72401 – Heavy-duty equipment mechanics

Lead statement

Heavy-duty equipment mechanics repair, troubleshoot, adjust, overhaul and maintain mobile heavy-duty equipment used in construction, transportation, forestry, mining, oil and gas, material handling, landscaping, land clearing, farming and similar activities. Apprentices are also included in this unit group.

Main duties

• Check bulldozers, cranes, graders and other heavy construction, agricultural, logging and mining equipment for proper performance and inspect equipment to detect faults and malfunctions
• Diagnose faults or malfunctions using computerized and other testing equipment to determine extent of repair required
• Adjust equipment and repair or replace defective parts, components or systems, using hand and power tools
• Test repaired equipment for proper performance and to ensure that work meets manufacturers' specifications
• Clean, lubricate and perform other routine maintenance work on equipment
• Service attachments and working tools such as harvesting and tillage equipment, blades, ploughs, winches and side booms
• May perform repair work on heavy trucks
• May attach components and adjust new farm equipment.

Employment requirements

• Completion of a three- to five-year apprenticeship program ora combination of over four years of work experience and industry courses in heavy equipment repair is usually required to be eligible for trade certification.
• Agricultural equipment technician trade certification is available, but voluntary, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.
• Heavy-duty equipment technician trade certification is compulsory in Quebec (only in the construction industry) and Alberta and available, but voluntary, in all other provinces and the territories.
• Completion of secondary school and training courses or a vocational program is usually required.
• Red Seal endorsement is also available to qualified heavy duty equipment technicians and agricultural equipment technicians upon successful completion of the interprovincial Red Seal examination.

Example job titles

heavy-duty equipment mechanic apprentice · backhoe mechanic · caterpillar tractor repairer · heavy equipment combination mechanic · construction equipment mechanic · construction equipment repairman/woman · crane repairer · diesel engine mechanic apprentice · diesel mechanic apprentice · diesel engine mechanic - heavy equipment · diesel mechanic - heavy equipment · diesel locomotive repairman/woman · dredge mechanic · excavating equipment mechanic · farm equipment mechanic · farm tractor mechanic · farm tractor repairer · heavy equipment field mechanic · fuel injection unit servicer - diesel · grading equipment mechanic · heavy equipment inspector-repairer · heavy mobile equipment repairer · heavy mobile equipment repairman/woman · heavy mobile logging equipment mechanic · heavy mobile mining equipment mechanic · heavy equipment mechanic · heavy-duty equipment mechanic · diesel engine mechanic · diesel mechanic · journeyman/woman heavy-duty equipment mechanic · locomotive mechanic · mobile logging equipment mechanic · mobile mining equipment mechanic · sideboom mechanic · tractor mechanic · mobile farm equipment mechanic · mobile farm machinery repairer · paving equipment mechanic · power shovel mechanic · farm machinery wheelwright

Wages (per hour)

Source: Job Bank wages, 2025 release (ESDC). Low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles.