| Machinery categorized as heavy equipment include | | | | can be avoided, minor cuts, bruises, and burns are only |
| large vehicles and mobile equipments used in industrial | | | | to be expected in this job. |
| activities such as construction, lifting of heavy material, | | | | Working hours are generally 40 hours a week but |
| tilling of land, digging of trenches for drains, laying of | | | | might go up to 50 or even 60 hours if you are working |
| pipelines and paving of roads. | | | | in the farming sector during planting and harvesting |
| A heavy equipment technician is a skilled workman, | | | | seasons. |
| who repairs and maintains heavy diesel engines, fuel, | | | | Although three to four years of on the job training |
| brake and transmission systems, electrical and other | | | | earned by working as assistants under experienced |
| systems that are part of farm machinery, cranes | | | | technicians is considered sufficient, most employers |
| bulldozers, railcars, heavy dumper trucks, excavators, | | | | prefer applicants who have completed a formal skill |
| pavers and many other type of such machinery. His | | | | based program after graduating from high school. The |
| key objective is to ensure that the machines remain in | | | | candidate should be flexible with an aptitude for quick |
| top working condition and continue to function at peak | | | | learning. |
| levels for a long time in line with safety norms. In view | | | | There are programs of one or two years duration |
| of the advanced technology used in machinery these | | | | leading to a certificate or an associate degree in diesel |
| days, these expert technicians are required to be | | | | or heavy equipment mechanics. Such programs are |
| conversant with the use of computerized diagnostic | | | | offered by various community colleges and vocational |
| equipment, tachometers, dynamometers, ohm meters, | | | | schools. High school courses in automobile repair, |
| ammeters, voltmeters specialized tools like pneumatic | | | | physics, chemistry, and mathematics provide a strong |
| wrenches, operating lathes and grinding machines. An | | | | foundation for a career as a heavy equipment |
| ability to work with jacks and hoists, gas cutting and | | | | technician. It is essential for technicians to be able to |
| welding tools in addition to the use of common hand | | | | read and interpret service manuals in order to keep |
| tools such as screwdrivers, pliers and wrenches is also | | | | abreast of engineering changes |
| essential. Knowledge in electronics, hydraulics and | | | | Ideally, a combination of formal and on the job training |
| welding technology is considered mandatory to | | | | equips a technician with the knowledge and skills |
| perform well in this field. | | | | typically required for the repair and maintenance of |
| Generally, a heavy equipment technician works indoors | | | | heavy equipment. Employment opportunities for heavy |
| unless the job position is that of a field technician. The | | | | equipment technicians exist in large construction and |
| latter is required to work onsite on machines that | | | | mining companies, local and federal governments, |
| cannot be moved to a shop. Field technicians are | | | | agencies that sell farm equipment, garden tractors, |
| exposed to outdoor conditions, which include hostile | | | | railcar and locomotive manufacturers and other |
| weather and inadequate arrangements for meals or | | | | companies operating and maintaining fleets of such |
| rest. The job involves lifting of heavy parts and | | | | equipment. As per statistics compiled in 2004, the |
| carrying them in awkward positions. Though, by | | | | average hourly earnings of a heavy equipment |
| adhering to safety norms and working in well lighted, | | | | technician in the US during the year 2003-2004 ranged |
| ventilated and heated work areas, serious accidents | | | | between $17 and $20. |