Today, you can’t do without such a wonderful machine as an excavator almost anywhere. Everywhere where it is necessary to carry out any excavation work, the labor of an excavator driver is necessary. Just about this person will be discussed in this article.
Who is an excavator driver?
Of course, not everyone can cope with the control of a huge robotic machine. Especially if it is such a complex technique as an excavator. Only a true professional and qualified specialist can understand this machine, who understands how complicated and responsible his work is.
The excavator driver is a very important person in any construction work. Thanks to this specialist, the soil for the foundation is being prepared, construction waste is being raked, loading operations are underway, etc. A person who can operate an excavator has always been in demand on the labor market, and therefore it will not be difficult for such a person to find work. It is also worth noting that in most cases, the excavator driver receives income depending on the results of his work (piecework type of wage).
The work in question is not suitable for everyone. So, the employee has the responsibility for repair and maintenance of the machine, and therefore the operation of the working tool is carried out by representatives of the profession in question always very carefully and accurately.
What knowledge should an excavator driver have?
Like any other employee, a representative of the profession in question is required to have some skills and knowledge.
This is prescribed by a professional job description. The excavator driver, regardless of rank or skill level, must know:
- everything about the exploited working tool (device and technical specifications);
- basics of balancing the machine;
- excavation methods;
- machine operating modes;
- the basics of managing an excavator when working with light and heavy loads;
- safety precautions and more.
Thus, the work in question is really not easy. The excavator driver must always remember a large amount of information and be able to apply its fundamentals in practice.
Rights and responsibilities of the excavator driver
Like any other employee, the representative of the profession in question is endowed with a certain number of rights and is very responsible. What does the job description prescribe about this? The excavator driver, according to this document, has the right:
- request from the authorities assistance in the performance of their functions;
- timely confirm or improve skill level or rank;
- request from the management all available information on innovations, which, one way or another, may relate to the professional activities of the excavator operator;
- submit for consideration plans for the modernization of the organization.
What about employee responsibility? The main document, where all the basic provisions of a specialist are spelled out, is the job description. The excavator driver, according to this document, is responsible for:
- for incorrect or complete failure to perform their job functions;
- for causing material damage to the organization;
- for offenses or crimes and more.
Profession training
In order to get the profession of an excavator driver, you must have the appropriate education.
Where and how much time should a person learn to master the craft in question?
Training for the excavator driver is carried out in the secondary vocational technical college. Of course, not every similar institution will have a corresponding specialty. However, due to the general relevance of the profession in question, you can get the appropriate education in almost any city.
In addition to studying in college, there is also the opportunity to learn the basics of professional and special courses. Unfortunately, there is no such form of training everywhere. However, excavator driver courses can still be found somewhere in the enterprise or at an educational institution. Using this form of training, you can not only get a specialty, but also improve your rank or level of qualification.
Thus, training for an excavator driver can be carried out in almost any city. To do this, it is enough to pass the entrance exams and submit the relevant documents.
Duties of the excavator operator of the 5th category
There are 5 categories in the profession of an excavator driver - from the fourth to the eighth. The fifth and sixth digits here are the most common. It is about these skill levels that will be discussed later.
So, what functions and responsibilities does a fifth-rank employee have? What does the job description prescribe about this? The excavator driver performs the following types of work:
- work with soil and rock masses, their development and preparation;
- transportation of engine fuel to storage facilities;
- managing an excavator, in particular, moving it to certain work areas (depending on the instructions of more qualified persons);
- cleaning the bucket of the machine;
- periodic inspection of equipment and many other types of work.
It is also worth noting that in most cases the functions of the employee in question with the fifth rank are determined not only by job description, but also by orders of superiors or persons with a rank higher.
Responsibilities of the excavator driver of the 6th category
An employee with a sixth rank is undoubtedly endowed with greater functions and powers than a specialist with qualifications below.
What does the job description about the duties of a representative of the profession in question? Excavator driver of 6 category is obliged:
- manage bucket equipment with certain dimensions (the dimensions of the equipment are slightly larger than for persons with a discharge below);
- slaughter planning;
- soil and rock preparation;
- layered preparation of soils and soil;
- maintenance of operating equipment (this includes repair and timely inspection) and some other functions.
Thus, the duties of a specialist with a sixth rank are not much different from the functions of an employee with a fifth rank. It is worth noting that a worker with a sixth rank (and all specialists with qualifications higher) can work on more complex types of equipment.
Emergency driver operations
At each enterprise, an emergency or various types of emergency can occur. About what actions need to be taken in this case, says the job description.
Excavator driver in construction in case of fire, stone fall, collapse or slipping of the ground; if the excavator is damaged, it is obliged to take the following actions:
- Stop the workflow immediately
- transport the machine to a safe place, while leaving a clear passage;
- proceed immediately to extinguish the fire;
- provide first aid to victims;
- report the situation to management.
General labor protection requirements for the excavator driver
Like any other employee, a representative of the profession in question has at his disposal an instruction referred to as "Labor Safety for the Excavator Operator".
It contains information:
- about the duties of the employee to know the safety rules, comply with the internal work routine, be able to provide first aid to victims, etc .;
- about all kinds of harmful and dangerous factors that may be present in the work of a specialist;
- collective and personal protective equipment (overalls, shoes, helmets, protective materials, etc.);
- about personal hygiene and sanitation;
- liability for failure to comply with all points prescribed in the labor protection instructions.
Above, only general requirements for the employee were presented. Separate chapters of the safety instructions will be described below.
Occupational safety requirements for the excavator driver at the beginning of work
Before starting his career, a specialist must wear the necessary work clothes, shoes and protective equipment. It is also impossible to get to work without a preliminary check of the equipment - the excavator itself, brake systems, protective devices, etc. It is also necessary to check the availability of all necessary tools and instruments for operation.
It will be possible to start work only if all working tools and equipment are checked for serviceability and prepared for operation. In the event that any malfunction is found, the employee must inform the authorities about this or try to fix it on his own.
Occupational safety requirements for the excavator driver during operation
The requirements for the employee in question during work are already much tougher and more extensive. So, the excavator driver (ranks or skill levels in this case do not matter) must:
- work in accordance with safety regulations;
- in case of hazardous work, request assistance or additional assistance;
- not overload machines;
- work only with optimal lighting;
- comply with all orders and requirements of higher persons;
- maintain and repair machines in accordance with the requirements of instructions and regulations for operation and much more.
The excavator driver, as a person who is quite important and sometimes engaged in dangerous work, has a really huge responsibility. That is why it is so important to comply with all the points prescribed in the instructions on labor protection.
Occupational safety requirements for the excavator operator upon completion of work
How is the specialist in question required to complete his shift? This is also written in the document on labor protection.
In particular, it says that the crawler excavator driver:
- must transport the excavator to the hangar or garage;
- should brake the car and turn off the engine;
- obligated to make all necessary notes in a special register;
- must necessarily close the car cab and the garage itself;
- obliged to put in place protective clothing;
- must take a shower with special cleansers.