Index
Intro
Heavy-duty equipment mechanics repair, troubleshoot, adjust, overhaul and maintain mobile heavy-duty equipment used in construction, transportation, forestry, mining, oil and gas, material handling, landscaping, land clearing, farming and similar activities. They are employed by companies which own and operate heavy equipment, and by heavy equipment dealers, rental and service establishments, and railway transport companies and urban transit systems.
The Red Seal endorsement allows for interprovincial mobility.
Progression to supervisory positions is possible with experience.
Main Duties
Heavy-duty equipment mechanics perform some or all of the following duties:
- Check bulldozers, cranes, graders and other heavy construction, agricultural, logging and mining equipment for proper performance and inspect equipment to detect faults and malfunctions
- Diagnose faults or malfunctions using computerized and other testing equipment to determine extent of repair required
- Adjust equipment and repair or replace defective parts, components or systems, using hand and power tools
- Test repaired equipment for proper performance and to ensure that work meets manufacturers’ specifications
- Clean, lubricate and perform other routine maintenance work on equipment
- Service attachments and working tools such as harvesting and tillage equipment, blades, ploughs, winches and side booms
- May perform repair work on heavy trucks
- May attach components and adjust new farm equipment.
Heavy-duty mechanics may specialize in specific types of machinery such as combines or tracked vehicles, or in engine overhaul, power shift transmissions, fuel injection, hydraulics or electronics.
Employment Requirements
- Completion of secondary school is usually required.
- Completion of a three- to five-year apprenticeship program
or
A combination of over four years of work experience in the trade and some high school, college or industry courses in heavy equipment repair is usually required to be eligible for trade certification. - Heavy-duty equipment technician trade certification is compulsory in Quebec and Alberta and available, but voluntary, in all other provinces and the territories.
- Agricultural equipment technician trade certification is available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.
- Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified heavy duty equipment technicians and agricultural equipment technicians upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.
All Titles
- agricultural equipment technician
- apprentice farm equipment mechanic
- apprentice farm machinery mechanic
- apprentice mechanic, diesel engines
- apprentice mechanic, farm equipment
- apprentice mechanic, farm machinery
- backhoe mechanic
- caterpillar tractor repairercaterpillar tractor repairman, caterpillar tractor repairwoman
- combination mechanic, heavy equipment
- construction equipment mechanic
- construction equipment repairman/womanconstruction equipment repairman, construction equipment repairwoman
- crane repairercrane repairman, crane repairwoman
- crane service technician
- diesel engine mechanic
- diesel engine mechanic – heavy equipment
- diesel engine mechanic apprentice
- diesel engine repairman/woman – railwaydiesel engine repairman – railway, diesel engine repairwoman – railway
- diesel locomotive repairman/womandiesel locomotive repairman, diesel locomotive repairwoman
- diesel mechanic
- diesel mechanic – heavy equipment
- diesel mechanic apprentice
- dredge mechanic
- dredge repairerdredge repairman, dredge repairwoman
- earthmoving equipment mechanic
- excavating equipment mechanic
- farm equipment mechanic
- farm equipment technician
- farm machinery mechanic
- farm tractor mechanic
- farm tractor repairerfarm tractor repairman, farm tractor repairwoman, repairman, farm tractors, repairwoman, farm tractors, tractor repairman, farm, tractor repairwoman, farm
- felling equipment mechanic
- field mechanic, heavy equipment
- fuel injection unit servicer – dieselfuel injection unit serviceman – diesel, fuel injection unit servicewoman – diesel
- grading equipment mechanic
- heavy diesel engine mechanic
- heavy equipment combination mechanic
- heavy equipment field mechanic
- heavy equipment inspector-repairerheavy equipment inspector-repairman, heavy equipment inspector-repairwoman, inspector-repairman, heavy equipment, inspector-repairwoman, heavy equipment
- heavy equipment mechanic
- heavy equipment mechanic – diesel engine
- heavy mobile equipment repairerheavy mobile equipment repairman, heavy mobile equipment repairwoman
- heavy mobile equipment repairman/woman
- heavy mobile logging equipment mechanic
- heavy mobile mining equipment mechanic
- heavy-duty equipment mechanic
- heavy-duty equipment mechanic apprentice
- heavy-duty equipment technician
- heavy-duty equipment technician apprentice
- inspector-repairer, heavy equipment
- journeyman/woman heavy-duty equipment mechanicjourneyman heavy-duty equipment mechanic, journeywoman heavy-duty equipment mechanic
- locomotive mechanic
- locomotive repairman/woman, diesellocomotive repairman, diesel, locomotive repairwoman, diesel, repairman, diesel locomotives – railway, repairwoman, diesel locomotives – railway
- mechanic, backhoe
- mechanic, construction equipment
- mechanic, earthmoving equipment
- mechanic, excavating equipment
- mechanic, farm equipment
- mechanic, farm machinery
- mechanic, farm tractors
- mechanic, heavy diesel engines
- mechanic, heavy equipment
- mechanic, heavy equipment – diesel engine
- mechanic, locomotive
- mechanic, mobile logging equipment
- mechanic, mobile mining equipment
- mechanic, repairermechanic, repairman, mechanic, repairwoman
- mechanic, sideboom
- mechanic, tractor
- mine locomotive repairman/womanmine locomotive repairman, mine locomotive repairwoman
- mobile farm equipment mechanic
- mobile farm machinery repairermobile farm machinery repairman, mobile farm machinery repairwoman
- paving equipment mechanic
- power shovel mechanic
- repairer, farm tractors
- repairman/woman, diesel locomotives – railway
- sideboom mechanic
- tractor mechanic
- tractor mechanic, farm
- tractor repairer, farm
- wheelwright, farm machinery
Exclusions
- Construction millwrights and industrial mechanics (7311)
- Motor vehicle diesel engine mechanics (See 7321 Automotive service technicians, truck and bus mechanics and mechanical repairers)
- Supervisors of heavy equipment mechanics (See 7301 Contractors and supervisors, mechanic trades)