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Excavator Program Description

Theory Component:

  •  Online Self Study (1-week – 40 hours) 

    •  1 week of eLearning covering many topics, such as: Industry Sectors, Environmental Protection, GPS, Rigging, Traffic Control, and Ground Disturbance. 

  •  Fundamentals of Heavy Equipment: Theory (2-weeks – 54 hours)

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

    •  Participants also complete training in WHMIS, Working at Heights, First Aid, and CPR. 

  •   Heavy Equipment Operator Level 1/2: Blended Theory & Demonstrations (1-week – 40 hours) 

    • 1 week of a blended learning environment that focuses on the theory and practical components of building a road.

    • Participants will split their time between a classroom and live demonstrations of the practices required to build a road.

    • Theory subjects include, Site Assessment, Road Building, Compaction, Water and Sewer, Residential, Material Management, Soils and Aggregates, etc.

 

Practical Component:

  • Excavator Training (4 weeks – 166 hours):

    • Each field exercise includes an instructor-led demonstration, followed by a participant 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 GPS and laser control systems 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

 

Participant/Instructor Ratio:  

  • 6 participants to 1 instructor 


Participant Seat Time: 

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

 

Total Course Duration:

  • 8 weeks - 300 hours

 

* Participants returning to be trained for another piece of equipment are exempt from the On-line Self Study (1 week) and Fundamentals of Heavy Equipment (2 weeks – 80 hours)

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