Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Occupation Details

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

The main tasks and work activities of Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators are to update job related knowledge or skills, position construction or extraction equipment, operate heavy-duty construction or installation equipment, operate equipment or vehicles to clear construction sites or move materials. In general, for the Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators, operation and Control, equipment Maintenance, operation Monitoring, monitoring and other 4 skills are required.

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Job Description
Education	These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Related Experience	Some previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is usually needed. For example, a teller would benefit from experience working directly with the public.
Job Training	Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Example	These occupations often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include orderlies, counter and rental clerks, customer service representatives, security guards, upholsterers, and tellers.

The following chart shows the education/training levels for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators jobs. 81.72% of Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 0.55% of Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators have Post-Secondary Certificate.

Less than a High School Diploma

1.39%

High School Diploma (or the equivalent)

81.72%

Post-Secondary Certificate

0.55%

Some College Courses

16.34%

Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)

0.00%

Bachelor's Degree and Above

0.00%

Tasks and Work Activities of Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Learn and follow safety regulations.
Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects.
Adjust handwheels and depress pedals to control attachments, such as blades, buckets, scrapers, or swing booms.
Start engines, move throttles, switches, or levers, or depress pedals to operate machines, such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, or backhoes.
Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work.
Monitor operations to ensure that health and safety standards are met.
Align machines, cutterheads, or depth gauge makers with reference stakes and guidelines or ground or position equipment, following hand signals of other workers.
Load and move dirt, rocks, equipment, or other materials, using trucks, crawler tractors, power cranes, shovels, graders, or related equipment.
Drive and maneuver equipment equipped with blades in successive passes over working areas to remove topsoil, vegetation, or rocks or to distribute and level earth or terrain.
Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members.
Operate tractors or bulldozers to perform such tasks as clearing land, mixing sludge, trimming backfills, or building roadways or parking lots.
Repair and maintain equipment, making emergency adjustments or assisting with major repairs as necessary.
Check fuel supplies at sites to ensure adequate availability.
Connect hydraulic hoses, belts, mechanical linkages, or power takeoff shafts to tractors.
Operate loaders to pull out stumps, rip asphalt or concrete, rough-grade properties, bury refuse, or perform general cleanup.
Select and fasten bulldozer blades or other attachments to tractors, using hitches.
Test atmosphere for adequate oxygen or explosive conditions when working in confined spaces.
Operate compactors, scrapers, or rollers to level, compact, or cover refuse at disposal grounds.
Talk to clients and study instructions, plans, or diagrams to establish work requirements.
Signal operators to guide movement of tractor-drawn machines.

Controlling Machines and ProcessesUsing either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentRunning, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
Monitor Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsMonitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialInspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentServicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsUsing relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Update job related knowledge or skills.
Position construction or extraction equipment.
Operate heavy-duty construction or installation equipment.
Operate equipment or vehicles to clear construction sites or move materials.
Locate equipment or materials in need of repair or replacement.
Monitor construction operations.
Load or unload materials used in construction or extraction.
Move construction or extraction materials to locations where they are needed.
Maintain construction tools or equipment.
Install equipment attachments or components.
Select construction equipment.
Test air quality at work sites.
Compact materials to create level bases.
Communicate with clients about products, procedures, and policies.
Review blueprints or specifications to determine work requirements.
Signal equipment operators to indicate proper equipment positioning.
Operate road-surfacing equipment.
Assist skilled construction or extraction personnel.
Record operational or environmental data.
Drive trucks or truck-mounted equipment.

Skills and Abilities for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Operation and ControlControlling operations of equipment or systems.
Equipment MaintenancePerforming routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
Operation MonitoringWatching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
TroubleshootingDetermining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.

Control PrecisionThe ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
Depth PerceptionThe ability to judge which of several objects is closer or farther away from you, or to judge the distance between you and an object.
Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Multilimb CoordinationThe ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
Far VisionThe ability to see details at a distance.
Rate ControlThe ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
Reaction TimeThe ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.
Arm-Hand SteadinessThe ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
Response OrientationThe ability to choose quickly between two or more movements in response to two or more different signals (lights, sounds, pictures). It includes the speed with which the correct response is started with the hand, foot, or other body part.
Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Manual DexterityThe ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
VisualizationThe ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
Perceptual SpeedThe ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
Finger DexterityThe ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Visual Color DiscriminationThe ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
Time SharingThe ability to shift back and forth between two or more activities or sources of information (such as speech, sounds, touch, or other sources).
Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
Static StrengthThe ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects.

Conventional truck cranese.g. 15-ton truck cranes
Hydraulic truck cranese.g. 18-ton hydraulic cranes
Agricultural tractorse.g. 20-ton tractors
Adjustable wrenchese.g. Adjustable wrenches
Kettle exchangerse.g. Aeroil propane kettles
Air compressorse.g. Air compressors
Track bulldozerse.g. Angle dozers
Dredgerse.g. Aquatic weed harvesters
Compactorse.g. Asphalt compactors
Road paverse.g. Asphalt pavers
Bituminous material distributorse.g. Asphalt spreader boxes
Axese.g. Axes
Backhoe boom or boom sectionse.g. Backhoe attachments
Backhoese.g. Backhoes
Loading equipmente.g. Barrier movers
Drain or pipe cleaning equipmente.g. Basin machines
Dump truckse.g. Belly dumpers
Track loaderse.g. Belt loaders
Blades or tooth or other cutting edgese.g. Blade attachments
Elevating scraperse.g. Box scrapers

MechanicalKnowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Public Safety and SecurityKnowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators Occupation Detailed Description

Tasks and Work Activities of Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators

Skills and Abilities for Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators