Who this course is for
- Operators who run a motor grader on road, mining or civil construction work
- Haul road maintenance crews on mines and quarries
- Civils contractors who cut, shape and finish layer works to level
- Supervisors who have to appoint competent grader operators
What you will be able to do after this course
- Carry out pre-operation and daily inspections on a motor grader
- Control the blade and moldboard accurately through its range of movement
- Cut, spread, shape and finish material to the required grade and camber
- Maintain haul roads and work safely around traffic, people and other plant
What the course covers
The course works through the safety regulations that apply to earthmoving plant, then through the grader and the blade control that makes the machine useful.
Learners cover machine components and controls, pre-operation and daily inspections, blade and moldboard positioning, circle and articulation, cutting, spreading and levelling to grade, camber and drainage, haul road construction and maintenance, ripping where fitted, working safely around traffic and other machines, and correct shutdown and parking. The operating work is assessed practically on the machine.
How you are assessed and what you receive
Assessment covers a written knowledge test and a practical on the machine, where the learner inspects the grader and then cuts, spreads and finishes a section to grade under supervision. On successful completion the learner is certificated, and the certificate can be downloaded from the Fundza portal as well as issued directly.
What this certificate is worth
Grader operators are among the most sought-after plant operators on mines and civil sites, because haul road condition drives both safety and hauling cost. The certificate is what proves the operator is competent in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and it is checked at site induction. Learners can download it from the Fundza portal at any time.
Duration, dates and fees
| Option | Duration | Fee | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full course | 5 Days | R7,733 | First-time certification |
| Refresher | 1 Day | R3,531 | Already certified, renewing |
On-site delivery at your own operation is available and is usually the better option for a crew, because blade work depends on the material and the road profile your site actually has. For group bookings, tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based.
Where and how the training runs
Training runs at the Fundza Training Institute centre in Mokopane, and on site at your own operation. On-site delivery is generally better for a haul road crew, since the training can be done on the roads they maintain. For a group booking, tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based, and we will come back with dates and a quotation.
Grader and track dozer: how they differ
| Motor grader (this course) | Track dozer | |
|---|---|---|
| What it certifies | Blade work to fine grade | Bulk pushing and rough levelling |
| Best at | Haul roads, camber, layer works, finishing | Stripping, pushing, stockpiling, slopes |
| Typical use | Road building and road maintenance | Bulk earthworks and mine benches |
| Duration | 5 days | 5 days |
A dozer moves large volumes roughly. A grader finishes to level. Most mines need both on the same site, doing different parts of the same job.
Where this course can take you
Grader operation sits inside the earthmoving stack at Fundza. Operators commonly add Operate Track Dozer, Front-end Loader or ADT Dump Truck so they can be rotated across the haul road and pit fleet. Browse the full range of earthmoving machinery training.
Enquire about this course
Tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based, and we will come back with dates and a quotation.