Road Grader Operators Rely On More Than Just Their Eyes

There are many professions that rely on a range of senses. Cooks are the most obvious – they rely on eyes, ears, their noses, a sense of touch and, ultimately, their sense of taste. Heavy equipment operators also rely on a range of senses and it can be a difficult area to train novices in. When it comes to road grader operators, the best way to learn to use these senses is through hands-on-training, and by ongoing experience. So which senses play a major role in operating a road grader?

• Eyes – Eyes are an obvious area and while spectacles are not really a problem, keeping them up-to-date with your eyesight is. Road grader operators need to be able to precisely follow a range of signs or signals to ensure they are grading at the right angle and height.
• Touch – If you are an experienced car driver, then you’ll know what I mean when I say you can ‘feel’ so much through your vehicle’s controls. The same is true for a road grader operator. That sense of touch can tell when a grader is cutting too deeply, or meeting more resistance than expected.
• Ears – Like the sense of touch, your ears can tell you what is happening with the motor. You experience the same with a manual shift car, changing gears when you hear the motor reaching the right revs. With a road grader, a change in revs can mean the grader is starting to struggle, or is operating smoothly.
• Nose – While not as important as the other senses, the nose will warn you of any problems related to your road grader. A sudden smell of smoke, oil, or fuel can be an early warning to a major problem.

While computers are starting to play an important role in the operation of a road grader, there’s no denying that those senses becomes an operators best friend. Learn to develop those senses while operating a road grader and you’ll quickly rise to become a fine grader, these are the finishing operators that work to very fine measurements – and the operators that draw the best pay checks. It all starts by learning to operate a road grader – from there, you’ll quickly develop those senses to become an effective operator.