Equipment Operator Safety and Skills Series

There are many benefits to a properly trained equipment operator, from improved safety, reduced property damage, longer lasting equipment, and more satisfied residents. These benefits can flow through to all levels of the organization. Download an overview of the Equipment Operator Training Series, or choose the specific type of training from the list below.

“This training course has made me feel more confident. The more I learn the better I will be.”
– Municipality of Wawa, Tractor Loader Backhoe

Bucket Truck/Scissor Lifts
This one-day program covers the various types of aerial personal lifting devices such as scissorlifts, boomlifts, cherrypickers, truck-mounted aerial devices and the various hazards associated when working with this type of equipment.

Defensive Driving Course (DDC)
This one-day (classroom/practical combination) course is designed to help your employees join the ranks of the most safety-conscious drivers on the road. Fewer collisions to company vehicles will help control insurance costs – and safe drivers lose less time from work because they avoid collisions. Traffic crashes are preventable….by defensive driving.

Excavator-Level 1
This course provides the fundamentals of safety, equipment characteristics, operation, and maintenance that apply to the excavator or to deliver more advanced training to experienced excavators

Front End Loader (FEL)
This course provides the fundamentals of safety, equipment characteristics, operation, and maintenance that apply to the Front End Loader (FEL).

Front End Loader (FEL)/ Summer and Winter- NEW
This course covers both summer and winter operations for front end loader operators. Each student will receive a combination of classroom/ theory and practical/hands-on training.

Gradall
This course will help operators make better, more informed decisions in every aspect of gradall operations. Some of the topics covered are equipment design and function, pre-start inspections, equipment warning devices, controls review, and effects of soil types and terrain.

Landfill Packer
Sanitary landfill compactors are specialized types of equipment that require specialized training. This course provides a necessary understanding of these vehicle components and controls, compactions levels, and waste distribution principles.

Landscape Loader
Also known as a farm tractor, the landscape loader is a versatile machine that can be outfitted with a variety of attachments to meet specific task requirements.  Regardless of the configuration, it is vital that all operators receive training in order to maximize their knowledge of the machine’s capabilities and limitations.

Load Securement
A one-day course that covers the methods required to load and secure different commodities.

Motor Grader-Level 1
Motor Grader-Level 2
These courses provide the fundamentals of safety, equipment characteristics, operation and maintenance that apply to the motor grader. Level 2 introduces the trainee to classroom topics and hands-on activities of increased complexity related to road construction and maintenance techniques.

Operator and Driver Competency Assessment
Pre-training assessment of drivers and/or operators is a vital tool in the Due Diligence process. Ground Force Training Inc. certified trainers document competency in specific categories, skills and sub-skills.

Pre-Trip Inspection

The Ministry of Transport requires that all Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMV) according to their official definition, and attached trailers are to be formally inspected for defects and serviceability at least once every 24 hours. This interactive workshop addresses the requirements for a proper pre-trip inspection, in the context of regulatory compliance and safety.

Public Works Equipment Specific
Operator training for crawler dozer, roadside mower, forklift, skid steer, All Terrain Utility Vehicle (ATUV.)

Refuse Truck

The Refuse Truck training program beings with a one-day (approx. 5-6 hours) classroom course for the student operator at a venue with the municipality/organization. These are some of the topics that will be covered during the course: airbrake review and inspection, defensive driving, cushion of safety, commercial collection, residential collection, and special work environments.

Rigging and Lifting with Heavy Equipment 
This one-day course will cover the necessary safety requirements to properly rig loads for moving in and around the construction site, rig a load for lifting with heavy equipment, choose the right equipment for the right job, and inspect equipment in order to ensure it meets the minimum safety requirements.

Rock Truck
This course provides the fundamentals of safety, maintenance, operation and machine control that apply to the rock truck.

Roll-Off Truck
This course provides the fundamentals of safety and operation that apply to the roll-off truck. Some of the topics that will be covered during the course will be equipment design and function, defensive driving techniques, collision avoidance, and loading container.

Safe Backing

You might be surprised at how often collisions-even fatal-occur when backing. And they could all be prevented with training, practice and following the right steps. This course will teach you that visibility and communication are the keys to backing. Upon completion, you will understand the steps of backing, how to use your mirrors, a ground guide and the steps you should take if you are alone as well as how to signal with a flashlight.

Safe Backing with Trailers
What changes with backing a trailer? Do you steer the same way? What if it is a short or long trailer? What if you are alone? What steps can you take if you don’t have a guide? Upon completion, you will understand the steps of backing, how to use your mirrors, a ground guide and the steps you should take if you are alone as well as how to signal with a flashlight.

Seasonal/Casual/Temporary Employee
Temporary employment takes a wide variety of forms: term, contract, seasonal, casual and placement through a staffing company. They have the same rights as other employees under the Employment Standard Act (ESA) and the Occupational Health & Safety Act (OHSA). In the first 4 weeks on a new job, they are up to 4 times more likely to be injured than at any other time on the job.

Street Sweeper
This course provides participants with the knowledge and basic skill of street sweeper operation. Some of the topics that it covers are recognizing sweep functions, the techniques of right-hand drive, and equipment warning device.

Tractor Loader Backhoe
Tractor Loader Backhoe – Level 2

These courses provide the fundamentals of safety, maintenance, operation and machine control that apply to the tractor loader backhoe.