Equipment Operator III

Operates one or more types of heavy motor equipment such as a refuse truck, street sweeper, dump truck, front end loader, backhoe, bulldozer, earth mover; and does related work as required.

• Performs daily and weekly lubrication and minor maintenance on assigned equipment;
• Assists meter readers;
• Operates a bulldozer, compactor, earth mover at landfill;
• Operates a motor grader in the fine grading, ditching and other maintenance of streets and roads;
• Operates a backhoe, front-end loader, leaf truck, snow plow, asphalt paving machine, mechanical street sweeper, street flusher, or other comparable equipment;
• Operates a refuse truck and directs helpers;
• Operates a vactor truck, jet or continuous sewer rodder, directs and trains helpers;
• Repairs pot holes;
• Cleans storm drains;
• Oversees Contractors and crew assignments;
• Provides instruction and training to operate the forklift;
• Serves as acting Supervisor; and
• Performs other related job duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

High School Diploma or an acceptable equivalency diploma (GED); and four (4) years of related experience in the operation and maintenance of heavy equipment.

Special Qualifications:

Possession of a valid Maryland Class B Commercial State Drivers License.

Must be available for emergency overtime work as required.

Consent to chemical substance screening consistent with mandated Federal, State, and City guidelines and programs, to include random tests for the detection of drug or alcohol use.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of traffic and safety rules and accident prevention practices;
• Skill in using sound judgment, tact and courtesy;
• Skill in the operation of heavy motorized equipment under all types of weather conditions;
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instruction;
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, particularly utility 1" = 40' scale maps and operating manuals;
• Ability to make minor repairs and adjustments to heavy equipment;
• Ability to operate small office equipment, including copy machines or multi-line telephone systems;
• Ability to operate computers for data entry, word processing and/or recordkeeping purposes;
• Ability to operate and repair small/light equipment, such as power tools;
• Ability to operate and repair medium equipment and machinery, such as vehicles or commercial mowers; and
• Ability to operate and repair heavy or complex machinery and construction equipment.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS

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

• Balancing ability: sufficient to maintain 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 ability: sufficient to ascend or descend ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms. Body agility is emphasized.
• Crawling ability: sufficient to move about on hands and knees or hands and feet.
• Crouching ability: sufficient to bend the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine.
• Dexterity ability: sufficient to pick, pinch, type, or otherwise work, primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand as in handling.
• Feeling ability: sufficient to perceive attributes of objects, such as size, shape, temperature or texture by touching with skin, particularly that of fingertips.
• Grasping ability: sufficient to apply pressure to an object with the fingers and palm.
• Handling ability: sufficient to pick, hold, or otherwise work, primarily with the whole hand.
• Hearing ability: sufficient to perceive 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 in sound.
• Kneeling ability: sufficient to bend legs at knee to come to a rest on knee or knees.
• Lifting ability: sufficient to raise objects from a lower to a higher position or moving objects horizontally from position-to-position. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires substantial use of upper extremities and back muscles.
• Mental Acuity: sufficient to make rational decisions through sound logic and deductive processes.
• Pulling ability: sufficient to use upper extremities to exert force in order to draw, haul or tug objects in a sustained motion.
• Pushing ability: sufficient to use upper extremities to press against something with steady force in order to thrust forward, downward or outward.
• Reaching ability: sufficient to extend hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction.
• Repetitive Motion: Substantial movements (motions) of the wrist, hands, and/or fingers.
• Speaking ability: sufficient to express or exchange ideas by means of the spoken word including the ability to convey detailed or important spoken instructions to other workers accurately and concisely.
• Standing ability: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Stooping ability: sufficient to bend body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist. Occurs to a considerable degree and requires full motion of the lower extremities and back muscles.
• Visual ability: sufficient to operate heavy equipment and trucks by both day and night, to observe unsafe conditions of roadways, to read and write reports, correspondence, instructions, etc.
• Walking ability: sufficient to move about on foot to accomplish tasks, particularly for long distances or move from one work site to another.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work is performed outside in all extreme weather conditions in an environment with heavy equipment and machinery that could result in bodily harm to co-workers or others.