It doesn’t matter how much training you give an individual, there are still times when they will do something silly. That one silly act can often have devastating results. The big problem is often being too relaxed and getting into bad habits. What prompted this post today was the story of an English heavy equipment operator who was run over (and killed) by his own ‘steamroller’. How? The details are not clear, however, it appears he climbed out of his cab and went to the front of the equipment, and it rolled on top of him – not a pleasant experience, yet it could have been avoided by ensuring the hand break was on, or better yet, not standing in front of his equipment.

We frequently hear or read about accidents, some that threaten life whilst others are just downright inconvenient. As an operator, the day will come when a neighbor, friend or family member asks for a favor – dig me a pool; grade my driveway; dig up an old tree stump. Every weekend there are heavy equipment operators doing these favors, and every weekend there is an accident of some description.

Some of these accidents involve hitting the wall or roof of a building. Of more concern is the digging up and rupturing of underground services. Sewerage is an obvious problem, however, it’s gas that causes the biggest problems, often involving the evacuation of nearby residents for several hours. More disturbing is the failure to look up, and in failing to do so, coming into contact with overhead powerlines. Small towns have been blacked out for hours because someone failed to take care.

These situations are all avoidable. Checking for underground services before digging; being constantly aware of overhead powerlines; and being aware of your surroundings, especially if you’re in unfamiliar territory. Interesting, these are skills and processes that most operators do automatically whilst at work – take them out of the workplace, and those skills and processes are suddenly forgotten. We can train you to become a heavy equipment operator, and we can train you in all the safety requirements of heavy equipment operations. What we can’t do is train common sense – hopefully, you already have that.

In today’s workplace, safety is the responsibility of everyone; employees, employers, workplace visitors and government agencies included. When it comes to earth moving equipment, heavy equipment safety training is a necessary requirement in all work places. The question then is, do you undertake that training as part of your heavy equipment training program or expect a future employer to deliver the training?

Most employers are running on thin margins in today’s economic climate. Given a choice between employing an individual who has already completed a heavy equipment safety course, and someone who hasn’t, you know who the employer is going to select. It makes sense then to ensure that when buying a heavy equipment training program, you check first on whether or not it includes a safety component.

Entering the heavy equipment workforce can be a tough undertaking so you need to have every possible box ticked. Employers are picky when it comes to new recruits, and they are taking a big gamble on someone who has little experience apart from that received during training. So what boxes do employers want ticked?

• Training provided by a well known and respected organization
• Training that follows national guidelines
• Training that includes hands on experience
• Training that includes heavy equipment safety as a core component

In fact, if your training is delivered by a well known and respected organization, then the chances are all the other boxes will get the automatic tick – that is why they are respected. As a student, it is still up to you to check on what is offered prior to signing on to the course. Heavy equipment training is a serious undertaking – heavy equipment safety is even more serious.

Like many occupations, heavy equipment has a strong emphasis on safety. Like driving a car, most operators develop a safe working habit over time. And just like a car, the real danger is often not what you are doing, but what others are doing around you.

This is generally labelled as safety awareness. Using the car as an analogy again, it’s difficult to be taught road safety awareness since there is so much going around you at any given time. The same is true on a construction site. Being able to develop that safety awareness is as equally important as learning to operate your heavy equipment. If you’re accident prone, no matter how good you are digging trenches, or moving earth, you won’t have a long career in the industry.

Construction sites are a real hub of activity. There are people moving around everywhere; trucks and other vehicles constantly coming and going; cranes constantly raising and lowering loads, and heavy equipment like yours trying to maneuver through and around what is often described as organized chaos. To be successful, you require either eyes in the back of your head, a sixth sense, or a strongly developed sense of awareness – the ability to quickly look around you and to take it all in. Not only do you take it all in, but you factor it into your decision making.

We only ever hear about the serious accidents that occur involving heavy equipment. Here’s a little known fact – 95% of heavy equipment operators work year after year without ever having a serious accident. They will have minor accidents, but then, almost everyone has had a minor incident with a car. If you can develop a sense of awareness while operating heavy equipment, you’ll have a long and safe career. Heavy equipment training will give you the skills required to operate your equipment. We can also give you all the safety knowledge required to stay safe. Awareness is something that comes with time and experience.

For heavy equipment operators, safety on all work sites should be the first priority. After all, there is a lot happening at any given moment, and most of the action involves heavy, dangerous pieces of equipment. Heavy equipment alone is dangerous to the operator and others on the work site, but there are often unseen dangers on a construction site. Power lines are often found near construction sites, and sometimes even high voltage lines which can be a serious danger to a heavy equipment operator.

In some instances, these lines can be buried under the ground, yet in other areas they will be over head supported by poles. Both of these situations can be dangerous for a heavy equipment operator . The underground power lines can be easily hit by a backhoe or excavator. To prevent this, the power company should be contacted to mark the ground where the lines are buried. Even after the lines are marked, extreme caution must be used when digging in the area.

Overhead power lines can also be a danger to operators. They can be easily forgotten as they are out of sight. The main two pieces of heavy equipment that are susceptible to these overhead wires are the crane and, believe it or not, the dump truck. The dump truck operator can actually hit a power line when lifting the load up to dump it. To prevent accidents related to the overhead power lines, preferably, the power can be shut down to the area. If this is not possible, enough warning signage must be used to ensure operators are constantly aware of the lines and where they are located.

There are many dangers on a work site, power lines may be one of the most dangerous due to the voltage they may carry. The proper procedures and precautions must be taken at all times when working near them. Safety around these dangerous power lines must be every worker’s main priority on the work site at all times.

It takes more than just skills and knowledge to be an effective heavy equipment operator. Like most workplaces, you also need the right attitude. This is particularly true when it comes to heavy equipment safety. We can train new operators in all the correct safety procedures; what we cannot do is change an operator’s attitude. That is an issue that a graduate needs to consider themselves.

So what do we mean by ‘attitude’? Heavy equipment safety means following rules and guidelines. As an operator, you have a choice – you can follow those rules, or try to take shortcuts. Worse still, you can consider those rules silly or unnecessary, and totally ignore them. That attitude will result in accidents, and operators with that attitude will have very short careers – if they survive any accidents.

Over the years, heavy equipment accidents have resulted in deaths and serious injuries. The Department Of Labor established OSHA to put in place safety guidelines for every employment place in the U.S. Employers (and employees) are obliged to follow these guidelines and for those who refuse or become neglectful, there are hefty fines. National bodies have been established to help put in place minimum training guidelines and this includes heavy equipment.

Heavy equipment training programs now need to include heavy equipment safety components. This ensures that everyone entering the industry has the same heavy equipment safety training. By standardizing this area of training, graduates are immediately employable nationwide since those safety standards are national, and not just restricted to the one state.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools have earned a reputation for delivery training that is first class. This training provides in-class components that relate directly to safety along with in-the-seat operator training that helps to reinforce those safety aspects. Heavy equipment safety is important to everyone on a work site. Heavy equipment machinery is very dangerous in untrained hands so we make every sure every graduate works in a safe and happy environment.

Heavy equipment training centers on teaching students how to operate a range of equipment. Let’s face it, that is why you sign up to undertake the training. However, today’s training has a strong emphasis on heavy equipment safety and there are a number of reasons for this. In fact, one of the major factors that has influenced the need for more safety is not only the increase in accidents, but the potential for accidents given how easy today’s equipment is to operate.

In years gone by, when the equipment was slow and cumbersome, workers often had warning when something was about to occur. Not today. Modern equipment is fast and reasonably nimble when compared to some of those old machines. You don’t need strength to wrestle controls now – some machinery can be operated using the touch of your little finger. This makes the equipment very responsive – often too responsive.

With this in mind, it is now more important to think and look before pushing a lever. In the past, if you were swinging a crane load, you knew you could start the maneuver, even though there were people walking by. Good judgment meant they were well past before the load arrived at that point. Today, that load is likely to arrive on top of them, so it becomes important to wait until the area is clear. Good crane operators have always waited, of course, but I think you get the idea of how fast equipment can move now.

Legislators are worried by the number of workplace accidents that have occurred in recent years. This had led to many states insisting on some form of certification or, at a minimum, heavy equipment safety training prior to an operator commencing work. Some employers undertake their own training program, however, most expect new operators to come into the industry already equipped with the necessary heavy equipment safety training.

If you are considering entering the heavy equipment industry then be sure the training you receive has a safety component. If you don’t receive this component, you may find it difficult, if not impossible, to find any employment. Heavy equipment training does have an emphasis on safety – it’s designed to keep the operator and those around them safe at work. Something I think everyone can agree on.

Graders are similar to other heavy equipment in that there are procedures that operators go through when on the job. For example, there are pre-startup, startup and shutdown procedures that need to be followed. There is one thing for sure – you cannot just jump in and start working.

When it comes to grader training, these procedures must be learned before you jump into the driver’s seat. For experienced operators, it takes no more than a couple of minutes to go through each of the procedures. What is involved with each procedure? Let’s have a look (and this is not a comprehensive list – just an example).

Pre-Startup procedure for a motor grader

• fluid levels are correct
• evidence of damage
• evidence of structural weaknesses
• evidence of stress on welds
• attachments are fitted correctly
• tires are inflated and not damaged

Startup procedure for a motor grader

• engine is running smoothly
• hazard systems are operational
• controls function smoothly

Shutdown procedure for a motor grader

• grader is parked in suitable location
• motion locks and brakes are applied
• visual inspection for defective equipment
• grader secured against unauthorized operation

As I mentioned, this is by no means a comprehensive list. In fact, most of what is on that list is just plain common sense. If done properly, minor problems can be identified and fixed before they become major issues causing lengthy down times.

Learning to operate a grader involves more than just learning the controls. These procedures need to be learned and followed along with safety issues, job planning and soil identification. However, by gaining an understanding of these areas you will become the complete operator, someone who looks after their equipment and gets the job done efficiently. There is more to grader training than just learning the controls.

Excavator operators need a keen sense of placement in their environment since the job itself takes them and their excavator right to the edge – literally. If you look closely at this image, another couple of feet and the excavator would be in the trench rather than creating it. Knowing where you are and, just as importantly, knowing what is happening under you are crucial when it comes to safety.

Depending on the soil type, any excavation has the potential for the edges to collapse. As an operator, you should be ‘feeling’ the ground under you as you work. For experienced operators, it becomes second nature. It’s a little like ‘feeling’ the road through the steering wheel when driving a car without even thinking about it. Excavator operators do exactly the same except instead of road it’s the area around their machine.

It is hard to teach people how to interpret sensations that are felt through the hands, feet and seat of the pants. What we can do is provide training time in the operator’s seat. Being able to ‘feel’ the ground really comes from experience. The more time you have in an operator’s seat, the more attuned you will become with the machine and your environment. However, without the right basic training, the only thing you’re likely to become attuned to is sitting in the bottom of that trench.

At ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools, we strongly believe in using a two-pronged attack when it comes to heavy equipment training. Safety and other issues are generally taught in a classroom situation. Learning to operate an excavator, for example, is done by sitting in the operator seat and doing the work yourself. Of course, we guide you and provide instruction on which levers, pedals and buttons to use, but you get a feel for how the machine works by doing the operating yourself.

Do you like living on the edge? Become an excavator operator and do it almost every day.

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.

Bulldozer operators – where do they work? It would probably be easier to list where they don’t work. Typically they work on small housing projects, landscaping, new subdivisions, construction projects of all shapes and sizes, roadwork, and anywhere that requires land clearing, including farms. In winter, you may also see them working to move snow from land and roads.

The working day starts early for a bulldozer operator. They may start work at the site or in the yard before moving with their equipment to the work site. As with all heavy equipment, the job entails more than just operating their equipment. Safety is a big issue as is preventative maintenance so the first task of the day is a thorough walk around inspection of their machine. Bulldozers are generally fitted with caterpillar type tracks – these need to be inspected for damage and jammed debris. Fuel and fluid levels need to be checked along with hoses and hose fittings.

A normal work day often includes a get together with the rest of the construction crew where the day’s work is discussed and an order of work is laid out. The bulldozer is an integral part of the team on a lot of construction sites. Having said that, there are a lot of jobs, land clearing is one, where the bulldozer operator is out working by themselves. They need to walk around the area identifying hazards and mentally planning how they will attack the task.

Working a bulldozer can be hot and dusty work. Many bulldozers now come equipped with cabins that are sealed from the elements – dust, I am sorry to say, still has a way of finding its way in. The operator works to a plan; when clearing land, it’s a case of chewing away from the outside and working your way through to the other side of the job. The operator needs to be constantly alert for hidden tree stumps, large buried rocks and very soft mud.

At the end of the day, the bulldozer operator reverses their start up procedure. They may be required to report back to a supervisor on progress and will always need to do an end of day walk around to inspect for damage caused by the days work. Bulldozer operators, like all heavy equipment operators, build a relationship with their machine. A sixth sense often kicks in telling them when something is not quite right.

You can train to become a bulldozer operator in as little as three weeks. There are two things I do know about bulldozers and heavy equipment – you may receive training today – it is still going to be a lifetime of ongoing learning and discovery. The second thing – I have never seen an unhappy bulldozer operator!