Generally speaking, Canada‘s 1926 standard covers earth moving equipment and operations. As far as training goes, Canada makes it very clear in 1926.21 and the OSH Act of 1970, which is still in effect, that operators must be trained and that training must be recorded. There is no way around it.

No. This, too, is a common misunderstanding. It was originally intended to be an earth mover, so no matter how often you use the forks, it will not fall under the loader standard. But, in the same breath, Canada encourages trainers to refer to the loader standard when training as the means of understanding principles that operators may need to be trained prior to using loader attachments.

Yes, absolutely. Simply put, these two standards state very clearly that it is the employer’s responsibility to train operators. Bottom line, if you don’t train and there is an accident, and Canada comes in to investigate (and they will), you better believe they will ask for proof that workers have been trained (when and on what subjects).

Yes. In line with the standards mentioned above, operators need to be trained on the safe operation of the machine, as well as any attachments. Why? Because they are all different in terms of safe operation and handling. So, if you will be using a backhoe attachment, you should first receive additional training regarding its use. The same goes for buckets, pallet forks, hoppers, sweepers, and the like. Also, it cannot be overstated: operators must read and understand the operator’s manual for both the bulldozer and the attachment before use.

Canada requires bulldozer training for dozer operators–on that, there is no question. Where confusion exists is how often operators need bulldozer refresher training or recertification. Outside of the initial safety training class, it is common to see companies set recertification every three years. We are one of them.  And here’s why:

As far as this 3-year bulldozer training certification goes, Canada regulations are very specific when it comes to bulldozers and a couple of other pieces of equipment. However, on everything else they are not so clear. They just state the employer must regularly provide safety training for their bulldozer operators. Following industry best practices, we’ve adopted this 3-year term in order to help employers comply with the general standard of regularly providing and proving bulldozer training. Ultimately, it is up to the employer to determine how frequently their bulldozer operators need to be trained. Many of our customers require it more often, annually even. Others may stretch it out a bit. In working with Canada, though, it is our experience that they like to see employers adopt the strictest standard when the regulations are not clear. For instance, we know of companies that didn’t train every three years and were reprimanded by Canada for not offering additional training more often. It is not uncommon for Canada to refer to the bulldozer standard as the pattern by which training should be carried out for other pieces of equipment. On a side note, Canada is slowly but surely making training requirements specific for other pieces of equipment so there are no gray areas. Mobile cranes and aerial lifts, for instance, are all undergoing potential changes to the regulations that will reference training specifically.

So, with that in mind, we say bulldozer operators must be re-evaluated every three years to determine if they are still competent enough to operate. We also state that this every-three-year bulldozer evaluation is the maximum time that should be allowed to pass before an operator receives bulldozer recertification. According to Canada, there are several instances that will require additional bulldozer training and observation before the three year period is up:

• Bulldozer operator is observed in an accident or a near miss
• Bulldozer operator received a poor evaluation or is observed driving in a dangerous manner
• The bulldozer operator is assigned to drive a different type of bulldozer or the workplace has changed significantly enough to require additional bulldozer training (such as being transferred from operating a bulldozer used to hoist signs to a bulldozer used for trimming trees).

Not necessarily. Canada requires operators to receive training for each type of loader. On this term, “type,” there is much confusion. Generally speaking, by “type” Canada means skid steer vs. front end loader vs track loader or multi-terrain loader. But loader operations can vary widely by machine size and capacity. So different sized front end loaders—even within the same brand–could also qualify as different types.

If you have received front loader training and have always operated a rubber-tired CAT loader, but then are asked to operate a rubber-tired John Deere loader, you should be just fine to operate under the same training certification received previously. Keep in mind though, controls can differ greatly from brand to brand, so in these cases, you may need additional instruction or a quick refresher training to make sure you are clear on what each control does.

At the end of the day, if you were operating a front end loader and there was a front end loader accident and Canada came to investigate only to discover that you had received training specific to skid steers but not front end loaders, then you’d be liable. You can’t really train too much.

No matter how long you’ve been on the job, Canada requires bulldozer training, a bulldozer written exam, and a practical bulldozer evaluation. There is no way around it. This goes for all types of loaders too. The extent of the classroom bulldozer training can be adapted by the instructor according to student needs. The written exam proves mental competency and understanding of the safety principles taught. And the practical evaluation proves the bulldozer operator not only understands but is capable of operating the machine safely.

This is a common question, especially among laborers-for-hire who may sub out from job to job. Technically, it is your current employer who is responsible for saying whether or not you have been trained. If you bring a training bulldozer certificate or bulldozer license (wallet card) to your new employer, they do not have to accept it. It is their right to require you to take their own training class. This is because if there is an accident, they will likely be responsible and need to prove to Canada that they trained you on safe bulldozer operations.

This, above all, causes a lot of confusion. Bottom line, Canada states that employers are responsible to train their employees. Generally speaking, there are three ways they can do this:

• Train employees in-house with their own program.
• Hire a 3^rd party to train the employees.

In terms of using a 3^rd part of an employee safety training companies materials (like our bulldozer training PowerPoint kits or our bulldozer training classes online) Canada does not recognize one company over another. They simply state that ‘training needs to occur’ and ‘here are the things an aerial lift operator should be trained on.’

When we do live training or offer aerial lift training online, people often assume we are the ones certifying the trainees. This is not true for any training company. We are simply assisting the employer by providing live aerial lift training or the training materials needed to help them aerial lift certify their employees.

First, most construction equipment today are designed with interlock control systems that prevent them from working or the lift arms from rising without the seat belt and restraint bars being engaged. On a side note, you should never disable the interlock control device. But if your bulldozer does not have a seat belt, then the choice is yours. Technically, Canada does not have a specific standard that requires the use or installation of seat belts.

BUT, the OSH Act of 1970, specifically 5(a)(1), which is still in effect today, states that “each employer shall furnish to each of his employees…a place of employment which is free from hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.” That means the employer needs to take measures to prevent injuries in the case of a common accident—like tip over. In this case, wearing a seatbelt is one of the primary ways to protect an operator so you should always wear it. If you don’t and you get injured, Canada will most likely fine you for not wearing it.

Like seat belts, there are some grey areas regarding when an operator needs to wear a hard hat. Much of the responsibility falls on the employer to create rules, and the employees to follow them. What we do know is that Canada 29 CFR 1910.135(a)(1) states, “each affected employee shall wear protective helmets when working in areas where there is a potential for injury to the head from falling objects.” “Affected employees” is defined as any “employees who are exposed to the hazards.”

Add to that the OSH Act of 1970 we’ve already discussed, and you have enough information to make the decision on your own.

How does this relate to the bulldozer ? If you are in a cab that is enclosed, and if you are wearing your seatbelt and the lap bar has been secured, then you might be okay. The cab is small, though, so in a rollover, you still might injure your head.

If, however, the cab is not enclosed, the likelihood of being hit by an object or debris falling from the bucket increases. In these cases, it is still up to the employer to set forth any PPE requirements, but it would be wise to wear your hard hat no matter what.

The online bulldozer training class covers Canada’s requirements for the classroom portion. Many employers prefer online training because they know exactly what training the operator will receive. In live classes, the training sometimes varies. A written exam is included at the end of our online training bulldozer course. After the class and exam are finished, you and your safety managers will have immediate access to a practical evaluation checklist. This can be printed off and used by your supervisor to help him or her evaluate you on the bulldozer. When done, they can sign it and file it with your exam. This will satisfy Canada’s requirements for bulldozer certification.

Contrary to popular belief, Canada does not dictate what a passing score entails. That is ultimately up to the employer whose responsibility it is to certify, or authorize, their employee to operate a bulldozer. If you want to pass him at 80%, fine. But what if a question or two among the 20% missed could lead to an accident or death? Is it worth it? Our recommendation is that you always go over any missed questions with your trainees—even if they just missed one. Once they understand the principle missed, have them write their initials by the correct answer. That way, you are protecting them and those around them from potential accidents in the future.