SAFETY PRODUCTS FOR
REAL INDUSTRY LEADERS
Heavy Equipment Safety
Heavy Equipment Operator
By: Christopher01 Hartwell
Heavy equipment training is a specialized field of education that
deals with training people in the use of heavy equipment like
bulldozers, backhoes, forklifts and excavators. In fact, people
wrongly assume that a heavy equipment operator does not
need much training to operate heavy equipment, this is not true.
The truth is, each heavy equipment operator has to go through
a series of specialized courses to get certified to operate heavy
equipment. As a matter of fact, even equipment that people
consider ‘safe’ to operate like fork lifts, require specialized
training and certification. Just like a driving test, a heavy
equipment operator has to clear both written and practical tests
before he is certified to operate heavy equipment.
A person can choose from a variety of training institutes before
he applies for certification with major organizations like NCCER
(National Centre for Construction Education & Research). Only
after being certified by organizations like NCCER can an
individual begin to operate heavy equipment. Different
companies, recognise certifications from different organizations
and centres. However one of the major organizations for heavy
equipment certification is NCCER. Usually companies have a list
of training institutes they recognize as certified centres for
heavy equipment operator training; as a matter of fact there are
only a handful of institutes like Associated Training Services Inc.
that are certified as an eligible training provider under the
Workforce Investment Act (WIA).
Contrary to popular belief there is no ‘one size fits all’ course
available for heavy equipment training, there are three major
training courses available for heavy equipment training.
Heavy Equipment Operation Level I
This is the primary level of heavy equipment operator training;
Level I is a foundation course for further courses. An operator
learns basic safety requirements, the rules and regulations that
need to be followed under US law. Once the level I course is
complete a person is eligible to operate dump trucks, tractors,
loaders, and backhoes.
Heavy Equipment Operation Level II
Only people that have cleared the level I course, or have
cleared an equivalent course are eligible for level II training.
Level II training includes, a refresher of all Level I courses, earth
moving training, and civil blue print reading. Basically designed
for more commercial construction oriented equipment, an
operator clearing Level II training is eligible to operate
bulldozers, rollers, forklifts and scrapers. Separate courses that
allow operators to be certified in fork lift operation are also
available; currently these courses are not as widely accepted.
Heavy Equipment Operation Level III
Once an operator has cleared levels I and II courses, he can
then apply for an advanced certification by clearing level III. The
level III course is the most comprehensive in terms of real world
training and involves training an operator in real world concepts
like advanced safety procedures, industrial and leadership
training, real world project planning and project completion
skills. People that finish level III training are certified to operate
complex heavy equipment like excavators. Heavy equipment
operators that have cleared level III training are highly sought
after not just for their operating skills, but also for their
leadership and management skills.
Irrespective of the course you choose, there is no way to be
directly certified to use more advanced equipment like
excavators. Remember, even if you are being offered a course
that allows you to take a shortcut and get certified for using
heavy equipment, chances are the course will not be
recognised by most construction companies, and you will end
up with a certification that no organization recognizes. It is
always a good idea to work your way up to complex heavy
equipment training, so that you are completely aware of the
safety and legal aspects involved. Also make sure that the
courses you sign up for are certified by the NCCER, as major
construction companies recognize and prefer operators that
have been trained using NCCER curriculum.
Article Source: http://www.bigfreearticles.com
Heavy equipment training is a specialized field of education that
deals with training people in the use of heavy equipment like
bulldozers, backhoes, forklifts and excavators. In fact, people
wrongly assume that a heavy equipment operator does not
need much training to operate heavy equipment, this is not true.
The truth is, each heavy equipment operator has to go through
a series of specialized courses to get certified to operate heavy
equipment. As a matter of fact, even equipment that people
consider ‘safe’ to operate like fork lifts, require specialized
training and certification. Just like a driving test, a heavy
equipment operator has to clear both written and practical tests
before he is certified to operate heavy equipment.
About the Author:
Christopher Hartwell is the author of this article on Heavy
Equipment Operator School. Find more information about Heavy
Equipment Operator School here.
Tags: career, heavy equipment operator school
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