Mobile Plant Operator

Summary

Mobile plant operators drive backhoes, bulldozers, excavators, front-end loaders, graders, scrapers, skid-steer loaders, rollers and forklift trucks to level, excavate, move and load earth, rock and other material.

Duties & Tasks

Mobile plant operators may perform the following tasks:

  • prepare machines for operation
  • load and unload equipment from low loaders and move it around worksites
  • select, change and operate special attachments such as winches, scrub clearers, rippers, pile drivers and rock-breaking hammers
  • work from drawings and markers under the direction of supervisors and engineers
  • back-fill trenches
  • break up paving, rock and similar material by operating hydraulic or pneumatic breakers
  • excavate or scrape earth, rock or rubble to the correct level and alignment
  • load trucks with excavated fill
  • drive machines to and from worksites
  • service equipment by cleaning, lubricating and re-fuelling it and make minor adjustments and repairs when necessary
  • maintain duty of care for other users and work to occupational health and safety requirements.

Working Conditions

The work conditions for mobile plant operators can be hot, muddy, dusty and noisy, but most earthmoving machines have soundproofed and air conditioned cabs for the operator.

Personal Requirements

  • enjoy practical and manual work
  • able to follow precise instructions
  • able to work as part of a team
  • able to cope with the physical demands of the job
  • good eyesight (may be corrected)
  • good hand-eye coordination
  • able to work without supervision.

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