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.