Moving mountains may sound impossible,
but material moving machine operators
do it all the time,
one load of earth at a time.
They use machinery to move heavy materials
around building sites, warehouses,
ships and mines.
Material moving machine operators
use a variety of equipment
in different settings.
Most of these operators drive forklifts
moving materials around warehouses,
storage yards, or worksites.
They may operate conveyor belts
to pick up merchandise,
and move it to and from large warehouses,
building sites and vehicles.
Many operators work for underground
and surface mining companies
digging mines to extract coal,
ore and other materials.
They load material onto shuttles or conveyors
running from a mine to the surface.
Some operate platforms and cages
that raise workers and materials
up to elevated construction sites
or lower them down into mines and quarries.
In construction, these machine operators
clear space for buildings with excavators,
and operate cranes to load
and unload building materials.
Cranes are also used at ports
to move cargo,
and at iron and steel mills.
Dredge operators shift large quantities
of sand and gravel from the bottom of rivers,
lakes and other waterways
so that ships and boats can move freely.
Safe equipment operation
is a top priority in this field;
injury and illness rates are higher
than most occupations.
Workers wear gloves, hardhats,
or respirators as needed.
Most material moving machine operators
work full time—
sometimes with overnight shifts—
and overtime is common.
Although there are typically
no formal education requirements,
a high school education may be preferred
for some positions,
and is often required for crane operators,
excavating machine operators,
and dredge operators.
Some states and cities
require licensure for crane operators.