Construction equipment operators use machinery to move construction materials, earth, and other heavy materials at construction sites and mines. They operate equipment that clears and grades land to prepare it for construction of roads, buildings, and bridges. They use machines to dig trenches to lay or repair sewer and other pipelines and hoist heavy construction materials. They may even work offshore constructing oil rigs. Construction equipment operators also operate machinery that spreads asphalt and concrete on roads and other structures.
These workers also set up and inspect the equipment, make adjustments, and perform some maintenance and minor repairs. Construction equipment operators control equipment by moving levers, foot pedals, operating switches, or joysticks. Construction equipment is more complicated to use than it was in the past. For example, Global Positioning System (GPS) technology is now being used to help with grading and leveling activities.
Included in the construction equipment operator occupation are paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators; piledriver operators; and operating engineers. Paving and surfacing equipment operators use levers and other controls to operate machines that spread and level asphalt or spread and smooth concrete for roadways or other structures. Asphalt paving machine operators turn valves to regulate the temperature and flow of asphalt onto the roadbed. They must take care that the machine distributes the paving material evenly and without voids, and make sure that there is a constant flow of asphalt going into the hopper. Concrete paving machine operators control levers and turn handwheels to move attachments that spread, vibrate, and level wet concrete in forms. They must observe the surface of concrete to identify low spots into which workers must add concrete. They use other attachments to smooth the surface of the concrete, spray on a curing compound, and cut expansion joints. Tamping equipment operators operate tamping machines that compact earth and other fill materials for roadbeds or other construction sites. They also may operate machines with interchangeable hammers to cut or break up old pavement and drive guardrail posts into the earth.
Piledriver operators use large machines, mounted on skids, barges, or cranes to hammer piles into the ground. Piles are long heavy beams of wood or steel driven into the ground to support retaining walls, bulkheads, bridges, piers, or building foundations. Some piledriver operators work on offshore oil rigs. Piledriver operators move hand and foot levers and turn valves to activate, position, and control the pile-driving equipment.
Operating engineers and other construction equipment operators use one or several types of power construction equipment. They may operate excavation and loading machines equipped with scoops, shovels, or buckets that dig sand, gravel, earth, or similar materials and load it into trucks or onto conveyors. In addition to the familiar bulldozers, they operate trench excavators, road graders, and similar equipment. Sometimes, they may drive and control industrial trucks or tractors equipped with forklifts or booms for lifting materials or with hitches for pulling trailers. They also may operate and maintain air compressors, pumps, and other power equipment at construction sites. Construction equipment operators who are classified as operating engineers are capable of operating several different types of construction equipment.
Work environment. Construction equipment operators work outdoors, in nearly every type of climate and weather condition, although in many areas of the country, some types of construction operations must be suspended in winter. Bulldozers, scrapers, and especially tampers and piledrivers are noisy and shake or jolt the operator. Operating heavy construction equipment can be dangerous. As with most machinery, accidents generally can be avoided by observing proper operating procedures and safety practices. Construction equipment operators are cold in the winter and hot in the summer and often get dirty, greasy, muddy, or dusty. Some operators work in remote locations on large construction projects, such as highways and dams, or in factory or mining operations.
Operators may have irregular hours because work on some construction projects continues around the clock or must be performed late at night or early in the morning.
| 1. | Start machine, engage clutch, and push and move levers to guide machine along forms or guidelines and to control the operation of machine attachments. |
| 2. | Inspect, clean, maintain, and repair equipment, using mechanics' hand tools, or report malfunctions to supervisors. |
| 3. | Operate machines to spread, smooth, level, or steel-reinforce stone, concrete, or asphalt on road beds. |
| 4. | Operate oil distributors, loaders, chip spreaders, dump trucks, and snow plows. |
| 5. | Coordinate truck dumping. |
| 6. | Set up and tear down equipment. |
| 7. | Operate tamping machines or manually roll surfaces to compact earth fills, foundation forms, and finished road materials, according to grade specifications. |
| 8. | Shovel blacktop. |
| 9. | Drive machines onto truck trailers, and drive trucks to transport machines and material to and from job sites. |
| 10. | Observe distribution of paving material to adjust machine settings or material flow, and indicate low spots for workers to add material. |
| 11. | Light burners or start heating units of machines, and regulate screed temperatures and asphalt flow rates. |
| 12. | Control paving machines to push dump trucks and to maintain a constant flow of asphalt or other material into hoppers or screeds. |
| 13. | Set up forms and lay out guidelines for curbs, according to written specifications, using string, spray paint, and concrete/water mixes. |
| 14. | Fill tanks, hoppers, or machines with paving materials. |
| 15. | Drive and operate curbing machines to extrude concrete or asphalt curbing. |
| 16. | Cut or break up pavement and drive guardrail posts, using machines equipped with interchangeable hammers. |
| 17. | Install dies, cutters, and extensions to screeds onto machines, using hand tools. |
| 18. | Operate machines that clean or cut expansion joints in concrete or asphalt and that rout out cracks in pavement. |
| 19. | Place strips of material such as cork, asphalt, or steel into joints, or place rolls of expansion-joint material on machines that automatically insert material. |
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