Heavy Equipment Operator

If it can push, pull, pump or lift material, rolls on tires or crawls on tracks like a tank, it’s where the heavy equipment operator calls home. On virtually all construction projects, these employees are the first workers on the job and the last to leave. Their work is essential to a smooth-running construction project.

WHAT DO HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS DO?

Operators drive, maneuver or control a variety of heavy construction equipment. “Heavy equipment” is a blanket term for numerous machines including: • Cranes. • Bulldozers. • Front-end loaders. • Backhoes. • Graders. • Dredges. • Excavators. • Hoists. In addition to operating these machines, heavy equipment personnel also do the following: • Clean and maintain equipment. • Make basic repairs. • Drive and maneuver equipment. • Coordinate with other craftsmen on the job site. Some of the most common job titles within this category include: Operating engineers (sometimes called hoisting or portable engineers). • Work with excavation and loading machines equipped with scoops, shovels or buckets that dig sand, gravel, earth or similar materials. • Includes bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders. • Includes industrial trucks or tractors equipped with forklifts or booms for lifting materials. Paving and surfacing equipment operators • Control machines that spread and level asphalt or concrete for roadways or other structures. • Includes asphalt spreaders, concrete paving machine operators and tamping equipment. Pile-driver operators • Use large machines mounted on skids, barges or cranes to hammer piles into the ground. • Piles, made of concrete, wood or steel, support retaining walls, bridges, piers and building foundations.

WHAT’S NEW? Internet of Things (IoT) • A sensor, or group of sensors, installed for collecting and transferring data. Whenever a product

carries the term “smart” or “intelligent” (smartphone, intelligent building) it’s considered part of this new group of products. • Heavy equipment includes a wide range of sensors that automatically provide information, including diagnostics, fuel usage, machine hours and more. • More workers are also wearing safety sensors to monitor air quality and biometrics at the worksite. • Radio frequency identification (RFID) tags are commonly used to track materials and tools. Designed Multifunctionality • Construction companies are always looking for ways to get the most out of expensive equipment. • Multifunctional equipment can adapt a machine to a variety of tasks, such as backhoes that double as loaders through the use of interchangeable attachments. Telematics • Used for years by trucking companies, telematics keep track of the location, condition and operation of machines on the road or the job site. • The feature uses global positioning to determine where and how equipment is being used.

WHERE DO HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS WORK?

The majority of construction equipment operators work full time, in nearly every type of weather conditions. Like all jobs that work outdoors, there is the potential to get dirty, greasy or muddy on the job site.

Some operators may also work in remote locations and have irregular schedules to match round-the-clock production or work that must be done late at night.

WHAT’S THE JOB OUTLOOK?

There were a little more than 3,580 heavy equipment operators in Arkansas in 2016 and the number of positions is expected to grow 10% by 2026, slightly below the national average.

Heavy equipment operators who are versatile with several different types of equipment will find themselves more in demand than those who are proficient with only one kind of rig. HOW MUCH CAN I MAKE? • Lower range wages (bottom 10 percent) — $26,000 annually/$12.52 per hour • Middle range wages (median) — $36,800 annually/$17.70 per hour • Higher range wages (top 10 percent) — $50,300 annually/$24.20 per hour

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL? • Hand-eye-foot coordination • Mechanical skills • Physical strength • Comfortable with heights • Building and construction

WHERE DO I LEARN THE CRAFT?

Many workers learn equipment operation on the job after earning a high school diploma or equivalent, while others learn by attending a two-year college.

Among two-year colleges, some may specialize in a particular brand or type of construction equipment, while others may incorporate sophisticated simulator training into their courses. This allows beginners to familiarize themselves with the equipment in a virtual environment before operating real machines.

Heavy equipment operators do not generally complete an apprenticeship program as workers in other trades do. In some cases, training is provided by equipment manufacturers, a trade union, industry groups or private companies.

New operators or operators-in-training may operate light equipment under the guidance of an experienced operator before moving up to heavier equipment such as bulldozers. Some construction equipment with computerized controls requires greater skill to operate. Operators of this equipment may need additional training and some understanding of electronics.

Construction equipment operators often need a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to haul equipment to job sites and may need special licenses for operating specific pieces of equipment.