Equipment Operator

Under general supervision, performs both routine and skilled heavy physical work related road construction and right of way maintenance tasks; must demonstrate experience in operating crew assigned equipment, hand tools and power tools; will have contact with the public; must be able to perform strenuous work in the outdoors under all weather conditions.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Duties include the following: 

• Assists with accomplishing tasks related to roadway maintenance including the use of a rotary broom, roller, and motor grader.   
• Assists in accomplishing tasks related to right-of-way maintenance including tree trimming safety awareness, wheel loader, backhoe/front end loader, and skid steer.
• Assists in accomplishing tasks related to traffic control signage and marking including flagging in accordance with the Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Device.
• Must be able to demonstrate the application and use of assigned crew tools, equipment, and vehicles in an effective and safe manner; conducts preventive maintenance to ensure proper working order. 
• Hauls equipment, as directed, to support the tasks related to roadway maintenance, right-of-way maintenance, vegetative maintenance, and traffic control signage and marking.
• Know how to haul and tie down equipment and be familiar with equipment preventative maintenance.
• Know and implement the Comal County Accident Prevention Plan.
• Attendance is an essential function of the job.

 Note:  The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed.  The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is assigned by the supervisor.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

High School diploma or GED equivalent required; at least one (1) o two (2) years of experience in roadway maintenance and construction or related work is required. Must be able to read & understand Safety Data Sheets for chemicals used as part of job; as well as applicable safety rules & regulations. 

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS

Must possess and maintain a Class A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) with tank vehicle and air brake endorsement; must provide a three (3) year driving history record in order to operate County vehicles.   

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Able to establish and maintain an effective and cooperative working relationship with other employees; able to perform strenuous work in the outdoors under all weather conditions.

LANGUAGE SKILLS 

Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions; able to write simple correspondence. 

 MATHEMATICAL SKILLS 

Able to add and subtract using whole numbers.  

REASONING ABILITY 

Able to apply commonsense understanding to carry out general written or oral instructions. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties of this job.   Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job. 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee frequently is required to climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear; and taste or smell.  The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.  

Normal work hours for this position is Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM with 30 minutes for lunch (equals a 40-hour workweek).  Staffing needs and operational demands may necessitate variations in starting and ending times, as well as variations in the total hours that may be scheduled each day of the week, as deemed necessary by the County Engineer.  The official workweek is a seven-day workweek beginning at 12:01 AM on Saturday and ending at 12:00 AM on the following Saturday.   

This position requires safety boots at all times, which Comal County will provide. These safety boots will only be used for work related activity as part of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Employees reporting to work without safety boots will not be allowed to work and will not be paid for the time required to retrieve safety boots.  When a new pair of safety boots is necessary, you will provide your used pair of boots for inspection, no exceptions. If approved for replacement, you will attend the boot store with a County issued voucher, during time outside of normal work hours, and obtain a new pair of safety boots.  If you leave this position within 6 months of receiving a new pair of boots, the cost of the boots will be taken out from your last paycheck. 

This position has been identified with possible risk of exposure to bloodborne pathogens and/or other various hazards that require immunization against such exposure. 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts, fumes or airborne particles, and outside weather conditions.  The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud. 

All individuals operating commercial vehicles using a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) are required by the DOT to register with the FMCSA Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse and are subject to pre-employment drug tests, random tests, post-accident tests immediately following accidents, reasonable suspicion, and fitness for duty testing; in accordance with County and DOT Alcohol and Drug testing policies.