Construction

Machineries

ENGR. IRISH M. POLINGA, MSCE

Constructions machines used for construction of
buildings, roads, dams, airports, canals, highways and
other projects related to infrastructural development are
broadly classified into two groups of machines:

◾ Heavy machineries, and

◾ Light Machineries.

Heavy machines are the heavy-duty

equipments, engineering vehicles, earth
movers, construction equipments that are
specially manufactured for doing a range of
jobs in the construction sites.
The basic functions performed by heavy
machines include
◾ earth moving,
◾ carrying heavy loads,
◾ transferring loads,
◾ excavating, breaking,
◾ paving, drilling, etc.

Some heavy machines are also used in the

manufacturing of bricks, cement, asphalt etc.
Heavy machineries are primary for the
construction, maintenance and the
development of huge infrastructures.
▣ Depending on the functions performed, there are different types of
heavy machineries used for the construction of buildings and roads:

Caterpillar Loaders
Cranes Articulated haulers
Dozers Chip Spreader
Dumpers Concrete Batching Plant
Crushing Plants Drum Mixing Plant
Tower Cranes Pavers
Pipe Layers Road Roller
Trenchers Scrapers
Excavators Motor Graders
Soil Compactors Tracked Carriers
Backhoe loader: This is an equipment with a
front bucket/shovel. There is a small
backhoe in the rear, which is fixed with a
tractor. This is known as backhoe loader. It
is mostly used in small construction sites.
Bulldozer: This is actually a powerful
crawler, attached with a blade. It is a heavy
engineering vehicle. However, in common
parlance, it is actually a tractor with a dozer
blade.
Mini- or Compact Excavator: This is a
wheeled tractor, having a swing boom and
a backfill blade and operated using
hydraulic fluids. They are compact and
portable and used in small construction
jobs.
Road Roller: Road roller is used to compact
dirt, asphalt, gravel, and concrete in roads
and construction sites.
Crane: A crane is used for lowering and
lifting materials. They are mostly
temporary tower structures equipped with
pulleys and cables and used in construction
sites.
Drilling Machine: This is used for making
foundations, in the building industry. It is also
used in oil wells and water wells.
Forklift: Also known as lift truck or forklift
truck, this is used to pick up and transport
heavy material. They have steel forks which
are used to lift material under.
Loader: They are tractors which use
buckets to tilt, lift or move materials.
Paver: This is used to spread asphalt on
roadways. .
▣ Excavators are heavy equipment used in civil
engineering & surface mining. An excavator, also
called a 360-degree excavator or digger,
sometimes abbreviated simply to a 360, is an
engineering vehicle consisting of a backhoe & cab
mounted on a pivot (turntable is a more apt
description) atop an undercarriage with tracks or
wheels.
▣ The term excavator is sometimes used as a
general term for any piece of digging
equipment.
Excavators are used in many roles
1) Digging of trenches, holes, foundations
2) Demolition
3) General grading/landscaping
4) Heavy lift, e.g. lifting & placing of pipes
5) River dredging
6) Mining, especially, but not only open-pit
mining
7) Brush cutting with hydraulic attachments
▣ A jib crane can either be floor mounted, ceiling
mounted or of any other kind but the
mechanism applied to all of them is same.
Used for lifting and moving heavy loads, jib
crane is popularly used at the construction sites.
Since the jib cranes are huge machinery types,
the safety considerations also have to be
relatively tighter.

▣ The safety of the workers has to be the prime

concern while working on a jib crane.
• Every day millions of pounds of equipment and materials are
moved by powered industrial trucks or forklifts.
• Operators must pass competency tests, show skill in
operating and an awareness of safety in order to be
certified to drive a forklift.
• Forklift operators work in a wide variety of settings, from retail to
manufacturing to construction. In construction, forklift operators
may move building supplies or other heavy items. Wherever
powered industrial truck operators work, however, a basic
awareness of their particular equipment is necessary. Each forklift
operator also must know the safety concerns of their workplace,
such as pedestrians, traffic & exposure to manufacturing
chemicals.
• Each operator must be certified on the piece of
equipment he operates. This means forklift
licenses are site specific.
• Additionally, a driver must be trained at least
once every three years in a classroom setting,
such as a lecture format, or a video, though live
instruction.
• Now, a driver must display competency on
proper operation. This means a qualified forklift
operator must also pass a written test and a
field driving test. If at any point a driver does
not show competency he should be re-trained.
• Like a motor vehicle, there is a speed limit. For
forklift operators, this means driving at speeds
less than five miles per hour. If the equipment
has a seat belt, it must be worn.
• Physical aptitude is a feature of forklift drivers, along
with the skills. A driver must be physically able to climb
in and out of his equipment, have adequate vision, and
be able to operate controls.
• If the workplace has hazardous products or chemicals the
driver may come in contact with, they may require other
training or safety equipment such as safety glasses,
respirators or steel toed boots.
• A qualified operator should know the load weight her
forklift is capable of carrying and lifting. As forklifts are top
heavy when the lift is extended, a truck may easily topple,
causing serious damage or injury. Drivers should know
the weight/lift limits of the their vehicles and the weight of
the loads they are transporting. A good driver will always
inspect his vehicle each day prior to operating.
Vision and Hearing Requirements
• Every individual wanting to get their forklift license must have
excellent vision either naturally or with corrective lenses. The
forklift driver must also have no hearing issues; some
companies allow forklift drivers to wear corrective hearing
aids.

Physical Handicaps
• A forklift driver must not have any physical handicaps that
prevent them from operating a forklift. This includes the full use
of all limbs. The guidelines, however, must be written down in
the forklift training manuals that are required to be kept on-
hand at the company.

Psychological Requirements
• No forklift driver can have any psychological problems such as
neurological defects. This can include individuals required to take
medications. Any forklift driver or prospective forklift driver
cannot be on any medication that effects to operation of the
forklift. Any neurological problems that effect a persons balance
precludes the individual from receiving their forklift license.
▣ Equipment & accessories INSPECTION
(with checklist/s)

▣ MAINTENANCE (PM Chart & Log Book) of

Equipment

▣ Authorized & Qualified OPERATORS

▣ Trained & Experienced

RIGGER/SPOTTER
1
TRACTORS
A. Operated by authorized & qualified drivers.

B. Operated at speed consistent with road conditions

outside and inside the premises.

C. Properly secured coupling of truck trailer train.

2 FORKLIFT TRUCKS
D. Operated by authorized & qualified drivers.

E. Should have substantial canopy guards.

 C. Should not be used to transport personnel.
D. Loads should be stable.
E. Should travel with load as low as possible.
F. Loads should not be raised or lowered en-route.

3 POWER TRUCKS/CRANES
G. Operated by authorized & qualified crane
operator.
H. Operator should always have a helper.
I. Operated at the lowest possible speed.
J. The hook should be fixed to the lower end of the
boom when traveling without load.
• Never operate a forklift if you are not trained &
certified.

• Always watch for pedestrians.

• Wear a seat belt if provided

• Use your horn if entering or leaving a

building

• Be aware of load and lift limits

• As with any safe vehicle operation, never mix

alcohol or drugs with driving