Do You Have The Attributes Of Heavy Equipment Operator?

There are certain skills that are required to operate heavy equipment and these can be gained through appropriate training. There are, however, certain personal attributes that cannot be taught. You either have them already or you are willing to make a conscious effort to take them on.

The most obvious personal attribute that every employer wants is reliability. This is particularly true in the field of heavy equipment operations. Not turning up for work can hold up construction, particularly if you are working as part of a team. Road crews are a good example since it is a progressive job. The work you were required to do today could be the area that someone else will work on tomorrow. If you fail to turn today, your work is not done which means the next person cannot do their work tomorrow. Reliability is an essential attribute to the smooth running of any operation.

Patience is another attribute that can be very important in heavy equipment operators. If you’re a grader operator, you may need to go over the same area five or six times to get it right. An impatient operator may try to do too much with fewer passes with the end result being too much dirt removed. Crane operators are another role that requires patience. You may have to wait for the wind to drop, or for a vehicle to move on, or for a group of people to clear the area. If you’re impatient and start moving the load to early, you could cause real safety issues.

Being willing and able to follow directions is extremely important when operating heavy equipment. The crane operator is one person who relies on directions from the person on the ground. Every other piece of heavy equipment needs to follow the instructions of the site manager when it comes to the how, when and where of a job. Being able to follow those instructions to the letter is the only way to get a project completed on time.

There are many other attributes that may be important, however those three are by far the most important. If you have those attributes then learning to become a heavy equipment operator is not going to be too difficult.

ATS Heavy Equipment Operator Schools can provide train you in the skills required to operate heavy equipment. The personal attributes required will need to come from your commitment to working as a heavy equipment operator.