Top Tips For Hiring the Right Heavy Equipment Operator

Operating and maintaining heavy equipment requires a lot of experience, training, and knowledge. At Matrix Labor Leasing, we help take care of all your Calgary construction staffing needs to ensure that your employers have the skills to perform their job safely & with minimal risk.

Heavy equipment refers to a set of machines or vehicles used on construction sites. Because of the size and weight of these vehicles, handling and operating such equipment requires highly specialized skills.

Ensuring that employees are well-trained to handle this machinery has many benefits, including:

Lower risk of accidents resulting in injury, or even death.
Lower fuel costs.
Longer-life span of equipment and their parts.
Greater chance of meeting project deadlines and goals.

Matrix Helps You Fulfill All Your Calgary Construction Staffing Needs

Matrix is one of Calgary’s leading hiring agencies. Our professional and well-networked team can help you meet all your construction staffing needs, whether it’s to recruit, manage, or mobilize skilled labour, so you can keep growing and stay competitive within your industry.

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Top Duties and Responsibilities of a Heavy Equipment Operator

Whether it’s a forklift or a more complicated piece of machinery, heavy equipment should never be used by individuals without the correct training. These pieces of equipment can get a construction project done correctly and efficiently but can be very dangerous in unknowing hands.

To help you make wise construction staffing choices, here’s what you need to expect in terms of the responsibilities, duties, and skills of heavy equipment operators:

Responsibilities and Duties

Safely operate heavy construction equipment such as cranes, bulldozers, forklifts, earth movers, loaders, and other related machinery.
Operate such equipment at the right angles and in the right direction so as to avoid accidents and any damage of property.
Perform regular safety and maintenance checks to ensure all equipment is functioning correctly.
Drive and control machinery.
Perform minor repairs when needed.
Inform management of any major repairs that need to be done.
Respond to signals and directions of staff and work in coordination with them to ensure the project gets completed safely and efficiently.
Report to the senior operation manager.
Work in adherence to safe practices, procedures, work site, and traffic laws.

Knowledge Requirements

Because heavy equipment can pose a danger to your workers and passersby, anyone operating this machinery must possess the required knowledge to perform the job satisfactorily.

Before you hire a heavy equipment operator, you must make sure they have knowledge of:

Heavy equipment operation.
Maintenance and repair of such equipment.
Latest methods and techniques of operation.
Workplace safety practices.
Both manual and electronic equipment operations.

Skill Requirements

Apart from the appropriate knowledge, heavy equipment operators require unique skills and ability to ensure your construction site stays safe and all project goals are met in a timely manner.

These include:

The physical ability to withstand strenuous, and often dangerous, work.
The strength to operate heavy and power-driven equipment.
The ability to work well within a team.
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
The skills to handle emergency situations, work pressure, and stress, in a calm fashion.
Problem-solving skills.
The ability to work independently, with minimal supervision.
A keen eye for detail and good decision-making skills.

Call Today

If you’re looking for a skilled and knowledgeable heavy equipment operator for your construction project, we can help! To find out more about how we can fulfill all your Calgary construction staffing needs, contact us at 1-866-666-9520 or fill in our online contact form.