Ruben Silva

Day in the Life of a Heavy Equipment Technician

For Ruben, communication is key to making sure everything gets taken care of safely and timely at his site.

At the beginning of the week, a game plan is created to sketch out what needs to get done and who’s going to do it. This plan is shared with the group so that everyone is on the same page, and if any adjustments are made, everyone gets notified to stay in the loop.

Daily morning team meetings cover everything from safety topics to issues with machines, to anything pressing the rest of the team may need to address. Once equipment inspections are done, the team meets again to go over anything that may need to be immediately addressed and work that into their schedule. That constant communication with one another makes it easy for the team to pivot when, inevitably, unexpected equipment needs arrive.

In addition to communication, safety is Ruben’s top priority and another key to success.

“We always look out for each other and help each other out. We built this motto – ‘We come in together and we leave together. We go home the same way w came in, safe and sound.’

We just have fun and get stuff done at work. When faced with a tough task, our attitude is ‘let’s knock this thing in the mouth.’ I love coming to work, and what makes it enjoyable is being with these guys day in and day out. We come up with a plan weekly, we get everything ordered ahead of time, and we make sure the technicians are set up for success. We’re still working on getting better and we’re not done yet. Perfection is what we’re striving for, and with this team we know we’ll get it done.”

#yagottawanna Advice from a Bulk Badass
“You have to have thick skin and you have to have patience. A lot of people get impatient and rush a job. That’s how people get hurt. And you have to be patient because when a customer is on you to get something done, you have to be able to take the criticism and understand how to deal with it in a professional way. – advice from a 35-year blue collar industry badass given to Ruben Silva Sr. when he first started out.