Becoming a Hydraulic Excavator Operator: Tips

[miKe F.]

Thanks for the input everyone. The company who dug our pool hole said the difference with a trained operator with a certificate (issued by the government) is night and day for a company. He told me basically without the training it's much much too time consuming and dangerous to train someone who's never been in one, though he's had success, he trys to avoid hiring an untrained operator (unless they have experience. He almost never does.

He says just training someone to use the controls efficiently and safely take a considerable amount of time, and after that they're still at step 1 of 20. He just basically said for him to spend weeks training a guy to just operate it is not something they have time for, and the safety concerns are too high. Does this seem valid? To me, it does.

i've had experience on numerous skid steer loaders/tractors/transports/etc. I can operate a skid steer loader very, very efficiently. I operate one of the largest available. CASE 90XT/ASV R50/BOBCAT 753/Belarus/David brown/ford/international/etc.

 

[CascadeScaper]

I think the training is a good idea, but not for $20,000. You could go out, rent a machine a whole bunch of times, work for some friends and learn to run the machine yourself. Then, get a job running a shovel in a trench, and when asked if you've operated before, you can say you have, but that you don't have a whole lot of real world experience, which most companies expect out of training school graduates anyway. The thing is, even with the training, graduates still have to run a shovel for a little while, I'm sure it's less time than that of someone who has zero experience whatsoever, but if you expect to be put on a machine right after training is a little overoptimistic, unless of course the company is really hurting and they want to take a chance on you. There's always different circumstances, but it's really hard to say what kind of guarantees you get out of spending $20K on a training course.

 

[murray83]

but what if your hired by a firm with more than just an excavator? (which is basically everyone) you won't know how to run his other equipment and that might cost you a job for the 20,000 you spent which is still over priced.

if i own my own company and you come to me looking for a job to run an excavator what do i think of you?,you only have 8 weeks experience seat time (is there class time by the way?or 2 people per machine? then you have 4 weeks experience) i can train my own labourer to do it the way i want.

 

[Wolf]

Excavator Training--On the job or formal school?

Hey,

Did you go to one of those schools, or is all your training on the job training on the excavator? I am debating this issue for some of my family members who want to become real good on the excavator fast, in order to get into some heavy demo work. What do you think is best?

 

[Grader4me]

Hey,

Did you go to one of those schools, or is all your training on the job training on the excavator? I am debating this issue for some of my family members who want to become real good on the excavator fast, in order to get into some heavy demo work. What do you think is best?

There is an old saying among seasoned operators....first you get good, then you get fast.
This all takes time, no matter how you get started:yup

 

[s1100]

A hoe is the best machine there is just sit there relax and go around and around all day. Your best bet is to look at a company the does underground utilities try and they would probably put you on a backfill crew to start out. Its best to learn on a backhoe, once you get one of those POS down everything else is easy.

I would like to "respectfully" disagree, Stay away from utilities when starting out!

#1 They are dangerous

#2 Their are always people around your bucket

#3 You had better be able to run and grade with hand signals, you move that bucket the wrong way and someone will get hurt.

The list goes on.

Best to earn your wings where no-one can get hurt.

Learn to run every machine you can, you would be surprised how much they have in common. With experience you will gravitate to excavators as your skill increases.

 

[miKe F.]

you know what. i'm not picky about how new the equipment is, what kind it is, what jobs i'll be doing, or how much i'll make (as long as it's reasonable). I'll run a piece of **** if I have to. As long as I'm getting experience Within the machine. That's key. Some company's won't give you the time of day on the machines without any experience no matter how long you work and how hard you work at it, I met guy's that stress how important the training is. They all say the same thing. "I wish I woulda' got trained back when I started out, I woulda' been alot better off, don't make the same mistake I did." So here I am with experience on skidsteers, and other machinery, looking to run an ex. I'll dig whatever, as long as I'm getting paid, and I'm getting experience.

I never expected to be digging trenches with 5 guy's in the hole and hydro wires everywhere, and gas lines, and what ever else starting out. I want experience in the machine, not experience watching it being run. I'm not a visual learner, I'm a hands on learner. I learn by doing as opposed to being shown.

And I feel I'm going to do well. I was put on the equipment at CPS within 2 weeks of working there. I now am a primary operator. Some of them have been there 9 years. First ever person in the company to progress that fast.

 

[Dusty]

watch out for slopes they r a killer and good luck with your adventure

 

[farmerted44]

didnt you mention farm experience?? :Cowboy farm boys are naturals.. dont get e wrong you should heed all the advice given so far.. if you can afford take the schooling. really wish i had went the union route where i had some sort of formal training. BUT NOTHING BEATS TIME IN THE SEAT!!
it sounds like you are enthusiastic and want to learn. wish we had a few like you here.

 

[jmac]

Just my $.02 because everyone else has given some. I own my own company, have over 250k invested in equipment. I do commercial and residential work every day and even with guys working for me I still do a lot of hand or manual work everyday. My back hurts everyday. I get dirty and dusty everyday. I realize that I am small company but one of my friends that own a very large company still do the same. And if he is still doing some manual work than all of his 50 employees all do manual labor and can run all his machines. Even his truck drivers run machines from time to time. Very few firms maybe the largest of the large have one guy for just one machine. I would bet that those companys would only have the most seasoned operators runing just one machine and no manual labor. That person would be someone that has worked for the company for years and climbed the ladder, or owner's son. Construction work of any kind is just hard manual work no matter how you slice it. Even loading the equipment on to the trailer can be hard work. binders, chains, ramps etc.
Now a farmer is perfect for this because they know how to work!:bouncegri :notworthy

 

[CascadeScaper]

Now a farmer is perfect for this because they know how to work!:bouncegri :notworthy

You're darn right! I was born and raised on the farm, best schoolin' I ever got. Them city slickers don't know spit! :bouncegri

 

[Dozerboy]

Into the wind right???

I think farming gave me a large advantage too, and it didn't hurt we had a dozer.

 

[farmerted44]

Now a farmer is perfect for this because they know how to work!:bouncegri :notworthy

10-4!!!!! twenty years after leaving farming i apply the basics of running equipment that i learned on a farm. not to mention the work ethic that was instilled in me....

thanks Bill(R.I.P.) and Randy Lanford.

 

[Grader4me]

Just my $.02 because everyone else has given some. I own my own company, have over 250k invested in equipment. I do commercial and residential work every day and even with guys working for me I still do a lot of hand or manual work everyday. My back hurts everyday. I get dirty and dusty everyday. I realize that I am small company but one of my friends that own a very large company still do the same. And if he is still doing some manual work than all of his 50 employees all do manual labor and can run all his machines. Even his truck drivers run machines from time to time. Very few firms maybe the largest of the large have one guy for just one machine. I would bet that those companys would only have the most seasoned operators runing just one machine and no manual labor. That person would be someone that has worked for the company for years and climbed the ladder, or owner's son. Construction work of any kind is just hard manual work no matter how you slice it. Even loading the equipment on to the trailer can be hard work. binders, chains, ramps etc.
Now a farmer is perfect for this because they know how to work!:bouncegri :notworthy

I just have to add this...I took a couple weeks vacation and went out to Calgary, Alberta and operated a grader for a small paving company. I was just amazed on how hard the boss/owner worked along side his crew. He raked, operated the spreader and shoveled as well. This was for 13 to 14 hours per day! This gave me a lot of respect for those that own these small companies. My hat is off to you guys:notworthy

 

[LaLaMan]

I would not even bother trying to get hired on as a laborer. You think youll be able to keep up with the Mexicans? Youll burn out before you even get started.

20 grand, out of your own pocket? Lets see
Old beat dump truck - $10000
old beat up loader backhoe - $10000
20000 grand and teach yourself and start a business.

 

[jmac]

20 grand, out of your own pocket? Lets see
Old beat dump truck - $10000
old beat up loader backhoe - $10000
20000 grand and teach yourself and start a business

forgot the trailer, insurance, advertising, hand tools, and whole lot more.

 

[CascadeScaper]

forgot the trailer, insurance, advertising, hand tools, and whole lot more.

Yep, there's a lot more to it than that. Plus the fact that having a backhoe doesn't provide instant business or make you an instant expert about the business either. But there's nothing wrong with learning through hard knocks, I'm still young and that's how I did most of my learning, but I started out landscaping first and then moved into excavation. There's just no way we could have jumped into excavation without our previous landscaping and light excavation experience, would have been impossible. Having zero experience and trying to start an excavation business will put you in a world of hurt real fast.

 

[d6catd]

:usa mike hey man no one is picking on you but i work is this field as well as just about eveyone here ask anyone youve got to pay your dues..heres a question for you do you know how to grease an excavator?clean and/or change air filters?clean the under carriage? you as simple as that seems alot of newbies dont know that stuff..and the school is an ok idea but you cant replace experience with anything im an operator in the ooil feilds and i dig around very high pressure water and gas lines up to bout 35 to 45 hundred psi!!!! with the hole crew within 25 or 35 ft. if i mess up everone dies no mistakes thats the kinda of stuff we are all talking about sure its fun but its also very dangerous..so man noone is pickin on ya just listen to the guys like us that have been doin it for a while believe any good operator likes to pass down ideas and tricks to the younger generation we only want to help...so to answer your Q find an excavting or utility contractor around your area and be honest with them tell them hey im green but i want to learn im willing to put in the time and pay my dues and i promise you it will work out for ya man k (lifes a garden DIG IT) later man

 

[mflah87]

Some guys are going to scream to go fast, but fast doesnt mean safe. And most utility companies are screamers. I've hired operators who came from other companies and they were surprised we didn't scream all day. Go slow when digging around utilities, always watch the laborers they seem to get in the way a lot.

 

[LDK]

There is an old saying among seasoned operators....first you get good, then you get fast.
This all takes time, no matter how you get started:yup

With you 100% on that one.