A Guide to Construction Equipment, Machinery, and Safety

Every construction site requires ample resources to function correctly, including resources for labor and material. Machines and equipment move resources in and around construction projects and perform some specific tasks humans can’t execute efficiently or at all.

Construction equipment serves various functions and comes in all shapes and sizes, from small ditch-digging devices to gigantic hauling trucks.

Some of the biggest machines ever to operate on land have been built to accommodate the construction industry’s needs. However, it has not always been that way. When the Egyptian Pyramids and China’s Great Wall were built, only hand labor was available. Workers moved the earth and performed their roles limited by the physical abilities they possessed. Today, machine power boosts production to heights only previously dreamed of by workers.

This article will cover some of the significant types of equipment used by today’s construction professionals, identify some of the top equipment companies, and explore how construction machines are purchased. We also examine why safety is an important topic, especially around construction machines and equipment.

What counts as construction equipment? From a legal perspective, construction equipment includes all appliances and equipment used in the construction process. Construction professionals mainly look at equipment as the general term for describing the machines used on job sites, devices such as backhoes, dump trucks, and graders. These apparatuses perform all kinds of functions, from ripping and tearing up the ground to hauling materials to different locations.

Today’s construction machines are divided into two core categories: earthmoving and material handling. Both types of machines are used across the entire industry, especially during heavy construction. Below, we take a closer look at what equipment rolls up under each category.

However, before we sort machines into categories, let’s first define the most common ones found operating at construction sites.

Understanding the common types of equipment used in the construction industry can help everyone better understand what activity occurs. From a safety perspective, knowing what activity is taking place on a job site makes workers better prepared to notice potential hazards that may arise and consider the precautions they need to take to protect themselves.