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Heavy Equipment Technicians

The Way Home

It's 5:00 AM and it's stormy... a snowplow has broken down. A call goes out to the Heavy Equipment Technician (mechanic) who is a vital part of a team that maintains access to Newfoundland and Labrador communities.

Early morning calls are one of the more dramatic scenarios for the Heavy Equipment Technicians but there are also critically important maintenance duties performed to protect the equipment from regular wear and tear; especially the ever-present salt corrosion during winter months. Increasingly advanced technology in the field of heavy equipment necessitates diligent new and continuous learning of computerized equipment, sensors, spreader controls and other electronic components. This job requires significant calibration work made even trickier by salt corrosion, especially to the wiring. There is also strenuous physical labour despite all of the modern tools.

During the summer months the Heavy Equipment Technicians meticulously strip and inspect the snow clearing equipment and prepare them for another winter. This is performed while maintaining other heavy equipment during summer months. It’s not always easy work but satisfaction and pride come from knowing that you are part of the team that keeps our roads safe.

So, when you see those blue lights on a cold wintery night, remember the people who keep those snowplows and their operators safely on the road.

WE ARE Heavy Equipment Technicians.