Crane Operator Round Wood

Crane Operator

Quercus Forest Products is a contractor for Domtar. We provide a service to meet the expectations of Domtar in the chipping industry.

Purpose:

The purpose of the crane operator position is to unload, store, recover, and load tree length and double bunk wood in a safe efficient, consistent, and productive manner.

Responsibilities:

The responsibilities of the crane operator include:

• Ensuring the safe unloading of wood for all truck drivers and mill personnel while maintaining communications with the mill operator to ensure the flow of wood is kept consistent.
• Performing housekeeping duties and preventive maintenance of the crane to ensure safe, efficient operation.

Specific Duties:

The specific duties of the crane operator are to:

• Check hydraulic oil level and couplings on hydraulic pump daily before starting the crane.
• Start the crane.
• Position the grapple in the appropriate position over the load to ensure that the butt end is either level or elevated when the load is picked up.
• Ensure the truckdrivers are out of the truck and positioned a safe distance from the truck before picking a load up.
• Check the condition, species, and age of wood by visual inspection from the crane cab.
• Unload wood in the proper location based on species and age while ensuring the wood is kept rotated.
• Communicate with the mill operator to maintain the desired flow of wood to the infeed chute and debarking drum.
• Grease all grease fitting on grapple daily.
• Check all grapple cylinder pins and welds daily.
• Perform housekeeping duties in the cab daily.
• Complete maintenance report daily and file with mill manager or leadman daily.
• Inspect and grease sheaves, truck assembly, bearings, winch drum bearings, winch assembly, and attachment bolts on pivot assembly weekly.
• Check oil level in truck assembly gearbox and winch assembly weekly.
• Inspect main cables on winch assembly, hold down cables on collection ring if applicable and brushes and springs on collection ring weekly.
• Clean collection ring monthly.
• Repack truck assembly wheel bearings and change gear lube from truck assembly gearbox every 6 months.
• Change oil in winch assembly gearbox every 6 months.
• Communicate equipment problems to the leadman or mill manager.
• Perform emergency stop whenever necessary.

Physical Requirements:

The physical requirements of the crane operator include but are not limited to the ability to:

• Climb steps and ladder to heights of 150 feet.
• Sit in a padded seat for approximately 10 hours a day.
• Discern visually wood species, type, condition, and age from distances over 50 feet.
• Coordinate eyes, hands, and feet to operate grapple and crane simultaneously.
• Communicate with mill operator over 2-way radio.
• Walk along the tip assembly at a height of approximately150 feet.

Prior Experience:

The crane operator should have experience in the following:

• Operating and maintaining mechanical systems or equipment.
• Operating and maintaining hydraulic systems or equipment.
• Operating systems or equipment requiring eyes, hands, and feet coordination.

Necessary Knowledge:

The crane operator should possess knowledge of the following: 

• Mechanical principles.
• Hydraulic systems.
• Wood species by sight.
• Characteristics of chips and bark expected from various species.

Special Skills:

The crane operator should possess the following special skills:

• Hand, eye, and foot coordination to operate grapple and crane using joysticks and foot controls to maintain flow of wood into and through the mill.

On-the-Job Training and Orientation:

The crane operator is required to receive approximately 10 days on-the-job-training.