Who this course is for
- Operators who run a front-end loader on a mine, quarry or construction site
- Crews who load haul trucks, build and rehandle stockpiles and feed crushers
- Plant hire operators who move between sites and machine sizes
- Supervisors who have to appoint competent loader operators
What you will be able to do after this course
- Carry out pre-operation and daily inspections on a front-end loader
- Travel, turn and position the machine safely on site and on haul roads
- Load trucks and hoppers efficiently and build and rehandle stockpiles
- Work safely around people, other plant and tip edges, and park correctly
What the course covers
The course works through the safety regulations that apply to earthmoving plant, then through the loader and the techniques that make it productive and safe.
Learners cover machine components and controls, pre-operation and daily inspections, starting, travelling and manoeuvring, bucket technique for digging and loading, loading trucks and hoppers, building and rehandling stockpiles, working on slopes and near tip edges, operating safely around people 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 loader and then digs, loads and places material under supervision. On successful completion the learner is certificated against SAQA unit standard 262747, and the certificate can be downloaded from the Fundza portal as well as issued directly.
What this certificate is worth
A front-end loader is one of the machines mine and construction site inductions check most closely, because of the size of the machine and how often it works alongside people and haul trucks. The certificate is what proves the operator is competent in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. 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 | R9,218 | First-time certification |
| Refresher | 1 Day | R5,170 | Already certified, renewing |
On-site delivery at your own operation is available and is usually the better option for a crew, because the practical work is done on the machine class and material your teams handle. 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 crew, since loader technique depends heavily on the material, the stockpile layout and the haul road, all of which differ by site. 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.
Front-end loader and excavator: how they differ
| Front-end loader (this course) | Excavator | |
|---|---|---|
| What it certifies | Wheeled loading and rehandling | Tracked digging and trenching |
| Unit standard | SAQA 262747 | SAQA 262744 |
| Best at | Loading trucks and moving stockpiles | Digging below grade, trenching and slewing |
| Typical site | Quarries, mines, bulk earthworks | Civils, pipelines, foundations |
A loader moves material that is already broken or stockpiled. An excavator digs it out. Most earthworks sites need both competencies on the crew.
Where this course can take you
Front-end loader sits inside the earthmoving stack at Fundza. Operators commonly add CAT Excavator, Operate Backhoe or Loader, ADT Dump Truck or 40 ton Rigid Dump Truck so they can be placed across a wider part of the pit or site. 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.