I am looking to get a job around equipment these holidays (Thank you FIFA), and there are a lot of things that I have picked up off this thread... I have to say, operators in general are my heroes, and I'm not being funny. Sure, I've met a lot of operators who are in it for the paycheque, but most love it. I know a wheel dozer operator, been on the same machine since 1986 when the machine was bought new. It doesn't do much work, but he looks after it. He doesn't allow the mechanics to service it unless he is there.
Treatment of equipment here... Operators are harsh, I won't say they aren't, but then again, so is Africa. Counter weight scratches happen, but a lack of proper training facilities is apparent. Most recieve on the job training from some one who actually doesn't know all that much about equipment themselves, so that is a problem. But for all their shortcomings, our operators are good.