Plant and civil construction operators are an integral part of Western Australian bulk earthworks projects. They are usually tasked with all-important work like operating heavy machinery used in civil construction and manufacturing processes. Many of them operating in local regions choose to specialise in a certain type of equipment, while others learn to operate multiple machines. Along with the operation of heavy machinery, civil operators will also have to keep track of servicing and repairs, uphold safe operating procedures of equipment, and fitting and remove attachments. The most experienced civil operators in this region are also qualified to train other operators in critical functions. Although they are mainly tasked with hands-on construction operations, they can also offer project improvements by implementing effective planning skills and advanced workplace health and safety knowledge. This ensures the safe and effective operation of machinery. Let’s take a deep dive into what it takes to be a civil operator below…
Civil construction industry requirements
The civil construction industry covers a range of specialisations for operators to work in. Potential operators could choose to focus on working with earthmoving machineries such as bulldozers and bobcats, or mining equipment like dump trucks. Or they could opt for the jack-of-all-trades route and learn how to drive a variety of different industrial machinery.
Functions of a civil operator
A civil operator monitors and maintains the equipment at various construction, mining, and other facilities that handle chemical, nuclear, or industrial materials. Operators are supposed to specialize in a piece of equipment or a part of the production process to carry out the function of this item every day. They need to ensure the equipment performs its specific function and this may include regular testing to identify adjustments that need to take place. Experienced civil operators may also play the role of a supervisor overseeing contractors’ work or work completed by other personnel in the facility. The typical work environment for this role, in the civil construction industry, also requires special knowledge and will benefit from updated knowledge of newly implemented work health and safety laws in Western Australia. The Western Australian Building and Construction Consultative Committee recently outlined new improvements and pending shifts in their next meeting to look out for.
Additionally, civil operators are trusted to work with products that could be dangerous, chemically unstable, or could have undesirable outcomes if you are exposed to them. They’re trained to painstakingly follow the protocol and be up to date on the appropriate procedures in the event of a spill. All of these things ultimately ensure that the machines used on civil construction projects are operating correctly. Operators don’t only ensure optimum function, they do that by observing and analysing several metrics including pressure, output, and more.
How to become a civil operator?
If you wish to join this profession, you need to buckle up for long-term plant/civil operator training as well as technical instruction. You need several years of experience and onsite training to attain the full qualification. If you have a strong affinity towards science and math, then you may take a particular interest in technical work like this.
What skills does a civil operator need?
- Reasoning and Problem Solving
It is the nature of the environment, but you need to have the quick problem-solving capability to deal with frequent breakdowns or plants in the facility. Operators are supposed to quickly recognize the problem and find a solution to prevent possible outages to customers, equipment damages, or other financial losses. This requires that they already know how to apply reasoning skills to analyse the solution and rectify the problem. Often, this requires that they demonstrate leadership when evaluating how the new, unfamiliar equipment affects existing machinery and work procedures.
- Focus, Concentration, and Flexibility
This is highly technical work and operators should ultimately know how to manage any technicalities that may arise. This requires acute focus, concentration, and dedication at all times. Even with a laser focus on equipment function, operators need to seamlessly alternate between numerous activities while remaining aware of every activity’s status. An excellent civil operator has the capacity to recognize when something is not quite right and foresee problems. Moreover, this individual should have an adequate focus to enter data precisely when recording readings or measurements.
