CSCS 180° Excavator case studies
CSCS 180° Excavator · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The CSCS 180° Excavator exam prepares candidates for the CPCS plant categories covering 180-degree excavators, listed in the official CPCS revision-support documents as A10 – Excavator 180 below 5 tonnes and A12 – Excavator 180 above 5 tonnes. The two categories are split by machine weight, so candidates should confirm which category matches the excavator they will operate before booking. The qualification is aimed at plant operators who need to demonstrate competence on a 180° excavator, whether they are new to the machine or adding a category to an existing CPCS card. The exam covers five areas: health, safety and environment; pre-use checks, preparation and configuration of the machine; travelling, manoeuvring and site positioning; excavating, lifting and placing; and shutdown, parking, securing and post-operational checks. The CSCS 180° Excavator case studies are 5 cases and about 2,454 words.
1Trench Edge Collapse During Bucket Clean-Out
You are cleaning out a 1.6 m deep service trench in firm clay with a 180° excavator. The trench runs parallel to a site haul road 4 m away.
524 words, about 3 min2Pre-Use Checks After a Night of Rain
You are the operator for the day shift. Overnight there was 25 mm of rain.
528 words, about 3 min3Travelling Loaded on a Wet Slope
You must move the 180° excavator 120 m across a site to a new dig face. The route crosses a 12° slope that is wet and has a 1 m deep drainage ditch at the bottom.
470 words, about 2 min4Lifting a Precast Cover With the Bucket
You need to place a 450 kg precast concrete cover onto a chamber 3 m from the machine. The excavator has a lifting eye welded to the bucket and a rated capacity plate showing 1,200 kg at 3 m radius in the current configuration.
535 words, about 3 min5Parking on a Slope at End of Shift
It is the end of the shift. You are on a 10° slope of firm ground, with the machine facing downhill.
397 words, about 2 min