Heavy Equipment Operator Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

By | September 1, 2023
Heavy Equipment Operator job description, duties, tasks, and responsibilities
Heavy Equipment Operators ensure their equipment work efficiently.

This post provides detailed information on the job description of a heavy equipment operator, including the tasks, duties, and responsibilities that they perform.

What Does a Heavy Equipment Operator Do?

A heavy equipment operator is a trained personnel who drives, controls, and operates a set of equipment, such as bulldozers, scrapers, excavators, motor graders, etc.

These equipment are used in building work, distribution of construction materials, and in commercial and substantial disposal of waste materials.

The heavy equipment operator job description entails ensuring the movement and functioning of heavy machines in carryout out specific tasks.

He/she will ensure the machines work easily, fast, and accurate.

In the performance of their duties, equipment operators are to ensure that safety procedures are completely followed and never compromised.

They are to consider their safety and the safety of other workers in the course of duty to avoid injuries and other casualties that may arise.

As experts in the field, they demonstrate their ability in the handling, operating, and manipulating of one or more equipment simultaneously, with confidence, zeal and authority.

In order to ensure the successful operation of the equipment, the operator carries out inspection on them from time to time to determine their condition, and exercises preventive measures to avoid malfunctioning.

His/her role also entails supervising the delivery of raw materials needed for work by placing orders for out of stock materials and ensuring that they arrive safely.

In an attempt to keep the working environment organized, he/she is also responsible for arranging both raw materials and produced goods in an orderly manner with the use of moving vehicles and equipment to move them around.

He/she endeavors to perform routine maintenance in the work environment by cleaning, lubricating, and servicing equipment from time to time as prescribed by the manufacturer.

A good team member, the heavy equipment operator relates with co-workers in a cordial and professional manner to ensure smooth flow of information and instructions during work.

While carrying out duties to ensure good quality of work done, operators always consider the interest of members of the public to prevent activities that could cause harm to them.

Heavy Equipment Operator Job Description Sample/Example/Template

The job description of heavy equipment operators consists of the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities as shown in the sample work activities below:

  • Receive construction materials and deliver them to work sites.
  • Identify faults in equipment and take measures to fix them.
  • Carryout out minimal repairs on machine when necessary.
  • Adhere to safety regulations and report hazards to relevant authorities.
  • Adhere to company work policies and conditions.
  • Perform maintenance routine on equipment.
  • Perform physical activities like kneeling, crawling, jumping and lifting amongst others.
  • Pack dirt and other waste products from work environment to dumping area.
  • Document information of equipment purchase, repairs and maintenance for record keeping.
  • Inspect working environment even before work begins to ensure that it is safe.
  • Establish good working relationship on site.

Heavy Equipment Operator Job Description for Resume

Information about work activities for the position is needed to prepare certain sections of the heavy equipment operator’s resume. The above job description example provides such information in creating the job experience section of the resume.

Heavy Equipment Operator Requirements: Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities for Career Success

Below are major qualities of the heavy equipment operator, including skills, knowledge, and abilities that employers would usually require from applicants vying for the role.

  • Have good knowledge of equipment mechanism and working methods.
  • Have good knowledge of traffic laws as related to heavy equipment.
  • Have good knowledge of safety rules in operating equipment.
  • Ability to pay attention to detail.
  • Must have a valid driver’s license.