Heavy Equipment Operator

Essential Job Functions

• Operates backhoe, excavator, skid steer, vacuum equipment, directional boring machine, and other heavy pieces of equipment.
• Drives heavy trucks with trailers.
• Performs excavation and grading work on roads and other work as assigned.
• Rotates among the various pieces of equipment as the workload changes or may be permanently assigned to a specific piece of equipment.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of the operation of heavy pieces of equipment used in heavy construction, earth moving, demolitions and the like.
• Knowledge of Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) and safety rules and regulations.
• Knowledge of trench and excavation safety.
• Knowledge of the techniques and practices applied to the operation of heavy pieces of equipment to avoid accidents under varied work environments.
• Ability to follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to perform the job tasks in an efficient manner under unfavorable conditions.

Qualifications

• Education and Experience: High school diploma or GED with three (3) years of experience in operation of heavy equipment used in the trade; two (2) years of experience in the vocation; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.

Special Qualifications

• Must possess a valid state of Florida Class "A" CDL driver's license with Tanker Endorsement at time of employment.

Essential Physical Skills

• Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing or crouching on narrow, slippery, or erratically moving surfaces.
• Climbing: Ability to frequently ascend / descend ladders, stairs, scaffolding, and ramps using feet and legs and/or hands and arms.
• Crawling: Moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet.
• Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
• Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.
• Dexterity: Primarily with fingers, as in picking, pinching, or typing.
• Grasping: Applying pressure with the whole hand.
• Handling: Picking, holding, or otherwise working, primarily with the whole hand.
• Hearing: Ability to hear and understand at normal speaking levels with or without correction.
• Kneeling: Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.
• Lifting: Ability to lift and move objects.
• Mental Acuity: Ability to make rational decisions.
• Pulling / Pushing: Ability to occasionally move objects up to 100 pounds.
• Reaching: Ability to frequently extend hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
• Repetitive Motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.
• Standing: Ability to stand for sustained periods of time.
• Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires full motion of the lower extremities and back muscles.
• Talking: Speaking / Talking: Ability to communicate clearly, accurately and concisely through speech.
• Walking: Ability to move on foot for long distances to accomplish tasks and move from one work site to another.