This occupation is part of the Construction and Extraction cluster
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About the Job
Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties.
It is also Called
- Angle Dozer Operator
- Back Hoe Operator
- Backhoe Operator
- Blade Grader Operator
- Blade Operator
- Bulldozer Engineer
- Bulldozer Operator
- Bush Hog Operator
- Cable Engineer
- Car Runner
What They Do
- Learn and follow safety regulations.
- Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects.
- Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work.
- Monitor operations to ensure that health and safety standards are met.
- 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.
- Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members.
- Load and move dirt, rocks, equipment, or other materials, using trucks, crawler tractors, power cranes, shovels, graders, or related equipment.
- Check fuel supplies at sites to ensure adequate availability.
- 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.
Interests
People who work in this occupation generally have the interest code: RCI.
This means people who work in this occupation generally have Realistic interests, but also prefer Conventional and Investigative environments.
Work Values
People who work in this occupation generally prize Support, but also value Relationships and Working Conditions in their jobs.
Things They Need to Know
- Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
- Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.
- Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
- Public Safety and Security - Knowledge 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.
- Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
Things They Need to Be Able to Do
- Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
- Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Troubleshooting - Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Additional Resources
- California Occupational Guide - A detailed guide to this occupation provided by the California Employment Development Department (EDD)
Education Required
These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
Wages
In 2012, the average annual wage in California was $65,130.00 with most people making between $39,270.00 and $90,760.00
Outlook
During 2010, this occupation employed approximately 22,100 people in California. It is projected that there will be 27,200 employed in 2020.
This occupation will have about 510 openings due to growth and about 510 replacement openings for approximately 1,020 total annual openings.
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