According to people in this career, the main tasks are...
| Task | Importance |
|---|---|
| Handle high voltage sources and hang electrical cables. | 91% |
| Drive loaded shuttle cars to ramps and move controls to discharge loads into mine cars or onto conveyors. | 89% |
| Pry off loose material from roofs and move it into the paths of machines, using crowbars. | 88% |
| Move trailing electrical cables clear of obstructions, using rubber safety gloves. | 88% |
| Stop gathering arms when cars are full. | 87% |
| Control conveyors that run the entire length of shuttle cars to distribute loads as loading progresses. | 85% |
| Observe hand signals, grade stakes, or other markings when operating machines. | 85% |
| Examine roadway and clear obstructions from the path of travel. | 85% |
| Drive machines into piles of material blasted from working faces. | 85% |
| Operate levers to move conveyor booms or shovels so that mine contents such as coal, rock, and ore can be placed into cars or onto conveyors. | 84% |
| Move mine cars into position for loading and unloading, using pinchbars inserted under car wheels to position cars under loading spouts. | 83% |
| Clean, fuel, service, and perform safety checks on all equipment, and repair and replace parts as necessary. | 83% |
| Advance machines to gather material and convey it into cars. | 83% |
| Clean hoppers, and clean spillage from tracks, walks, driveways, and conveyor decking. | 81% |
| Signal workers to move loaded cars. | 80% |
| Oil, lubricate, and adjust conveyors, crushers, and other equipment, using hand tools and lubricating equipment. | 79% |
| Guide and stop cars by switching, applying brakes, or placing scotches, or wooden wedges, between wheels and rails. | 77% |
| Read written instructions or confer with supervisors about schedules and materials to be moved. | 77% |
| Observe and record car numbers, carriers, customers, tonnages, and grades and conditions of material. | 77% |
| Monitor loading processes to ensure that materials are loaded according to specifications. | 77% |
| Notify switching departments to deliver specific types of cars. | 74% |
| Inspect boarding and locking of open-top box cars and wedging of side-drop and hopper cars to prevent loss of material in transit. | 71% |
| Maintain records of materials moved. | 71% |
| Direct other workers to move stakes, place blocks, position anchors or cables, or move materials. | 71% |
| Measure, weigh, or verify levels of rock, gravel, or other excavated material to prevent equipment overloads. | 70% |
| Replace hydraulic hoses, headlight bulbs, and gathering-arm teeth. | 70% |
| Push or ride cars down slopes, or hook cars to cables and control cable drum brakes, to ease cars down inclines. | 61% |
| Open and close bottom doors of cars to dump contents. | 58% |
