like all heavy equipment operators, excavator operators start by giving their equipment a walk around inspection. This includes fluid levels in hydraulics, brakes, oil and of course fuel.

Often, the excavator is already at the work site so it is a case of reviewing the current job to see where you need to be on the day. Once the excavator is positioned and the right attachment is secured, the excavator operator does another walk around, this time including safety aspects. If everything is as it should be, it’s time to start the job.

Excavator operators could be working on a different job each day, or on the one job for a whole year – or anything in between. They may work an 8 hour day, or they could be working 10-12 hour days. It all depends on their contract and how quickly the work needs to be completed in.

Digging a trench, is not a case of just digging. It is precision work – the trench is being dug for a reason and generally goes from A to B. The operator needs to ensure the trench is the right depth, the right width, and of course, does meet with the point marked as B.

Once the job has been completed for the day it’s time to pack away your equipment. This includes another walk around check for any damage. Another check of fluid levels and, if the equipment is being left on the job, securing the vehicle to prevent any accidents or theft.

A day in the life of an excavator operator is like most jobs. You start work, you have a general procedure to follow which includes doing the work required, then packing up and going home. Of course, most jobs don’t include wrestling with a 20+ ton piece of heavy equipment. If you would like to wrestle with an excavator then consider heavy equipment training as a new career move. You could be in the excavators hot seat sooner than you may think.

When it comes to training for any heavy equipment, crane operator training included, the language used can look a little strange. Take a look at these skills (and they are a real set of skills too):

• Clean, lubricate, and maintain mechanisms such as cables, pulleys, and grappling devices.
• Determine load weights and check them against lifting capacities in order to prevent overload.
• Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving equipment.
• Using hand and arm signals for installing, handling, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Most people would only think about the 4th item in that list, “running, maneuvering, navigating or driving equipment” when looking at skills for a crane operator. However as you can see it goes much further than that.

Keeping your machine clean and well oiled put together with an walk around inspection each day can help to avoid major maintenance issues and long down times for repairs. Knowing which weights should be used for each lift is an essential part of crane operator safety training.

The final point is equally important. Hand signals are often the only way those at ground level can communicate with a crane operator. There are many times when the crane operator cannot see the ground. Those on the ground become the operators eyes communicating by way of radio or whistles.

Looking for crane operator training? Do you think you can master that skill set? If you said yes to both then I suggest you visit ATS Heavy Equipment Operator schools and check out the start dates for the next crane operator training curse.