There is high demand for heavy equipment operators in South Africa and throughout the world. A quick Google search indicated that on LinkedIn alone, as of April 7th, 2021, there were 744 heavy equipment operators. The reason for this high level of demand is simple. Almost every building project, from highways to power plants to homes to airlines and all else in between, depends on the heavy machinery operator’s professional labor and experience to get the job done. As South Africa’s population continues to grow, so too will the need for these operators remain solid.
Heavy Machinery Operators Have Several Responsibilities
Exact duties can depend on a heavy equipment operator's specialization. Some common responsibilities include:
Operate heavy equipment in compliance with the company's operating safety policies and procedures.
Provide recommendations for maintaining and improving environmental performance.
Load and unload equipment from vehicles and trailers.
Ensure company equipment, material, and the worksite are maintained, kept clean, and stored in a safe manner. Collect and dispose of scrap, excess materials, and refuse.
Observe distribution of paving material to adjust machine settings or material flow, and indicate low spots for workers to add material.
Complete required paperwork, reporting, and other documentation.
TEN Qualities You Require to Operate Heavy Equipment
You will need to have most of these qualities if you want to make a career out of operating heavy machinery.
1. A love of the outdoors
If you are afraid of sunlight, then working outside in various weather conditions may not be for you.
2. Natural aptitude for operating machines
This natural aptitude comes in the form of being able to deploy all your senses and channeling that into the job. You are able to smell oil and coolant leaks, see oil trails on the ground, notice cracks and unusual metal flakes in the oil, you can hear abnormal noises, and feel unusual vibrations.
3. Sense of balance
This is a skill that is developed over time. It tells you about the ground conditions under your tracks and how to operate the machine on the basis of this knowledge.
4. Hand-eye coordination
The ability to use hands and eyes to move large pieces of very heavy metal and other items to correct places is essential for the profession. For example, a crane operator must use a series of hydraulic joints or wires to point the crane claw correctly over the to-be-moved item, pick it up and move it to the desired spot, then drop it. This requires good hand-eye coordination skills to avoid any damage to not only the crane but also the site and fellow workers.
5. Being knowledgeable about the equipment
You should know about operating all basic equipment. Above all, you should be well versed about the equipment they are operating (eg. to maintain/ service their equipment).
6. Machine “ownership”
You should develop ownership of your equipment, treating the machine as if you were making the payments on it and assuring the equipment operates properly every day.
7. Attention to detail
You need to have good attention to detail for cleaning cabs and making sure everything looks perfectly clean for safety. You need to be able to know when something isn’t feeling right and have minor repairs before they become something larger.
8. Communication skills
You need to be able to clearly communicate issues on the machine to mechanics and owners so as to optimize the operation of the equipment.
9. Willingness to get hands dirty
If you are OCD on cleanliness, then this job is not for you. The machine operators may not get their hands as dirty and greasy as motor mechanics, but there is still some dirt involved.
10. Patience
Perhaps this is the most important attribute. If a pile of dirt needs to be moved, there is a right and wrong way to do it. You can not rush the job, it needs doing slowly and methodically.
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