The broad category of motorized, industrial-scale machinery designed to perform severe construction operations. This includes excavators, bulldozers, graders, and loaders. These machines rely on hydraulic systems and massive diesel engines to multiply force, allowing crews to move thousands of cubic yards of soil or lift heavy steel beams.
Heard on the job
Keep all foot traffic clear of the heavy equipment while the operators are trenching the foundation.
Also heard as
- heavy machinery
- yellow goods
Do not mix it up with
- Heavy machinery: Heavy equipment usually refers to mobile vehicles, while heavy machinery can include stationary industrial plants, though on site they mean the same thing.
Related terms
Earthmoving
The process of excavating, transporting, and grading soil and rock to prepare a construction site.
Backhoe
A heavy equipment vehicle featuring a loader bucket on the front and an articulated digging arm on the rear.
Crawler crane
A heavy lifting crane mounted on an undercarriage with caterpillar tracks.