Komatsu PC200-8 Hybrid, source: http://www.komatsu.com/

The first green machine that appeared on the market is a hydraulic excavator – Komatsu PC200-8 Hybrid. It uses an ultracapacitor bank to store energy generated during the swing movement of the upper structure. The ultracapacitor bank converts it to electricity that is later used to power a motor which assists the engine. As a result, the machine is the most fuel efficient when the upper structure is in use. Depending on the task it performs, it can save 25 to 40% fuel compared to the non-hybrid model.

Another company that followed the green trend is Caterpillar. The company introduced the world’s first hybrid truck-type tractor known as Cat D7E. What is interesting, the dozer is even more powerful than the non-hybrid model, but uses 10 to 30% of fuel less. It is possible due to a combination of a diesel engine and an electric motor.

SK80 Hybrid, source: http://www.kobelco-kenki.co.jp

Kobelco Construction Machinery launched its 8-ton class SK80 hybrid hydraulic excavator this year. For the time being it is available only in Japan. It uses 40% less fuel compared with a conventional machine of that size.  Energy savings are made by recovering energy from swing deceleration and recycling excess energy from engine idling.

Apart from fuel-efficiency, all the above mentioned vehicles share also another advantage – they are extremely quiet in operation, therefore perfect for use in urban areas.

Some other companies are also working on hybrid technologies to introduce them to their machines, but the process is not easy… Caterpillar needed 10 years to launch their vehicle onto the market.

This is a guest post by the team of CarTruckTrader.com. Visit them to find various new and used vehicles for sale.

Requirements

To operate a crane safely, a specialized training is indispensable. In some countries also a certification is required to be allowed to work in the job. To start your career, you can apply for an apprenticeship program. In the U.S. such programs are organized by the International Union of Operating Engineers and take up to 4 years. To take part in it, you need to be at least 18, hold a high school diploma and be in good physical condition. Certification is indispensable only in 17 states; nevertheless many employers expect it even if it is not required by law. The most popular are the certificates of National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators. NCCCO currently certifies operators of mobile cranes, overhead cranes and tower cranes.

Prospective crane operators must have a basic understanding of math and physics as well as some mechanical aptitude. Additionally, operators should not be afraid of heights, as the crane cabin is usually situated high above the ground. Another necessary quality is the ability to judge distance and heights accurately and good hand-eye coordination as they need to manipulate various buttons, levers and pedals. To be a good crane operator one also needs the capability to work as part of a team because it is necessary to cooperate with workers outside the crane  who give hand signals, for example when hooking and unhooking the loads.

Does it pay?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics the average salary for crane operators in 2008 was $45,430. Indeed.com claims that as for May 2010 the average salary was lower – $42,000.  The earnings are strongly connected to work experience. For example in the first one to four years an operator can earn $16.44 and $30.34 per hour, while with 20 years experience one can expect up to $41,78 (according to PayScale.com). The salary depends also on the region – the highest earnings are offered in Alaska, Nevada, Washington and New York.

Working conditions

Crane operators can work at a variety of construction sites, but also in other places where moving of heavy items in necessary:  For example, in companies dealing with metal fabrication or transportation equipment. Cranes are also indispensable at major ports to load and unload cargo. The working conditions of crane operators vary. For example people operating overhead cranes can be exposed to the heat, smoke and gases generated by factories, while those working outside and operating by remote control are exposed to various weather conditions. Fortunately modern cranes have cabins that ensure both comfort and protection.

If you would like to know how it is like to be a crane operator, you should watch this video:

This is a guest post written by the team of Mascus.com. Visit them online if you need to buy new or used cranes.

The highest monthly increase nationwide in construction employment from March to April was recorded by Kansas (+8.7%, 5,000 jobs), followed by North Dakota (+6.5%, 1,300 jobs), Wyoming (+6%, 1,300 jobs), Oklahoma (+4.4%, 2,900 jobs) and Massachusetts (+3.8%, 3,900 jobs).

Hopefully these recent gains are a good starting point. Unfortunately, the last 12 months were difficult for the industry with 46 states and the District of Columbia losing construction jobs. The worst situation is in California. There have been 400,000 lay-offs since the 2006 peak. The state lost some 1,900 construction jobs also in April, but this number is smaller than in March which may be a good sign. Other states where the industry suffered the most include: Nevada, Colorado, Vermont, Washington, Idaho, Texas and Florida. The unemployment rate in the construction industry is 21.8% which is more than twice the national average.

Experts warn that despite recent construction gains, the industry will not return to pre-recession levels fast. The Recovery Act is helpful, but there are many delays in passing infrastructure legislation and the housing market is still fragile. The industry representatives expect further public investments as they are the only chance in creating more jobs. For the time being tight credit and high vacancy rates restrict activity in the private sector.

This post was written by the team of PennySaverUSA.com. Visit them online to find construction jobs in the USA.

When looking for jobs in constriction, you can not only check the websites with online classifieds popular in your area, but also visit specialized job searching boards, such as  ConstructionJobs.com.

Here is a short video where the advantages of the site are explained:

Internet is a great place not only to search for vacancies, but also discover valuable advice on how to write resume and cover letter or prepare for an interview. It also enables to find information about the prospective employer. According to the U. S. Department of Labor, the average unemployed person spends only 18 minutes a day hunting for a job. It is definitely not enough, so if you are currently unemployed and determined to change it, get yourself together and make the most of the Internet!

Desperate attempts to recover from, what some call, the worst crisis since the Great Depression may have benefited the economy but had an adverse effect on the workers. The strategies include reduction in money wages, cutting back on health insurance and enforcing a “speedup”, which means making the employees work faster and more effectively for the same amount of money and within the same time frames. Some companies would also declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy which allowed them to continue to operate, renegotiate debts and declare their union contracts null and void. As a result, the profit and the rate of it has been increased, though at the expense of workers According to economists, all these steps were necessary to gradually improve the global economy and succesfully overcome the severe recession in the USA by 2010.

Now, with the beginning of March 2010, a question arises: were they too optimistic? Separate reports on U.S. economy indicate that although certain improvement took place and the economy shows some traces of recovery, it’s far from being robust. The personal income rose 0.1 per cent which is far less that the economists had expected. As it has been reported by the Commerce Department, the construction spendings have dropped by 11.5 per cent when compared with 2009. At the same time, some companies and sectors managed to come out of the recession at an impressive pace, contributing to the “mixed picture” of the U.S. Economy. Take Mascus, for example, the online marketplace for buyers and sellers of used machinery and equipment. They have recorded one million visitors to its portals in November 2009 and managed to sustain that level until January 2010. This means, that the enterpreneurs feel safe and positive about the future of heavy industry as they visit the platform every month to buy, sell and keep the business moving. It’s difficult to say for sure which direction the U.S economy will go and what outcome it will have. For now, it is better to stay patient and wait until things go clearer, being neither a doomsayer nor too much of an optimist.

And don’t try this alone…