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Alabama Department of Labor

Labor Market Information Division
SOC: 47-2073 Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators
Operate one or several types of power construction equipment, such as motor graders, bulldozers, scrapers, compressors, pumps, derricks, shovels, tractors, or front-end loaders to excavate, move, and grade earth, erect structures, or pour concrete or other hard surface pavement. May repair and maintain equipment in addition to other duties. Exclude "Crane and Tower Operators" (53-7021) and equipment operators who work in extraction or other non-construction industries.
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Education: These occupations usually require a high school diploma.
OJT: Employees in these occupations need anywhere from a few months to one year of working with experienced employees. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Tasks: Learn and follow safety regulations. Take actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects. Locate underground services, such as pipes or wires, prior to beginning work. Monitor operations to ensure that health and safety standards are met. Adjust handwheels and depress pedals to control attachments, such as blades, buckets, scrapers, or swing booms. Start engines, move throttles, switches, or levers, or depress pedals to operate machines, such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, or backhoes. Coordinate machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members. Load and move dirt, rocks, equipment, or other materials, using trucks, crawler tractors, power cranes, shovels, graders, or related equipment. Check fuel supplies at sites to ensure adequate availability. Drive and maneuver equipment equipped with blades in successive passes over working areas to remove topsoil, vegetation, or rocks or to distribute and level earth or terrain. Signal operators to guide movement of tractor-drawn machines. Keep records of material or equipment usage or problems encountered.
License: License not required.
Outlook: Satisfactory
Alabama Employment Outlook
Alabama Wage Data
Hourly Wage   Annual Wage
Entry $14.37   Entry $29,880.00
Mean $19.87   Mean $41,313.00
Experience $22.61 Experience $47,034.00

The data is based on the May 2017 Occupation Employment Survey employment and wage estimate file. The wages have been aged using the most current ECI factors reflecting wages as of June 2018.

Alabama Projections
Estimated Employment 2016Projected Employment 2026Annual Average OpeningsAnnual Growth Rate
5,9006,320705.69
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Occupational Videos
47-2073.00 Operating Engineers and Other Construction Equipment Operators