Digger Operator Training Course

Course Information – Digger Operator Training

Whether you’re digging trenches, clearing drainage ditches or laying foundations, our digger operator training covers everything you need to drive and excavate safely to a LANTRA certified standard.

Who is digger operator training for?

This course is suitable for anyone who intends to operate 180-degree excavators below 5 tonnes or 360-degree excavators below 10 tonnes. This course is well-suited for people working in land-based professions. The minimum age for completing the course is 16 years old.

This course requires:

• A dumper or tractor and tipping trailer to load with trenching material by the digger

• A serviceable digger with a range of detachable buckets that are fit for purpose

• An indoor area with seating and a table to complete the theory session and paperwork.A farmhouse kitchen, mess room or work shed are suitable.

We can tailor our digger training to suit your experience:

Experienced Trainees

This one-day digger course assumes that all trainees have reasonable prior operating experience.  With 4 trainees, the price starts at £245pp + VAT

Novice/Mixed Ability Trainees

This two-day digger course is suitable for groups with a varying range of operating experience and levels of competence.  With 4 trainees from £275pp + VAT

Objectives

• Site Safety

• Awareness of legislation (PUWER, LOLER)

• Carry out all pre-use and running checks

• Set the excavator for site and road travel

• Travel over varying types of terrain, including rough, undulating ground and substantial inclines

• Manoeuvre in confined areas using forward and reverse direction

• Set the machine to excavate

• Changing attachments/buckets

• Excavate below ground level on a variety of excavations in different ground types

• Place spoil into various sizes of vehicles and hoppers

• Use of the back-actor

Trainees Will Need:

• A packed lunch

• Appropriate clothing.Non-snag, weather-resistant and a minimum of long sleeves, long trousers, strong steel toe-capped boots and protective work gloves

Prices Shown Include:

LANTRA registration and certification.  Prices are dependent on all equipment being available at your venue.

Please note: The minimum age for completing this course is 16 years old.

The Legal Bit

If you’re using diggers in the workplace, you have to have proof of adequate training from a qualified person.  The law states you must be able to operate a machine safely in appropriate conditions.  It is also recommended that training be updated periodically.  This legislation applies to everyone, whether you’re a volunteer, employed or self-employed.

About the Hush Farms Digger Operator Training Course

Hush Farms can provide LANTRA digger operation training across Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Cornwall and Wales, plus on your land at your convenience.  Our approach to training is always practical. We provide theory training on legislation, site safety and pre-use checks, but then it’s hands-on learning how to safely and effectively operate excavation machinery.

We can accommodate groups of up to four delegates per course.  By the end of the training sessions, attendees will understand how to read a site, plan their work sequence, move the digger over difficult, sloped or confined spaces and excavate across a range of different environments.

Certification will meet HSE legislation, particularly PUWER and LOLER, providing compliance for organisations requiring accreditation for their employees.  All training sessions are tailored to the experience level of the delegates, avoiding lengthy delays between novices and experienced operators on a refresh.