An earthmoving contractor generally operates a variety of earthmoving equipment to assist with residential or commercial projects. These projects may include building dams, roads, rail and agricultural works among others. What entails an earthmoving contractor's work and what are the requirements?
Understanding What Entails Earthmoving Contractor Work
You can specialise in various fields of your choice that may include operating a backhoe loader, wheeled or tracked front-end loader, an articulated or belly dump truck or a rigid haul truck. Additionally, you can specialise as an excavator, roller, scraper, grader or dozer among others.
The duties of earthmoving contractors will mainly revolve around the operation of controls to excavate, compact, level, drill, break, move, spread and load rubble, rock, soil and earth. You will also monitor the operations of equipment and ensure the safety of other operators.
As you can see, these duties sound technical and risky, meaning training and certification are required.
What Are the General Requirements?
You will need an earthmoving ticket. It shows that you have undergone the necessary course and training and have qualified to move heavy loads of material, which include rubble, rock, soil, earth and other debris. You can also have an earthmoving ticket that shows you have specialised in a particular area mentioned above.
The courses and training will not only include how to operate equipment but also how you will handle risky circumstances. How will you minimise equipment damage and reduce workers' hazards? There are also occupational health and safety standards that you need to comply with and show that you are competent. These standards are a must when operating earthmoving equipment. You will learn how to prepare plant operations, conduct maintenance and perform pre-occupational checks. Additionally, you will get to know what government regulations have been put in place for earthmoving equipment and workplace safety.
There are two kinds of training. Informal and formal. Informal training will be carried out on the site while being supervised by a competent person while formal training will be carried out by a training institution.
Additional Requirements
You may want to be able to work in all Australian states. In such cases, not just any earthmoving ticket will guarantee you qualification. There are Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) that offer courses that will enable you to acquire nationally recognised qualifications. To widen your scope of employment, you can enrol in such RTOs to get national training packages, which will get you qualified to handle equipment and meet earthmoving standards in all Australian states.
