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Excavator program description

Theory Component:

  • Fundamentals of Heavy Equipment (2 weeks – 78 hours)

    • This 2 week course is a pre-requisite to the machine specific operator training program and provides students with the fundamentals of Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) Reg. 213/91, safety, equipment types and components, operating techniques, transportation, and maintenance that apply to heavy equipment in the construction industry.

    • Students also complete training in WHMIS, Fall Protection, First Aid, and CPR. 

 

Practical Component:

  • Excavator Training (4 weeks – 162 hours):

    • Each field exercise includes an instructor led demonstration, followed by a student practice session with ongoing coaching, skills evaluation and feedback from the instructor via two-way radio.

    • The construction-type field exercises progress from basic to advanced level. Introductory training on a laser control system is included.

    • Perform preoperational inspection

    • Comply with scheduled maintenance requirements

    • Plan work procedures

    • Comply with grades and stakes

    • Operate Excavator:

      • Set up equipment

      • Grades and layout

      • Excavate trenches in compliance with proper slope ratios

      • Excavate basements

      • Backfill using various techniques 

      • Load trucks 

      • Stockpiles materials

      • Cut and fill materials  

    • Follow shutdown procedure

    • Load Excavator on transport vehicle

 

Student/Instructor Ratio:  

  • 6 students to 1 instructor


Student Seat Time: 

  • Student will always be operating an excavator on a continual basis of 8 hours per day for 4 weeks of practical training

 

Total Program Duration:

  • 6 weeks-240 hours

 

*Students returning to be trained for another piece of equipment are exempt from Fundamentals of Heavy Equipment if taken within 5 years of attending training.

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