Heavy equipment operators use a variety of mobile machines and attachments to excavate, grade and landscape earth or move workers, materials and equipment.

Heavy equipment operators control equipment by moving levers or foot pedals, operating switches or turning dials. Their job titles generally reflect the types of machines they operate (for example, bulldozer operator, grader operator). However, one operator may operate several types of equipment.

Bulldozer operators operate crawler-tractors equipped with large blades across the front for moving obstacles or rippers on the back for tearing up terrain. They clear and level land on construction, mining and forestry sites, and push other equipment to provide traction and assistance when needed. They also may smooth and perfect final land grades in jobsite finishing work.

Backhoe operators use a variety of attachments to dig trenches, load heavy materials, vibrate and break rock or concrete, backfill excavations and scoop and dump materials. There are two types of backhoes: rubber tired and track (often called excavators).

Front-end loader operators operate mobile machines with buckets on the front for picking up heavy loads of earth, rock, sand, gravel or snow and dumping it into piles, excavations or trucks.

Grader operators spread and level earth, sand, gravel and rock, and plow snow in the winter by controlling the height and angle of grader blades. To level surfaces to a specified grade, they make successive passes over the working area, watching reference stakes, level gauges or the hand signals of other workers.

Paver operators operate asphalt paving machines that lay down asphalt for roads, driveways and parking lots with the aid of stakes and level gauges.

Power shovel operators manipulate a boom or crane that supports a dipper handle with a large dipper. The dipper is used to scoop up dirt, rock and coal, and drop it into trucks or piles.

Scraper operators scrape, load and haul earth on mining or construction sites. They level work sites; haul soil for roads and rights-of-way; haul coal and ore at mining sites; and build berms, human-made lakes and large stockpiles.

Other heavy duty equipment operators manipulate the controls of machines unique to particular industries (for example, tree harvesters and skidders in forestry or trench excavators in pipeline construction). The work of still other heavy equipment operators is described in the occupational profiles Crane and Hoisting Equipment Operator and Surface Mining Equipment Operator.

Heavy equipment operators work outdoors in almost any kind of weather, although they may work in air conditioned and dust controlled cabs. For most, work is seasonal. Considerable overtime may be required at peak times and layoffs can be expected in the slower months. At oil sands mining sites, shift work often is required. Employment may be on a project by project basis and operators may have to travel and be away from home frequently.

The working environment often is noisy, dusty and dirty and, occasionally, equipment operators may be required to work in dangerous locations. Operators of excavating and grading equipment sit for long periods of time on vibrating or bouncing machinery. To avoid accidental injury, operators must be very safety conscious and follow the signals of ground crew members.

Heavy equipment operators may be required to routinely lift items weighing up to 10 kilograms.

Heavy equipment operators generally are trained on the job or take related training programs. They need to know how to:

• operate heavy equipment safely
• perform preventive maintenance tasks
• diagnose mechanical problems
• read grade plans and use grade stakes in measuring the amount of earth to be moved
• follow directions that are spoken or given by hand signals.

Some operators start as labourers or truck drivers and move to heavier equipment as they develop skills under the supervision of experienced operators. The length of the required on-the-job training varies with the type of machine and the individual's ability.

On-the-job training may be supplemented by a few weeks of training sponsored by industry related organizations such as equipment manufacturers or unions.

Some operators start by completing a formal training program. In Alberta, the following post-secondary institutions offer program related to operating heavy equipment:

• High Velocity Training Centre in Camrose, offers a 12 week Multi Equipment certificate program. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and have a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Olds College offers a 16 week Heavy Equipment Operator certificate program. Applicants for this program must be at least 18 years of age, have a high school diploma, a valid Class 5 driver's licence and provide a current driver's abstract.
• Transport Training Centres of Canada  in Calgary, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat, offers an eight week Four Piece Heavy Equipment Operator program. Applicants must have a high school diploma and be physically able to complete the physical challenges of training.

For current information about programs, admission requirements and mature student admission policies, please check post-secondary calendars or websites.

Heavy equipment operators may work for:

• general contractors that build highways, dams and airports, or install sewer or other utilities
• residential and commercial infrastructure projects
• municipal streets and sidewalks and bridge projects
• asphalt paving companies
• pipeline companies
• logging companies
• mining companies
• landscaping companies
• demolition companies.

Most positions are seasonal (spring to fall). Some employers require fitness and hearing tests prior to employment and perform routine drug testing of their employees.

Experienced operators may move into related positions such as safety officer or trainer, or advance to supervisory positions.

Heavy equipment operators are part of the larger National Occupational Classification 7421: Heavy Equipment Operators (Except Crane) occupational group. In Alberta, 82 per cent of people employed in this classification work in the following industries:

• Construction
• Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction.

The employment outlook in this occupation will be influenced by a wide variety of factors including:

• time of year (for seasonal jobs)
• trends and events affecting overall employment (especially in the industries listed above)
• location in Alberta
• employment turnover (work opportunities generated by people leaving existing positions)
• occupational growth (work opportunities resulting from the creation of new positions that never existed before)
• size of the occupation.

Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next ten years.

Wages for heavy equipment operators vary considerably depending on the type of equipment, employer and working conditions (for example, higher pay in isolated locations).

According to the 2009 Alberta Wage and Salary Survey, Albertans in the Heavy Equipment Operators (Except Crane) group earned from $17.00 to $36.74 an hour. The average wage was $26.44 an hour.

For more detailed information, see WAGEinfo.

Post-secondary institution calendar and website (see Educational Requirements above)

EDinfo website: www.alis.alberta.ca/edinfo

Alberta Construction Industry "Trade Up!" website: www.careersconstruction.com

Alberta Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association website: www.arhca.ab.ca

Calgary Construction Association website: www.cca.cc

Construction Sector Council website: www.csc-ca.org