What do they do?

Operate underground loading or moving machine to load or move coal, ore, or rock using shuttle or mine car or conveyors. Equipment may include power shovels, hoisting engines equipped with cable-drawn scraper or scoop, or machines equipped with gathering arms and conveyor.

Also known as:

Buggy Man, Coal Hauler Operator, Continuous Miner Operator, Equipment Operator, Load Haul Dump Operator (LHD Operator), Loader Operator, Loading Machine Operator, Miner, Miner Operator, Muck Hauler, Mucker Operator, Production Miner, Ram Car Operator, Shuttle Car Operator, Underground Miner

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Loading and Moving Machine Operators, Underground Mining is projected to Decline 5 percent from 2020 to 2030

Projected Employment in OH

No Data Available
  • -5.7%

    Change

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    400

    Job Openings

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Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (<1%)
  • Master's degree  (1%)
  • Bachelor's degree  (6%)
  • Associate's degree  (7%)
  • Some college, no degree  (24%)
  • High school diploma equivalent  (52%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (11%)

People in this career often have these skills:

  • Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

People in this career often have talent in:

  • Control Precision - The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.
  • Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
  • Reaction Time - The ability to quickly respond (with the hand, finger, or foot) to a signal (sound, light, picture) when it appears.

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Install electrical components, equipment, or systems.
  • Connect cables or electrical lines.
  • Operate vehicles or material-moving equipment.
  • Remove debris or damaged materials.
  • Move materials, equipment, or supplies.
  • Position material handling equipment.
  • Operate excavation equipment.
  • Operate conveyors or other industrial material moving equipment.
  • Signal others to coordinate vehicle movement.
  • Remove debris from work sites.
  • Inspect equipment or facilities to determine condition or maintenance needs.
  • Clean equipment or supplies.
  • Perform manual service or maintenance tasks.
  • Clean machinery or equipment.
  • Maintain material moving equipment in good working condition.
  • Operate locomotives or other rail vehicles.
  • Record operational or production data.
  • Review work orders or schedules to determine operations or procedures.
  • Communicate with others to coordinate material handling or movement.
  • Monitor loading processes to ensure they are performed properly.
  • Communicate with others to coordinate vehicle movement.
  • Inspect locomotives or other railroad equipment.
  • Direct material handling or moving activities.
  • Measure product or material dimensions.
  • Weigh materials to ensure compliance with specifications.
  • Verify information or specifications.
  • Operate equipment or vehicles to clear construction sites or move materials.

This page includes data from:

O*NET OnLine Career data: O*NET 28.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (“USDOL/ETA”). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Logo Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics

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