Work as a loader operator can take you anywhere from a gravel pit to highway construction to land clearing. The loader is a versatile piece of equipment that is commonly used to load a product into a truck. Coal mining, excavation, and snow removal are all options for loader operator jobs that can last all year. The majority of loader operator jobs require the use of a company-owned loader; however, some operators own their own loader and charge companies to lease and pay them to operate it. For some operators, this scenario provides the most flexibility and the best chance of remaining employed all year.
Operators of heavy machinery must have a training certificate in order to operate any type of heavy machinery. This is also true for those looking for work as a loader operator. The front-end loader training is designed to produce safe and alert operators who will reduce the number of accidents on the job site. The loader operators are required to meet two requirements: they must be able to operate the loader safely and they must avoid damaging the dump truck they are loading. Emptying the large bucket of the loader into the back of an awaiting dump truck without damaging the truck requires special skill.
On a single job site, many loader operator jobs include a variety of responsibilities. Front-end loaders are used for a variety of tasks throughout the mining and gravel pit operations. Loading raw materials onto trucks to be transported to sorting machines is one of the many loader operator jobs. This divides ores and gravel into subcategories like sand, pea stone, and gravel. Typically, ore is placed in a separate pile and processed at a different location. Another loader operator loads trucks with the various sorted materials to be used at other job sites after they’ve been separated.
The loader operator may be asked to perform multiple tasks on occasion. When a truck driver arrives at a gravel pit or quarry, he or she may be asked to load the truck with a front-end loader. Although this is a rare occurrence, in smaller operations, funds may not always be available to pay a dedicated loader operator. In many parts of the world, however, most loader operator jobs are full-time — albeit seasonal — due to the fact that cold weather halts many of the construction operations that require the large machines to operate.