Types

• Types of earthmovers include cranes, bulldozers, backhoes, cranes, tractors, excavators and rotary tillers.
  
  

Purposes

• Different types of earthmoving machines fit various needs. For example, backhoes use a digging bucket attached to a tractor for excavation. They are useful at agricultural and construction sites. Cranes use rakes or buckets to lift heavy loads and can turn 360 degrees for precise placement. They are used to move construction waste, soil or debris.
  
  

Training

• Entry level earthmover operators can find training programs on the Internet. One such program offers accredited home study followed by on-site resident training. Topics may include pre-operational inspection, operational modes, grading, leveling and trenching, operator's role in the safety process, safety devices and required inspections, preventative maintenance, ground utility precautions and attachments (single and multi-purpose buckets).
  
  

Fun Facts

• Once the world's largest earth moving machine, "Big Muskie" (built in 1969 and destroyed in 1999) was used to mine coal in an Ohio valley. It was capable of moving 39 million pounds of earth and rock per hour. Currently, the largest earth mover in the world operates in Germany. It dwarfs the Statue of Liberty in size.