Heavy Equipment Operator / Landfill Operator

Job Title: Heavy Equipment Operator / Landfill Operator

Location: Winter Haven, FL 33880

Pay Rate: $17.71/hr. on W2 Without Benefits

Duration: 6+ months

Shift Timing: Monday to Friday ; 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM with 1 Hr. Lunch Break.

Job Description

• Must have the physical, developmental and mental ability to perform job tasks, work efforts, responsibilities and duties of the job illustrated below:
• Responsible for safe and effective equipment operations in processing solid waste for the Waste Resource Management Division.
• Employees in this classification operate a wide variety of heavy equipment that may be complex in nature, requiring considerable dexterity and acute motor skills.
• Work includes processing both hazardous and non-hazardous refuse and solid waste.
• Actively participates in maintaining the Waste Resource Management Division's exceptional performance level by meeting and/or exceeding job requirements and customer's expectations coupled with a positive attitude, unparalleled ethical behavior and unquestionable work ethic.

Role & Responsibilities:

• Operates all pieces of heavy equipment with equal effectiveness in a high paced landfill environment. Utilizes each unit with its specific landfill function while processing over a high volume of tonnage per day and servicing multiple customers on-demand. Operator's physical requirements for the operation of each piece of equipment are essentially identical. The Landfill Operator's primary responsibility is the proper operation and usage of the following equipment:
• Computerized Earthmoving and GPS Machine Control Systems (in various equipment).
• Utilizing the above equipment and best management practices, performs day-to-day field operations in a manner consistent with state and local requirements. Assist in the implementation and improvement of the site's operations plan to ensure compliance with all applicable permit requirements.
• Continuously constructs and maintains berms and drainage systems, temporary and permanent, in a first class manner to ensure environmental compliance and prevent storm water from creating leachate.
• Responsible for minimizing truck turnaround time, use of airspace for daily cover and refuse compaction. Maintains temporary haul roads. Continuously improves the appearance of the site by assisting with litter prevention, control, and collection.
• Applies and maintains initial cover in order to minimize any adverse environmental, safety, or health effects such as those resulting from birds, unauthorized waste, blowing litter, odors, disease vectors, or fires. Applies cover materials such as earthen materials or alternative daily covers (Client) tarps, foams, etc. daily for Class I and once every week for C&D or Class Ill. Removes all or part of the daily and intermediate covers before placing additional waste.
• Dozer and compactor operators work in tandem to optimize compaction of waste, reduce cover soil usage, and conserve airspace. The dozer spreads waste into layers of 2 feet thickness or as thin a layer as practical on the active slope. The compactor moves back and forth over the entire area before the next layer is applied. Process repeats with each load of waste until lifts of 1520 feet are formed.
• Ensures bulky materials that are hard to compact are worked into other materials as much as practical to ensure proper compaction and to prevent wastes from protruding through the cover. Constructs side slopes and maintains ratio (three feet horizontal to one-foot vertical rise) in accordance with design.
• Dozer operators push waste dumped by various refuse trucks to the active face. Keeps tipping area graded for easy customer access. As working face progresses, spreads soils over the compacted refuse ensuring that customer contact with waste is minimized and that lift height and 3:1 slopes are maintained. Ensures the working face of the cell should be only wide enough to accommodate vehicles discharging waste, and to minimize exposed wastes and unnecessary use of cover.
• Must work with Environmental Compliance Worker (spotter) to ensure compliance, safe operation and good customer service.
• Applies erosion control measures to correct any erosion, which exposes waste or causes malfunction of the storm water management system within three days of the occurrence. Applies daily and intermediate cover to prevent stormwater from pooling or mixing with waste and causing run-off.
• Must understand, interpret, and implement information produced by GPS machine control systems (Computerized Earthmoving or other GPS Machine Control System). Performs daily pre-trip and post-trip inspections of assigned equipment and completes documentation forms.
• Performs light service and maintenance of vehicles and equipment. Rotating 4 x 1 0 hr schedule Monday-Saturday (occasional Sunday work and overtime is required.) Performs related duties as required.

Required Skills:

• Ability to interpret the rules of the State Department of Environmental Protection that regulate landfills (Chapter 62.701 FAC). Knowledge of the operation, maintenance, and use of assigned equipment. Knowledge of (OSHA), occupational hazards and safety precautions in the operation of assigned equipment.
• Ability and agility to make routine maintenance checks and minor repairs to equipment. Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions. Ability to read, Ability to complete work activity forms. Ability to use independent judgment. Ability to read surveying. Ability to drive from work site to work site.
• Knowledge of sub-title D regulations and classifications of wastes.
• Ability to learn the physical and chemical characteristics of solid waste and how it should be handled and placed in the cell.
• Ability to learn to recognize hazardous, restricted, and prohibited wastes.
• Ability to learn safety rules pertaining to the operations of heavy equipment, vehicles, and work zone traffic control for various activities. Ability to establish and maintain an effective working relationship with the public and other employees.
• Ability to learn and apply principles and processes for providing customer service.
• Ability to work in all weather, environmental conditions (i.e.: sun, rain, cold, swamp, ditches, dust, and dirt) and all terrains for extended periods of time. Must be able to use proper personal protective equipment (dust masks, earplugs, safety harness, respirators, etc.) to safely work with and be exposed to chemicals, hazardous materials, noises and heights. Ability to lift, carry and handle up to 50 pounds; stoop, climb, squat, push, pull, crawl or bend on a frequent basis.
• Ability to walk, kneel, bend, twist, lift, climb ladders, and work on un-even surfaces, in landfill disposal areas, on 3:1 slope and in ditches/swales. Must be able to hear sounds at a normal level. Ability to see and recognize color (associated with hazard placards or other warning signs), talk, ambulate independently, drive, and make written notations. Ability to use multiband and/or foot controls that require eye and hand coordination. Ability to perform mathematical tasks.
• Ability to research, investigate, experiment, detect, inspect, verify, recognize, and recommend solutions. Ability to use hand tools such as rakes and shovels, and power tools such as weed eaters and chain saws. Ability to supervise day labor and community service workers. Ability to follow, read and comprehend oral and written instructions and procedures. Ability to perform as a team member and establish and maintain effective working relationships with others. Ability to work independently and comprehend and follow instructions.
• Must wear required personal protective equipment: hard hat, steel-toed safety shoes, gloves, safety glasses and complete uniform. Note: Operator incurs a significant amount of bouncing and jarring throughout the workday as equipment is operated over rough terrain and on steep inclines and declines.

Required Qualification:

• Must have a minimum of three (3) years' experience in the operation and routine maintenance of landfill operations.
• Must have a valid driver's license and be able to secure a valid Florida driver's license at the time of employment.
• A comparable amount of related training and experience may be substituted for the minimum qualifications.

Required:

• Must have and maintain a home telephone or immediate access to communication to and from work place at time of employment. Must understand, interpret, and implement information produced by GPS machine control systems (Computerized Earthmoving or other GPS Machine Control System).
• Must obtain and maintain University of Florida TREEO Center Landfill Certification within 12 months of employment. (Passing score on required exam is 70%, continuing education credits required annually to maintain this certification).

Preferred:

• Private Industry Experience - landfills, transfer stations, collections, and recycling
• Experience operating a Claw and/or Roll-Off Truck
• Class B Commercial Driver's License
• This position may be required to report for work when a declaration of emergency has been declared in Polk County.