Explore unit group
- Version:
- NOC 2021 Version 1.0
73400 – Heavy equipment operators
Heavy equipment operators operate heavy equipment used in the construction and maintenance of roads, bridges, airports, gas and oil pipelines, tunnels, buildings and other structures; in surface mining and quarrying activities; and in material handling work. They are employed by construction companies, heavy equipment contractors, public works departments and pipeline, logging, cargo-handling and other companies. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.
Profile
Index of titles Example job titles
- Aerial tram operator
- Apprentice heavy equipment operator
- Asphalt batch plant operator
- Asphalt plant operator
- Asphalt roller operator
- Asphalt spreader operator
- Asphalt street paver operator
- Asphalt-grooving machine operator
- Asphalt-paving machine operator
- Asphalt-paving screed operator
- Backhoe operator
- Bituminous paver operator - heavy equipment
- Bobcat operator
- Boom-conveyor operator
- Bucketwheel operator
- Bucketwheel-excavator operator
- Buggy-operator skinner
- Buggy-scraper operator
- Bulldozer driver
- Bulldozer operator
- Cat operator
- Cat skinner
- Caterpillar car operator
- Caterpillar operator
- Concrete spreader operator - heavy equipment
- Concrete-grooving machine operator
- Concrete-paving machine operator
- Construction equipment operator
- Continuous bucket excavator operator
- Crawler tractor operator
- Ditcher operator - construction
- Ditching machine operator
- Dozer operator
- Dredge operator
- Dredge runner
- Earth-moving equipment operator
- Electrical equipment operator - shovel
- Elevating grader operator
- Elevating scraper operator
- Excavating machine operator
- Excavator operator
- Forest road machine operator
- Front end loader operator
- Gradall operator
- Grader operator
- Groove-cutting machine operator
- Grooving machine operator - heavy equipment
- Heater-planer operator
- Heavy construction-equipment operator
- Heavy equipment operating engineer
- Heavy equipment operator
- Heavy equipment operator apprentice
- Heavy-duty equipment operator
- Heavy-duty equipment operator apprentice
- Ho-ram operator
- Horizontal earth-boring machine operator
- Hydraulic excavator operator
- Industrial backhoe operator
- Loader operator - construction
- Marine railway operator
- Mining shovel operator (except underground)
- Mole operator
- Mucker operator - construction
- Mucking machine operator - construction
- Paver operator
- Payloader operator
- Peat-moss-cutting machine operator
- Peat-moss-gathering machine operator
- Pile driver winch operator
- Pile-driving hammer operator
- Pipelayer operator
- Power grader operator
- Power shovel operator
- Pulvimixer operator
- Ripper operator - heavy equipment
- Road grader operator
- Road mixer operator
- Road planer operator
- Road roller operator
- Roller operator
- Rotary trencher operator
- Scarifier operator
- Scraper operator
- Shield operator
- Shovel operator - heavy equipment
- Side boom operator - pipeline construction
- Side boom tractor operator
- Snow removal equipment operator - private home
- Snow-grooming machine operator
- Spreader operator - heavy equipment
- Stacker operator - heavy equipment
- Street paver operator
- Stripping shovel operator
- Structural hydraulic jack erector
- Surface mining equipment operator
- Track-loader operator
- Tractor operator - construction
- Tractor-excavator operator
- Trench-digging machine operator
- Trenching machine operator
- Tunnelling machine operator
- Vibratory road roller operator
- Vibratory roller operator
- Backhoe operator
- Bulldozer operator
- Excavator operator
- Gradall operator
- Grader operator
- Heavy equipment operator
- Heavy equipment operator apprentice
- Loader operator - construction
- Side boom tractor operator
- Surface mining equipment operator
Inclusions
- Marine railway operator
Main duties
This group performs some or all of the following duties:
- Operate heavy equipment such as backhoes, bulldozers, loaders and graders to excavate, move, load and grade earth, rock, gravel or other materials during construction and related activities
- Operate bulldozers or other heavy equipment to clear brush and stumps prior to logging activities and to build roads at logging and surface mining sites
- Operate heavy equipment with pile driver head to drive piling into earth to provide support for buildings, bridges or other structures
- Operate heavy dredging equipment to deepen waterways or reclaim earth fill
- Operate heavy paving and surfacing equipment to lay, spread or compact concrete, asphalt and other surface materials during highway and road construction
- Operate power shovels to excavate rock, ore or other materials from open-pit mines, strip mines, quarries or construction pits
- Operate heavy equipment to move, load and unload cargo
- Conduct pre-operational checks on equipment and clean, lubricate and refill equipment.
Employment requirements
- Some secondary school education is required.
- Completion of a one- to two-year apprenticeship program or some high school, college or industry courses in heavy equipment operating combined with on-the-job training are required.
- Trade certification for heavy equipment operator (dozer, excavator, tractor-loader-backhoe) is compulsory in Quebec and available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Ontario.
- Internal company certification may be required by some employers.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified heavy equipment operators upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
Additional information
- Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
- The Red Seal endorsement allows for interprovincial mobility.
Exclusions
- Contractors and supervisors, heavy equipment operator crews (72021)
- Crane operators (72500)
- Industrial truck operator; Forklift operator (in 75101 Material handlers)
- Logging machinery operators (83110)
- Underground production and development miners (83100)
Breakdown summary
- Broad occupational category
- 7 – Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations
- TEER
- 3 – Occupations usually require a college diploma or apprenticeship training of less than two years; or more than six months of on-the-job training
- Major group
- 73 – General trades
- Sub-major group
- 734 – Operators, drillers and blasters
- Minor group
- 7340 – Operators, drillers and blasters
- Version
- NOC 2021 Version 1.0