Courses & Events

Local Group Equipment Operator

Local Group Equipment Operator Training
This is a customized course to be delivered at your location. 

Your choice of Customized Workshops
•    Graders
•    Loader/backhoes
•    Snow control equipment
•    Landfill equipment (including earthmovers and pushtractors)
•    Heavy equipment safety training (for maintenance personnel)
•    Skid steer loaders (Bobcat) 
•    Gradalls
•    Excavators
•    Scraper and compaction/paving equipment
•    Dozers/trim dozers
•    Truck AZ, DZ and Air Brake Endorsement
•    Hiab and other truck hoists
•    Floating and load security
•    Slinging and rigging
•    Book 7 traffic control
•    Propane handling
•    Forklift

One-on-one training is available, as is training for local groups of operators.

Who should Attend
Operators with limited or extensive experience can be accommodated with any of these courses. 

Training Requirements
•    Worksite (e.g. works yard, gravel pit)
•    Classroom
•    Local coordinator to assist in making arrangements 
•    Participant’s usual equipment
•    For operators with limited experience, one machine per operator is required.

Materials Required
Calculator, hard hat, safety vest, safety boots, safety glasses, and appropriate outdoor clothing

Accreditation
This course is recognized by:
•    The Engineering Institute of Canada awards 2.8 Continuing Education Units to these courses. 

Duration
•    New Operators: 4 days
•    Operators with at least 1 year experience: 3 days 

Additional training time can be added to most courses, as required.

Class Sizes
•    Tailored to one or two participants
•    Small groups of 2 - 6 can be accommodated
•    Local groups of 6 - 24 participants can be accommodated by special arrangement.
Course Fees
Fees are determined by the number of participants, location and number of training days required. Fees include the instructor’s expenses.

Course Instructor
John Romano has been in the construction industry operating heavy equipment for more than 30 years. For the past 27 years, he has been in Public Works with the City of Brampton. He is the Fleet Training Office for the last 10 years, and has been able to pass on all his skills knowledge and experience in the operation of multiple pieces of heavy equipment/truck. Combined with all of his experience, John has allowed him to run his own excavating company performing difficult/specialty excavations and also working for various archaeologists.

His passion for teaching/training employees how to operate various types of heavy equipment and teaching professional driver training has allowed him to start up his own private training school in 2013. The school provides proper heavy equipment training and knowledge to municipalities and private sector throughout Ontario. 

Course Dates/Location/Fees
This course is offered on site at your location only. Please complete and send us the form on page XX for a quote and available dates, or call the OGRA office 289-291-6472.

Grader Operator Upgrading
This is a customized course to be delivered at your location. 

Course content is based on student needs and tailored from the following topics:

Classroom
•    Mounting and dismounting machine
•    Introduce new equipment and features
•    Principles of operation: diesel engines, powershift transmissions
•    Final drives and braking systems
•    Open and closed centre hydraulic systems
•    Service features and periodic maintenance procedures
•    Starting, stopping and cycling the machine
•    Winter operations (by request)
•    Occupational Health and Safety Act and Regulations and Safe Operating Practices

Field Practice 
•    Inspecting and lubricating equipment
•    Operating the equipment and working to grade
•    Grade Station and grade set-up
•    Ditching, front and back sloping
•    Crowning and shaping roadways
•    General road maintenance
•    Operating grader on side slopes
•    Using the articulated frame mode for efficient grading
•    Straight blading, side casting and mixing materials
•    Parking and securing equipment
•    Normal and emergency shutdown

Course Objectives
The course will emphasize the fundamentals of Grader operation, operator safety, vehicle maintenance, and a variety of operating skills based on students’ previous experience and specific training needs.

Who Should Attend
Experienced operators can refresh and update their range of skills, while less experienced operators will be exposed to new skill sets. 

Prerequisites
Students should be able to operate a grader or similar machine.

Accreditation
This course is recognized by:
•    The Engineering Institute of Canada awards 2.8 Continuing Education Units to this course. 

Format
Classroom instruction and field practice; 1:1 or 2:1 instruction
Duration 
Both 3 day (24 hours) and 4 day (32 hours) versions are available. Course length is based on student needs and experience.

Materials Provided
Course notes

Materials Required
Specific operator manuals for equipment used in training; hard hat, safety vest, CSA approved steel toe boots, safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection, and appropriate outdoor clothing for the field.

Class Hours 
Normal shift hours for participants. Note: weather may alter the schedule.

Evaluation Process
•    Students will be assessed and graded in a “routine assisted” and on an on-going basis throughout the course
•    Written and practical test of the International Hand Signals

Loader/Backhoe Operator Upgrading
This is a customized course to be delivered at your location. 

Course content is based on student needs and tailored from the following topics:

Classroom
•    Mounting and dismounting machine, diesel engine, transmissions, shuttle shift, final drives and braking systems
•    Open and closed centre hydraulic systems
•    Service features and periodic maintenance procedures
•    Starting, stopping and cycling the machine
•    Road building theory, ditches, crowns, new construction, etc.
•    Occupational Health & Safety Act and Regulations
•    Personal and crew safety, work area assessment for underground and overhead hazards
•    Safety in rigging, safe working load, working load limit, factors of safety, breaking strength
•    International hoisting signals
•    Operating tips, proper set-up, and digging for production
•    Digging to line and grade
•    Using eye level, batter boards, and boning rods

Field Practice
•    Secure the machine
•    Inspect and lubricate equipment
•    Operating the equipment, working to grade
•    Grade station and grade set-up
•    Trenching, culvert installation and removal
•    Excavating in open and confined areas
•    Backfilling trenches/excavating with loader bucket and backhoe bucket
•    Shoulder maintenance with front end loader
•    General road maintenance
•    Identify safe lift and swing zones and safe load test methods
•    Safely lift, swing, carry and place loads using proper rigging and attachment points
•    Positioning trucks for efficient loading
•    Backfilling, levelling, backdragging, downpressure/float position
•    Plowing snow, steering control (Note: will be discussed if not in season)
•    Normal and emergency shutdown

Course Objectives
The course will emphasize operator safety, vehicle maintenance, and a variety of operating skills based on students’ previous experience and specific training needs.

Who Should Attend
Experienced operators can refresh and update their range of skills, while less experienced operators will be exposed to new skill sets. 

Accreditation
This course is recognized by:
•    The Engineering Institute of Canada awards 2.8 Continuing Education Units to this course. 

This course meets the requirements of the Electrical Utility Safety Association for Operator Certification.

Prerequisites
Students should be able to operate a backhoe/loader or similar machine.

Format
Classroom instruction and field practice; 1:1 or 2:1 instruction

Duration 
Both 3 day (24 hours) and 4 day (32 hours) versions are available. Course length is based on student needs and experience.

Materials Provided
Course notes

Materials Required
Hard hat, safety vest, CSA approved steel toe boots, safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection, and appropriate outdoor clothing for the field

Class Hours 
Normal shift hours for participants. Note: weather may alter the schedule.

Evaluation Process
• Students will be assessed and graded in a “routine assisted” and on an on-going basis throughout the course
• Written and practical test of the International Hand Signals