The heavy equipment machinery operator on a forest jobsite is often part of a 2 to 8-person team engaged in logging, forestry maintenance, or road building. The “operator” runs a machine (heavy equipment), which is purpose-built to accomplish a specialized forest production task—such as tree falling, log processing, debris piling, or road grading. Each machine demands specific skills in operation and safe performance. The operator spends much of their day inside an enclosed climate-controlled machine cab, at the automated controls that direct the machine’s movements. The operator is typically responsible for their own machine basic service, refueling, diagnostics and minor repairs.
Becoming a proficient heavy equipment operator takes a tremendous amount of skill and experience, often learned by working your way up-the-ladder in related jobs and operating less complicated machinery. Inexperienced new employees must start in entry-level jobs to learn the trade. Then, once more experience is acquired; seasoned workers can learn equipment operation from an experienced operator.