Loading, Hauling, Discharging and Stockpile Operations
What this domain tests
Correct loading practice, payload control, haul discipline and safe tipping at stockpiles and fills.
Loading
Agree signals with the excavator operator and position so the bucket never passes over the cab. Load evenly, spreading material along the body rather than dropping it in one heap, and aim over the rear axles to keep weight distributed. Never load over the side. Do not drop material from height - it damages the body and can bounce out. Know the rated payload on the plate and stick to it; overloading raises the centre of gravity, overloads tyres and brakes, and is a common cause of overturns.
Hauling
Travel with the body fully down and latched. Match speed to the road, load, gradient and visibility. Slow before bends rather than braking in them. Keep a safe gap from the machine ahead and never overtake on a single-track haul road without radio clearance.
Discharging and stockpiles
Tip only on ground you know is firm and level, with adequate edge protection or a windrow at the edge. Confirm what is behind you using mirrors, camera and a banksman where visibility is limited. Never reverse over a stockpile edge or a fill face relying on the camera alone. Raise the body smoothly, discharge, and lower it before moving off; if the load sticks, do not shake the machine free by driving with the body up.
Worked example
A 30 t payload machine is loaded by a 1.2 m³ bucket from material at 1.8 t/m³. Each bucket carries about 2.2 t, so 13 buckets is roughly 28 t - within the plate. The fourteenth bucket would be about 30.2 t, right at the limit, so you stop at 13 and tell the excavator operator why. Estimating bucket count against density is how you avoid overloading without a weighbridge.
Traps
- Loading heaped in the middle rather than spread along the body.
- Tipping on ground that has not been assessed for stability.
- Driving with the body raised to shake out a sticky load.