Heavy Equipment Operator, Quarry - Minerals Technologies

Minerals Technologies Inc. (MTI) is a leading, technology-driven specialty minerals company that develops, produces, and markets a broad range of mineral and mineral-based products, related systems and services. MTI serves a wide range of consumer and industrial markets, including household and personal care, paper, foundry, steel, construction and environmental solutions around the world. The company reported global sales of $2.2 billion in 2023.

Critical features of this job are described under the headings that follow.  To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each primary (essential) duty satisfactorily.

What We Offer:

• Competitive pay, commensurate with experience
• Health/Dental/Vision plans
• 401k company match
• Life Insurance
• Short Term Disability & Long-Term Disability
• Educational Assistance
• Employee Assistance Plan

Summary:

The basic purpose of this position is to run all necessary equipment and processes in the quarry operation to identify type of stone needed, drill holes for explosives, assist with blasting process, load trucks with stone, transport stone from areas of the quarry, and run the stone through the crusher.

The Quarry Technician (Heavy Equipment Operator, Quarry) position is a continuum beginning at Quarry Technician I and progressing through Quarry Technician IV as skills are gained.  Employees may be assigned to perform any task for which they have been qualified.  Employees may also be assigned to positions for which they are working to become qualified as a portion of the training process. 

Pay rate: $26.06 - $38.53/hour

Major Duties & Responsibilities   (Refer to Workstation list and/or Training Checklists for details of required duties/workstations at each Technician level.)

Primary Duties & Responsibilities:

Drilling/Blasting Operation

1. Inspect drill before use to ensure proper functioning and that no safety defects exist.
2. Determine where to lay out shot based on type of stone needed and its position in relation to other stone ready for use, to maintain inventory supply for mill operations.
3. Transport the drill to the proper drilling site, set it up, and drill the shots.
4. Assist blasting contractor with blasting process as needed.

Excavating/Rock Breaking Operation

1. Inspect machine prior to use to ensure proper functioning and that no safety defects exist.
2. Start machine and allow it to warm up before use.
3. Grease boom and bucket as required
4. Position the machine at the proper work site based on stone color needed.
5. Break large stones to a crushable size using rock-breaking equipment (hammer).
6. Excavate in/around the quarry as needed using excavating equipment (bucket).

Loading Operation

1. Inspect loader before each use to ensure proper functioning and that no safety defects exist.
2. Start loader and allow it to warm up prior to use.
3. Transport machine to proper work site in quarry and sort stone for proper color needed.
4. Load trucks with stone to be hauled to crusher.
5. Prepare area(s) to enable drilling operation to set up shots.
6. Ensure berms are of adequate size and in good condition.

Truck Driving

1. Inspect areas of the truck before use each shift to ensure proper functioning and that no safety defects exist.
2. Fuel up the truck and service/grease it as needed.
3. Start and warm up truck before using.
4. Drive the truck on quarry roads prior to loading.
5. Drive the truck to the loading site within the quarry.
6. Position the truck appropriately at the loading site to enable proper loading.
7. Transport the material in the truck to the crusher by driving the truck on quarry roads.
8. Back the truck up to the crusher hopper and use truck controls to dump the load of stone into the hopper.

Crushing Operation

1. Inspect crushing equipment before each shift to ensure it will properly function and that no safety defects exist.
2. Grease crushing system as required
3. Start crusher, belts, and dust collectors using controls.
4. Communicate with truck drivers and/or loader operator working with stone to be crushed as needed.
5. Control when and where the trucks dump the stone hauled from quarry.
6. Communicate with contract hauler to make them aware of what stone is to be hauled to main plant from quarry.

Lean/OE

1. Actively participates in the implementation of sustainable improvement processes, such as 5S, Kaizen, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Daily Management Control, Standard Work and Problem Solving.

Miscellaneous

1. Complete safety inspection sheets for work areas and/or mobile equipment.
2. Inspect water pump periodically to ensure proper functioning.
3. Communicate with others as needed.
4. Record labor distribution information from work shift.
5. Fuel and grease all equipment as needed.

OE/Lean

1. Actively participates in the implementation of sustainable improvement processes, such as 5S, Kaizen, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), Daily Management Control, Standard Work and Problem Solving.

Other Duties & Responsibilities

1. Assist with unplugging of the crusher and related equipment as needed.
2. Plow snow and salt roads as needed.
3. Strip over burden by loading trucks with materials and hauling materials in truck in order to clean up areas of quarry.
4. Clean work areas using equipment/tools as needed.
5. Perform other duties as assigned.

Note: Management reserves the right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Qualifications/Requirements

The requirements listed in the sections that follow are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required to perform the duties of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions (primary duties) of the job.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities: Knowledge of the English language is required.  Knowledge of commercial motor vehicles and manufacturing/production processes is preferred. 

While performing the duties of this job, an employee is typically required to have the ability to operate, monitor, and adjust equipment, including commercial motor vehicles, have manual dexterity, use repetitive motions, regularly sit, stand, walk, bend, reach, squat, climb and twist, select and use appropriate equipment/tools to accomplish job duties, read, write, listen, speak and understand English, follow all instructions and other oral/written information, visually inspect equipment/work area/stone, complete paperwork and other documentation accurately, identify, analyze, troubleshoot and solve equipment/work area issues, quickly respond to equipment signals/issues, keep pace with equipment as needed, use judgement to determine where in quarry to obtain needed stone from (based on color and inventory levels) as well as when additional resources are needed to address issues, communicate effectively with others, record labor distribution information from the work shift in writing, be aware of oneself in relation to surrounding equipment, and work independently as well as a team with others. Ability to instruct/transfer job information/knowledge to others as well as infrequently lift up to 50 pounds is preferred.

Being under general supervision, the employee is expected to be self-directed, take initiative and be persistent when appropriate to accomplish necessary duties and keep busy without prompting from the supervisor.  Additionally, the employee is expected to be adaptable/flexible to changing work assignments, coordinate with others, learn and memorize procedures, have a high level of integrity, dependability and self control to maintain composure, prioritize work, manage time effectively and efficiently, meet established deadlines, display a cooperative attitude, read, understand and follow all company, job specific/safety policies/procedures, and attend/use all required training.

Education: High school diploma or equivalent required.

Experience: Prior experience is not required.  However, it is preferred.

Work Hours: Must have ability to work the shift/number of hours in which duties need to be accomplished, including overtime, holidays and weekends, as necessary.

Working Conditions: While performing the duties of this job, an employee is regularly exposed to dust, loud noise, high places, and outside weather conditions including very low and/or bright light.   Primarily works alone but also as part of a team.  Works in close proximity with equipment.

Safety Equipment: Safety equipment typically required while performing the duties of this job include a personal lockout/tagout lock, ANSI approved hardhat and safety glasses with sideshields, and safety shoes/boots with steel toe protection.  Hearing protection is a must during truck driving, crushing, loading and drilling/blasting operations.  Additionally, harness and lanyard are required when performing drilling operations (6 feet and higher above the ground without railings).  Additional personal protective equipment is available for use if a situation arises where it becomes required or if it is simply desired by the employee.

Safety Training: A new employee hired to perform the duties of this position is to be provided New Employee Training by a qualified individual, which consists of eight hours of classroom training and 16 hours of on the job training.  It will include, but is not limited to, the following: forklift/mobile equipment operation and certification/licensing, hazard communication, hearing conservation, respiratory protection, electrical safety, lock out/tag out, personal protective equipment, bloodborne pathogens, fire fighting/extinguishers, machine safety, confined spaces, reporting of hazardous conditions, accidents, injuries, near-miss and property damage incidents, evacuation/emergency procedures, first aid, back injury prevention, and job/work area procedures. 

Upon transferring to perform the duties of this position for the first time an employee is to be provided New Task Training by a qualified individual until the employee adequately understands the contents of the training, which include job/work area procedures and related topics.  Additionally, an employee must be provided further training if a job duty/task has changes that will affect the health and safety aspects of that employee’s position.

Additional refresher safety training may be required as management deems appropriate or as dictated by MSHA regulations.