CAT Excavator Helper Job- A Day In The Life

Skilled Labor

Construction sites are operated by skilled laborers. In Terrell’s case, he is an apprentice working with, and learning from, an experienced CAT excavator operator who digs basements in Michigan.

As a two-person crew, his co-worker operates the excavator, and Terrell does all the work on the ground.

This excavation team works in residential neighborhoods and is the first trade necessary at a new job site. Their work installs the plumbing underground that the plumber will access and extend throughout the new home.

Construction is a blue-collar job, often working under the sun and doing manual labor. However, it’s not exactly a “rain or shine” job because, in most cases, they are unable to work when it rains (or freezes). Workers get “called out,” meaning they lose out on a day’s work.

Every company is different, but Terrell does not get paid for rainy days, which can significantly dent a week’s paycheck.

In this line of work, you must be willing to get your hands dirty. Literally. The white pipe you see in the photo on the left is Terrell’s finished work. If you look closely, you can see the copper water line running alongside it, too.

How it Started

Terrell doesn’t have any formal training for skilled labor. After graduating high school, he landed a “helpers” job when a friend put in a good word for him.

He eagerly accepted the entry-level position and assisted the skilled laborers by retrieving pipe and tools for them while they were “down in the hole.”

(Imagine a dusty job site with dump trucks, excavators, bulldozers, and several people standing down in a huge hole in the ground. That’s where we’re at.)

Terrell is a hard worker and a perfectionist, and his work ethic made it easy for him to learn from the more skilled laborers.

He observed and noted every technique because he knew he wanted to advance in the construction field. When he applied to a new job, he presented the information and skills he learned to impress his new employer. It worked, and that is how he got every construction job since then, picking up more skills as he advanced.

Tasks and Duties

Every day presents new variables and challenges, but some of the main tasks of this job include,

• • Set up the laser and prepare to shoot grade. (Check out this link to learn more about what that means.)
  • Read blueprints to replicate the layout of the house, and follow plot lines.
  • Accurately locate city pipes and stop box.
  • Guide and assist the excavator operator.
  • Use a shovel to dig in the dirt manually.
  • Carefully run water lines and lay sanitary pipe.
  • Communicate effectively with the team.
  • Safely operate a power saw and other tools.

Hours

Hours in the construction field can vary greatly depending on the scope of work. For the most part, it is a daylight job, Monday- Friday. Terrell arrives at the job site around 7:30 each day and aims to call it a day by around 3:30 pm.

The day is done when the job is done, so they do their best to work proficiently and without error, so they don’t have any setbacks.

CAT Excavator 101

A CAT excavator is a large, heavy machine used for digging holes and moving dirt. It’s basically a super shovel.

It has several working parts, including the cab, the boom, and the bucket. The cab is where the operator sits, the boom is the arm that extends and lifts, and the bucket is the big shovel on the end. It rolls on tracts instead of tires and can rotate 360 degrees without moving its base. It also uses stabilizers on the bottom to secure the whole thing from toppling over while in use.

Excavators are usually the first to arrive on a new job site since they are the best tool to prepare land for the rest of the work. They dig below ground to install piping, water lines, electric wires, gas lines, and many other things I hope to learn and write about later for other jobs.

The operator does not leave the cab once he begins digging for both proficiency and safety. One or more team members work on the ground to guide the operator and do manual labor outside the scope of the excavator’s abilities.

A Day in the Life

On the Job

Terrell arrives directly at the job site in the morning at or before 7:30 am. It’s a warm sunny day, and he’s wearing jeans, a neon shirt, and high-top waterproof boots.

On this job, it’s just him and the guy who operates the CAT excavator. They confirm they are at the correct lot, unload their tools, and get to work.

He first sets up his laser tripod (see image) on the top of the curb and determines the grade, which is an essential part of the job. Imagine the level tool we use to make sure a countertop or a picture is straight. The grade is the same thing on a broader scale, a level for the earth if you will.

They find the benchmark, which, in this case, is where the plot of land is level with the curb and use that as a reference throughout the entire job.

Next, he uses spray paint to trace the outline of the house, which the surveyor previously marked with stakes in the ground.

Next, he finds the 2×4 post indicating the location of the underground sanitary (sewage) line installed by the city. Then, he locates the white stop box, the water supply installed by the city, and turns off that valve. Now it is time to start digging.

Underground Pipes

Terrell’s job is to stay on the ground to guide the operator and lay the pipe and water lines. As the CAT excavator digs, Terrell carefully watches for signs of the existing city pipe they are looking for and uses hand signals to communicate to the operator when to slow down or stop.

Once they are close to the sanitary pipe, the CAT excavator stops, and Terrell jumps in with his shovel to manually dig out the rest. He then uses a power saw to cut the pipe open, and water shoots out. It floods the hole, so he uses a pump to pump the water out so he can continue his work.

Now, he connects one-foot pieces of white pipe and lays them on a 1% slope upward towards the house. Each tube has a “male” and a “female” end that allows them to fit together. He connects each piece with a primer and glue, then taps it with a pipe bar to firmly secure the bond.

The water line will run from the white stop box to the house. He flares the end of the copper pipe, connects it to the nozzle, and secures the attachment with a clamp. The copper pipe is coiled, so he carefully unrolls it and digs a small trench that leads to the house.

I should mention that the water and sanitary line placement is dictated by a plot plan they carefully follow throughout this process. The placement matters and must be precise.

Finishing Up the Day

When the water and sanitary lines are complete, an inspector visits the job site to approve their work. After they have their permit, they use the CAT excavator shovels all the dirt back into the hole and levels the land to meet the height set by the grade before they started.

While the operator replaces the dirt, Terrell needs to be out of the way. This gives him about a thirty-minute break, which he takes to rest and eat. A couple of times a day, the excavator digs without him, so he does have some downtime throughout the day.

Once the hole is filled in and leveled out, their work is done. They clean up, load up their tools and enjoy the rest of the day however they please. Tomorrow they start again with the same objective at a new site.

Lessons Learned

Terrell recalls a big lesson he learned early in his career that caused him to redo an entire day’s work. On one of his first jobs sites, he completed his pipe installation and summoned the inspector for a permit.

The inspector shows up and immediately points out that the entire length of the pipe is installed backward. Terrell has to tear it out and start over. Although he wasn’t happy about the mishap, when I asked him if he was embarrassed, he said, “No.”

He was still new to the job, and no one had explained that it mattered which direction the pipe laid. Since each pipe has a “male” and “female” end, the right end of the pipe must be pointing up at the top, towards the house.

Of course, he never made that mistake again, but it was one of many made in the early days on the job. Since there is often no official training for new laborers, trial and error is a common way to hone your skills. If you’re lucky, you have the space to catch and fix your own mistakes before they become problems.

Nowadays, the world’s knowledge is at our fingertips, so I might suggest watching a quick YouTube video to verify your approach to a new skill and avoid big mistakes.

Opportunity for Growth

There are several ways to advance in a skilled labor career. Rookies can move up the ladder by receiving pay raises and/or promotions. A promotion could mean foreman, team lead, supervisor, manager, or machine operator.

A lot of skilled laborers aspire to operate heavy machinery. It takes many years of experience and training before an owner will trust you to operate construction vehicles that cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Of course, if you are passionate about your work and have the means, you could always start your own construction company and purchase your own expensive heavy machinery. There is a lot of money to be made in the construction industry, and the world is growing so fast, there is plenty of work to go around.

Perks and Benefits

The company Terrell works for offers full medical and dental benefits at an affordable price. He also has paid time off and limited sick days.

He considers the perks of the job to be working out in the sunshine every day while doing manual labor, which gives him plenty of vitamin D and keeps him in shape. Every day offers a new set of challenges, so there is no chance of it becoming monotonous.

And working through the hurdles keeps his brain sharp and provides further satisfaction when the job is complete at the end of every day.

The informal atmosphere is the ideal work environment for Terrell. Of course, his boss expects him to be efficient and organized, but the mood is not stuffy. He appreciates the teamwork and camaraderie with co-workers.

The hours are good, and it’s nice to have the weeknights and weekends to spend with family and friends.

Challenges

As you can imagine, there is no shortage of challenges in the world of construction.

There are endless details, variables, and hazards to be aware of. This job comes with a lot of responsibility, and the pressure is high. Bosses and superiors have a reputation for being jerks and are quick to yell at you if you are too slow or make an error.

It can be stressful to dig around existing pipes and wires since they cannot be seen underground. The worst thing you could do is damage or break something. One wrong move could cost you your job, or at the very least, leave you standing in water and wading in mud. And unless you have a change of clothes, you’ll spend the rest of the day soggy and wet.

There are also days when your job is complicated by other contractors who didn’t do what they were supposed to do. If the city workers fail to mark the buried line’s location, Terrell is left to guess where it’s at and dig random holes until they find it. That is just one example of how the other trades can affect their day.

Work Environment

A life in construction can be dangerous, especially when around heavy equipment. There are numerous workplace hazards, and it’s essential to be aware of them and practice caution at all times. Terrell made the comment that the excavator operator tells him, “If I scream, you run!”

The operator has a high vantage point and acts as Terrell’s lookout. When the weight of the excavator’s bucket hits the ground and shakes the earth, it could cause an avalanche of heavy dirt. Terrell digs basements, so sometimes he’s in a hole almost ten feet deep.

The atmosphere is informal, and Terrell encounters only those on his team and possibly a builder stopping by the job site. There is no office to report to, no paperwork to fill out, and no customer service involved with this job.

As mentioned, you are working outside, so it is important to bring fluids and stay hydrated. There are no amenities on an empty plot of land, so workers use portapotties to relieve themselves. You might want to pack some sanitizer in your lunchbox.

And speaking of lunch boxes, it is common for construction workers to bring a lunch from home and only leave to get to a meal every once in a while.

You can expect to be dirty, sweaty, and stinky by the end of the day. It’s hard work, for sure, but it can be satisfying, fulfilling, and provide a good quality of life.

Many workers in construction make more than decent wages and work predictable hours, allowing plenty of time for life outside of work.

Questions?

Everyone’s reality is unique, so please keep in mind that this is only one account, one perspective, and one life. But now you know the basics and possibilities! So tell me, do you think a career as a CAT Excavator Helper is for you?

Let me know! Your feedback is welcomed, and I would love to know what else I could add to make this as thorough and interesting as possible.

I am happy to answer your questions and fill in any gaps. Ask away!