Operating engineers, who are also called material moving equipment operators, operate all kinds of construction equipment. They are usually classified by the type or capacity of the machines they operate.
Heavy equipment operators are highly skilled in the operation of complex machinery such as cranes. They must accurately judge distances and heights while operating the buttons, levers, and pedals that rotate the crane, raise and lower the boom and load line, and open and close attachments such as steel-toothed buckets or clamps for lifting materials. At times, operators work without being able to see the pickup or delivery point, depending on hand or flag signals from another worker. When constructing new buildings, they work far above the ground.
The operation of medium-sized construction equipment requires fewer controls and is done at ground level. Bulldozer operators, for example, lift and lower the blade and move the bulldozer back and forth over the construction area. Trench excavators, paving machines, and other construction equipment are also in this category.
Lightweight equipment such as an air compressor is the simplest to operate. An air compressor is a diesel engine that takes in air and forces it through a narrow hose. The resulting pressure is used to run special tools. The operator makes sure the compressor has fuel and water, adjusts and maintains pressure levels, and makes minor repairs.
Operating engineers often work with helpers called oilers who keep the equipment properly lubricated and supplied with fuel.
About one-third of all operating engineers work in manufacturing; more than 20% work in construction.
Many operating engineers work for contractors in large-scale construction projects such as highways, dams, and airports. Others work for utility companies and business firms that do their own construction; state and local highway and public works departments; and factories and mines using power-driven machinery, hoists, and cranes. Very few operating engineers are self-employed.
The International Union of Operating Engineers is the bargaining unit for many workers in this field.
Places of Employment and Working Conditions
Most operating engineers work outdoors. They work steadily during the warm months but have slow periods in cold months or in bad weather. Operation of medium-sized equipment is physically tiring because of constant movement and the jolting and noise levels of the equipment. Those working on highway construction sometimes work in remote locations.
Qualification, Education, and Training
Operating engineers need physical stamina, mechanical ability, excellent eyesight and eye-hand coordination, and manual dexterity.
Driver education and automobile mechanics courses in high school are helpful, and experience in operating a tractor or other farm equipment can provide a good background for this work.
A number of private schools offer instruction in the operation of some types of construction equipment, but anyone considering such a school should check with local construction employers for their opinion of the training received by the school's graduates. Not all schools produce suitably trained people.
Most employers prefer to hire operating engineers who have completed a formal apprenticeship program, since they are more thoroughly trained and can operate a variety of equipment. Programs are usually sponsored and supervised by a joint union-management committee; the armed forces also provide apprenticeship programs. An apprenticeship consists of at least three years of on-the-job training plus 144 hours per year of related classroom instruction in hydraulics, engine operation and repair, cable splicing, welding, safety, and first aid.
Apprenticeship applicants usually need a high school or vocational school diploma, but not always. They must be at least 18 years old.
Apprentices start by working as oilers or helpers. They clean, grease, repair and start engines. Within the first year of apprenticeship, they usually begin to perform simple machine operations and progress to more complex operations, always under the supervision of an experienced operating engineer.
Potential and Advancement
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are about 355,140operating engineers. Employment of operating engineers is not expected to grow much, but many opportunities will arise as experienced workers transfer to other careers or leave the labor force. Because this field is sensitive to ups and downs in the economy, employment of operating engineers may fluctuate from year to year.
Income
Wage rates vary depending on the machine operated. The median annual salary for operating engineers is $44,600, with the bottom 10% earning $28,980 and the top 10% earning $77,490. Pay scales are generally higher in metropolitan areas.
Additional Sources of Information
Associated General Contractors of America, Inc., Washington, DC 20006
International Union of Operating Engineers, Washington, DC 20036
