Senior Equipment Operator

This is the first of four levels in the Equipment Operations series. Incumbents operate equipment used in the excavation of underground utilities. Responsibilities may include operating backhoes, rubber-tire loaders, large dump trucks and related equipment; maintaining assigned equipment; locating underground utilities; installing or repairing utilities; and performing manual labor.

Essential Functions:

• Operates heavy, specialized equipment, which may include back-hoes, rubber tire loaders, large dump trucks, and related equipment to excavate underground utilities.

• Locates utility lines which may include using specialized equipment, marking lines, and performing related duties.

• Transport equipment and/or materials to designated job site(s).

• Inspects, maintains, and performs basic repairs to equipment.

• Operates a variety of small motorized and/or hand tools to perform manual labor activities.

• Performs various duties requiring manual labor including flagging traffic, picking up debris, and/or other related duties. 

• Performs other related work as required.

Education and Experience

• High school diploma or GED equivalent.

• No experience required.

License and Certifications

• Possession of a valid Class A Commercial Driver's License.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND STANDARDS REQUIRED 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Applicable tools and equipment.

• Underground utilities.

• Manual labor practices.

• Equipment maintenance and repair principles and practices.

• Occupational hazards and safety precautions.

• Safe driving practices.

• Applicable traffic laws, ordinances, and rules.

Skill in:

• Operating motor vehicles and applicable equipment.

• Performing preventive maintenance to applicable equipment.

• Conducting vehicle inspections and recognizing defects.

• Performing manual labor.

• Communication, interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with subordinates, coworkers, supervisor, the public, etc. sufficient to exchange or convey information and to receive work direction.

Physical Requirements:

The work is heavy work which requires exerting up to 100 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 50 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 20 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required: 

• Balancing: Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling while walking, standing, or crouching on narrow, slippery, or erratically moving surfaces. The amount of balancing exceeds that needed for ordinary locomotion and maintenance of body equilibrium.

• Climbing: Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles, and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms. Body agility is emphasized.

• Crawling: Moving about on hands, knees, hands, and feet.

• Crouching: Bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.

• Feeling: Perceiving attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature, or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.

• Fingering: Picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.

• Grasping: Applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.

• Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication, and to make the discrimination sound. 

• Kneeling: Bending legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees. 

• Lifting: Raising objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position. It occurs to a considerable degree and requires substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles. 

• Mental Acuity: Making rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.

• Pulling: Using upper extremities to exert force to draw, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.

• Pushing: Using upper extremities to press against something steady to thrust forward, downward, or outward.

• Reaching: Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction. 

• Repetitive Motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.

• Speaking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including the ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately and concisely.

• Standing: Particularly for sustained periods of time. 

• Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. It occurs to a considerable degree and requires full motion of the lower extremities and back muscles. 

• Talking: Expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word including those activities in which they must convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately, loudly, or quickly.

• Visual ability 1: sufficient to perform an activity like preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing a computer terminal; and/or extensive reading.

• Visual ability 2: sufficient to include color, depth perception, and field vision.

• Visual ability 3: sufficient to determine the accuracy, neatness, and thoroughness of the work assigned or to make general observations of facilities or structures.

• Visual ability 4: sufficient to operate motor vehicles and/or heavy equipment, both day and night.

• Visual ability 5: sufficient to perform an activity such as: visual inspection involving small defects, small parts, operation of machines; using measurement devices; and/or assembly or fabrication parts at distances close to the eyes.

• Walking: Moving about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or move from one work site to another.