Hi Joe
By the sounds of it Rick got it easy!!!!!!
I had 2 full 10 hr day inductions before I could even go on site. Once i started I spent 2 full weeks minimum 10 hr days in the class room doing all the procedures and going through all the rules and regulations. I got two work books about 40mm thick each .......... basically needed to know everything that was in them at the end of 2 weeks. We spent roughly about 4 hrs in a simulator and that was only to simulate emergency braking and if it came to the crunch you knew what you were doing.
After 2 weeks in the class room you then have to spend a minimum of 12 shifts so nearly a month with a trainer sitting next to you or in some cases following in a light vehicle until your deemed competent (At least one person I know took over 33 shifts before someone would pass her out)
After that your on your own till they move you from the 12hr roster to the 8hr and on to the 9 hr before you get back on the 12hr roster which is the best one to be on.
Joe the problem with the simulator is you can't "feel" with it if that makes any sense. I was the only one in the group I went through that had operated before and found the simulator hard because it I couldn't feel the response of the machine. What made it worse was I had come from a mechanical truck back ground to electric drive and there is a fair bit of difference between them.
Joe I reckon you would have no issues with the excavator simulator because of your radio control diggers. You operate without feeling the machine and this is what the simulator lacks. It is good for people that have never operated.
Kangaroos are an issue where we mine and at least one a day is to slow for the trucks.
Rick are your trucks speed limited ? Our maximum speed is 50km/hr. As far as i know we don't have an issue with over loads as they aim for 218t maximum payload. This something that Komatsu have put in place as a warranty measure. But that doesn't mean that trucks don't get over loaded just doesn't seem to restrict it's speed.
The emphasis is on the load unit operators not to overload the the trucks. But half the scales don't work properly or there is a problem with the computer systems or they just don't have scales. Also the loading units have scales so they go off those but without the truck scales there is nothing to check their accuracy against. The foreman often tells them throughout a shift how the loads are if they are to heavy or light or to slow turning trucks around and so on.
We use a 35t excavator to scrap out the bodies on the trucks when they get a build up in them or when they have to go to the work shop. Or the cannon of the water cart to blast it out if the little digger is unavailable
They don't like you to shake the trucks to much as it can cause issues and things break but if you have to do it reverse hard till you hit the wind row then break pull the hoist up all at once.
Night shift isn't that bad but all depends on what your doing and when you can have your break.
The computer system basically only records what the operator does so if you got hit the brakes hard it will record it as hard brake application and warnings go to dispatch and the foreman, same deal for over speeds.