In the construction industry, it is critical to know how to properly operate the equipment you use. The road grader is a versatile machine that allows the operator to create a path for a road. This essential piece of equipment may be used for building roads or plowing snow. Using this machine properly will allow you to complete the job and maintain job and site safety overall.

Safety Check and Operation

winter grader on road image by Denis Pepchuk from Fotolia.com

Perform the operational safety checks before operating the road grader. Safety checks include actions such as ensuring that all equipment functions properly, all safety and emergency equipment such as a fire extinguisher is present, and knowing who will be signaling for you. Complete the safety check by manually walking around the grader and visually inspecting the entire machine and ensuring that the blade is in an elevated position.

Start the road grader. Test the brakes, transmission, clutch and controls. Ensure that you keep the road grader in the proper gear for working conditions and do not allow the grader to move too fast for the conditions. Keeping control of the grader during the entire operation is key for job quality and overall safety.

Learn to use your controls. The two middle levels will typically operate the blade rotation and the circle shift. The blade rotation allows you to angle your blade so you can set where your debris will be moved to. The circle shift allows you to turn the blade. Test the blade lower and lift levers. These levers are normally found as the third lever out from the middle lever. The grader has a lever to lower and raise the blade for each end of its blade, so to do a complete lift or lower of the blade requires both hands to operate. Road graders also have a blade shift control. You can use this to position the blade how far left or right it is needed.

Learn the basic functions of how to use the road grader to complete the desired job. You must know the grade of the road you are working on. This information tells you how far you must lower your blade. You will make several passes with your grader to complete a road. If you are using the grader for plowing snow, then you must know to keep the height of the blade up slightly to avoid the blade from damaging the road.

Dig a ditch safely. Most road grader operations will also have to know how to pull a ditch with their grader as well as level roads. Ensure your blades will not hit the tires when they rotate. If you are digging a ditch to the right circle the blade to the right and blade tilt forward. Keep your left side of the blade high and lower the right side of the blade. Proceed into the ditch to push out the dirt and cut through rock along the side of the road.