Heavy Equipment Service

Heavy Equipment Technicians maintain, repair, and overhaul heavy vehicles and industrial equipment, such as:

• Internal combustion engines and components, both stationary and mobile.
• Tracked equipment, commonly called crawler tractors.
• Ground-engaging equipment and components, including rippers, ditchers, backhoes, trenchers, and similar equipment.
• Towed earth-moving equipment, commonly called scrapers.
• Self-propelled earth moving equipment, commonly called motor scrapers.
• Rubber-tired equipment, commonly called tractors.
• On-highway and off-highway motor vehicles, commonly called trucks.
• Towed on-highway and off-highway vehicles, commonly called trailers.

In general, Heavy Equipment Technicians are employed by specialized repair shops and organizations that own or lease heavy equipment used in the construction, mining, forestry, material handling, landscaping, land clearing, agriculture, and transportation industries. Heavy Equipment Technicians must interpret work orders and technical manuals, write service reports, keep equipment cleaned, lubricated, and maintained, diagnose faults or malfunctions, adjust equipment and repair or replace defective parts, components, or systems, test repaired equipment for proper performance, and ensure that the work done meets manufacturers’ specifications and legislated regulations.

Journeyman wage rates vary on the geographic region, but generally range from $30 to $50 an hour, plus benefits. Experienced journeymen may advance to supervisory or service management positions.

Traits and Talents

The work is most rewarding for those who enjoy achieving expertise with precise work, problem solving, and working with their hands. To be successful in the trade, heavy equipment technicians need good vision, hearing, and sense of smell to diagnose problems, the strength and stamina to work with heavy parts, often in cramped or awkward positions, the ability to work in extremely cold and extremely hot environments, the ability to work alone or as part of a team, mechanical ability and an interest in all types of machinery and engines, electronics, and precision equipment, and the ability to think logically and keep up with changes in technology.

The Workplace

The working environment for Heavy Equipment Technicians varies considerably from one job to another. Some heavy equipment technicians work in modern laboratories overhauling components such as fuel injection, hydraulic, or power train systems. Others work at construction or industrial sites, sometimes outdoors in all types of weather conditions. Travel requirements and hours of work also vary. There is some risk of injury involved in working with heavy equipment and power tools. However, proper safety standards are maintained at all times.

Related Occupations:

• Automotive Technician
• Agricultural Equipment Technician
• Millwright

For more information, contact:

• Your local apprenticeship branch, community college or trade school
• CareersInTrades.ca