Here I gained many valuable skills. I learned and always followed safety regulations, always taking actions to avoid potential hazards or obstructions, such as utility lines, other equipment, other workers, or falling objects. I learned how to adjust hand wheels and depress pedals to control attachments, such as blades, buckets, scrapers, or swing booms. Some other responsibilities were starting engines, moving throttles, switches, or levers, or depressing pedals to operate machines, such as bulldozers, trench excavators, road graders, or backhoes. I also located underground services, such as pipes or wires, and monitored operations to ensure that health and safety standards are met prior to beginning work. I was responsible for aligning machines, cutter heads, and depth gauge makers with reference stakes and guidelines or ground or position equipment, always following hand signals of other workers. I loaded and moved dirt, rocks, equipment, or other materials, using trucks, crawler tractors, power cranes, shovels, graders, or related equipment. I coordinated machine actions with other activities, positioning or moving loads in response to hand or audio signals from crew members. I was also one of the employees who repaired and maintained equipment, making emergency adjustments or assisting with major repairs as necessary, and also checked fuel supplies at sites to ensure adequate availability. I operated loaders to pull out stumps, rip asphalt or concrete, rough-grade properties, bury refuse, or perform general cleanup. Another expectation was being able to talk to clients and study instructions, plans, or diagrams to establish work requirements. I pushed other equipment when extra traction or assistance is required and perated equipment to demolish or remove debris or to remove snow from streets, roads, or parking lots. I also operated conveyors to remove grit and debris from digesters.
