MACHINE LEARNING
Here’s what an independent trainer has to say about
why proper instruction on operating heavy equipment
efficiently and safely is so important – and how it’s not
just inexperienced operators who stand to benefit
For any heavy equipment operator working in road building
and other construction industries, it’s obviously important
to know how to operate your machine effectively and safely.
Sometimes, however, the kind of training they receive can leave a lot to
be desired.
“Unfortunately, how a lot of it is done is, ‘Here’s the machine, figure
it out’, or ‘You’ve watched what I’ve done, now go replicate it,’” said
Jay Collup, an independent consultant specializing in heavy equipment
operator training for construction and mining companies throughout
North America.
Collup, who’s based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas, formed his
own training company called Collup Enterprises in 2016 after spending 12
years as a certified instructor for two Caterpillar dealerships in Texas and
Colorado. Prior to that, he worked in construction as a labourer and later
as a heavy equipment operator.
The three main components of Collup’s training program are pre-operation
machine inspections, best practices for operating heavy equipment
and safety awareness.
“As an operator, if you don’t know and understand what the condition
of your machine is, then you put yourself and others at risk,” said Collup. “I
By Mark Halsall
TRAINING
PHOTO BY BUILDWITT
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