Who this course is for
- Operators who run a TLB on construction, municipal or plant hire work
- Plumbing, water and municipal crews who dig, lift and backfill in one shift
- Small civils contractors who need one machine to do several jobs
- Supervisors who have to appoint competent backhoe loader operators
What you will be able to do after this course
- Carry out pre-operation and daily inspections on a backhoe loader
- Operate both the loader and the backhoe ends of the machine safely
- Dig, trench, load and backfill accurately using the right technique for the job
- Set up stabilisers correctly and work safely near services and people
What the course covers
The course works through the safety regulations that apply to earthmoving plant, then through both working ends of the machine.
Learners cover machine components and controls, pre-operation and daily inspections, travelling and road positioning, loader bucket technique for loading and backfilling, stabiliser set-up and machine stability, backhoe digging and trenching, slewing within the working arc, working near underground services and open trenches, spotter signals, 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 TLB, sets up on stabilisers, digs a trench and backfills it under supervision. On successful completion the learner is certificated against SAQA unit standard 262727, and the certificate can be downloaded from the Fundza portal as well as issued directly.
What this certificate is worth
The TLB is the machine most often found on municipal and small civils work, which means the operator is frequently working near live services and members of the public. The certificate proves competence in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and is checked at site induction and by client auditors. 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 | R6,340 | First-time certification |
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 your own machine and in the ground conditions your teams dig in. 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 municipal or plumbing crew, since the training can be done alongside the work they are already doing. 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.
Backhoe loader and skid steer: how they differ
| Backhoe loader (this course) | Bobcat / skid steer | |
|---|---|---|
| What it certifies | Loader and backhoe on one wheeled machine | Compact skid-steer loader |
| Unit standard | SAQA 262727 | SAQA 262712 |
| Best at | Digging and loading in the same shift | Working in confined space with many attachments |
| Mobility | Travels between sites on its own wheels | Usually floated between sites |
Both are chosen for flexibility on small sites. The TLB digs deeper and travels further; the skid steer gets into spaces a TLB cannot.
Where this course can take you
Backhoe loader operation sits inside the earthmoving stack at Fundza. Operators commonly add CAT Excavator for deeper work, Front-end Loader for volume loading, or Bobcat and Skid Steer for confined sites. 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.