Which trade is more prone to serious injuries?
My grandfather was a union cat-skinner from 1958 through 1973, age 50-65. He was Operating Engineers Local 3, San Francisco, CA. He broke both arms during his career. He did highway construction and excavation. One time slipping and falling off a Caterpillar tractor. Another time some bonehead with a steam cleaning wand blasted him and knocked him off a tractor. He said he started his career oiling the machines. His wife got him this employment by whom she knew. I understand hard-hats may have to work outdoors a lot and in nasty weather. I wonder if modern CAT earth-movers have such comforts and a/c and heat in the cab even. I think the mega-carrier truckers still make more money than the yellow CAT operators.
Both fields involve the operation of diesel equipment. Both may also require a CDL. I think truck drivers would wish there were many more road construction workers in force. America's highway infrastructure is the royal pits. I know how rough I-25 is in Colorado. Southern Wyoming, Oklahoma and Texas panhandle roads are driven torture devices.
My grandfather had a hand in building I-280 along the San Francisco peninsula to San Jose. I think it opened in 1971. It was always as smooth as a baby's bottom. Nothing is such a driver's friend as a glass-smooth road.
Which is a tougher job: OTR driver or heavy-equipment operator?
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by TomCougar, Feb 29, 2020.
Page 1 of 6
-
-
Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds
Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.
-
OTR is easy work, so no comparison.
G13Tomcat and Flat Earth Trucker Thank this. -
FerrissWheel, G13Tomcat, Flat Earth Trucker and 1 other person Thank this.
-
I have yet to find anything really hard about OTR.
Sometimes the hours can suck, and sometimes a low trailer that is hard to crank up. But other than little things that don't happen very often, not so much.
Heck, being a banquet waiter was much more difficult than this job.G13Tomcat Thanks this. -
A lot of equipment has A/C now ..But I guess a lot don't have A/C
-
I would trade a family jewel a kidney and part of my liver to have an equipment operator job near my house that paid north of 45K
-
Coffey, Sirscrapntruckalot and G13Tomcat Thank this.
-
scottied67 Thanks this.
-
I am a member in good standing with my union, Local 34 out of Oakland CA. I drove pilings and built bridges from 1990-2008 all over northern California. Worked with many operating engineers from Local 3.
Also worked on I-280 retrofit in the mid 90's. We built falsework and jacked up both upper and lower decks and knocked out the bridge columns and rebuilt them. I will have to dig out my old pictures and scan them.
@G13Tomcat no, operating equipment was out of my union's jurisdiction, but back in those days we did operate forklifts sometimes. Nowadays, I'm pretty sure Local 3 enforces their jurisdiction over that work very diligently.Last edited: Feb 29, 2020
Coffey, Sirscrapntruckalot and G13Tomcat Thank this. -
Last edited: Mar 1, 2020
Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds
Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.
Page 1 of 6