Hi folks! Where I work is Mon-Fri, a lot of the guys at my work do agency work every other weekend. Don’t really need the money myself, but I’m thinking I could use this to gain valuable experience in other types of vehicles (Instead of just cages, pallets and tail lifts) I’ve all ways fancied doing tippers, bulk or 8x4. Looking through the job centre website, the odd tipper jobs that are advertised through agencies all ask for “Experienced tipper drivers wanted” I have no experience what so ever, - Wouldn’t stop me from applying. What the thing I keep seeing is “Must have EPIC card” So my questions are…
Is a EPIC card for all quarriers, or just Bardon? If just Bardon, would you need a different one to work in a Cemex quarry?
Is it possible I could approach one of these quarries and get the EPIC card, or would I have to be associated with a tipper company?
Is it a expensive qualification? How often does it need re-done 3 years, 5 years?
Do some tipper firms operate with out EPIC cards, as in tipper firms who don’t operate out of quarries?
Again it’s just for the odd Saturday shift, mostly for experience doing something other than up and down on a tail lift. I hear there is going to be some revamp of the M8/M73/M74 coming up soon, so possibly might be a shortage of drivers (as well as DCPC coming into play).
Any info on EPIC cards would be greatly appreciated, as well as info on (or experience working with/for) small tipper companies in the ■■■■■■■■■■■ / Falkirk / Stirling area
EPIC is valid in all quarries. If you regularly do work on behalf of Bardon/Aggregate Industries, you’ll also need one of their own cards.
Don’t know of any tipper firm who runs out of quarries that take on without the card. You never know when you’ll be asked to produce it. It’s valid for 5 years and now goes towards your DCPC.
The golden rule with tippers, is to always make sure you are on level ground before you send the body up, otherwise there is nothing much to them, other than racing around like a demented wasp all day long. Also watch your weights if muck shifting on sites, as they pay per load and will try to overload you if you let them. If they argue, just tell them you’ll empty the entire load off, that always does the trick…
G6Bob:
Cheers Bacon, Any ideas how I would go about getting the EPIC card? Do you know whats involved in getting one?
Mostly done by the large quarry companies (Lafage Tarmac, Bardon, etc) Local hauliers book en masse for their drivers and is usually held at the local quarry. Ring round a few to see if they’ve any weekend work available. You never know. Muckaway work may be different but I don’t know as I’ve never done that type of work.
Usually involved being very bored for 7 hours.
alamcculloch:
I have done some tipper work in the school holidays dont have an EPIC and never asked for one.I would rather do tippers than multi drop.
Fair point but I’ve been in lots of quarries and if it’s the first time I’ve been in, I’m usually asked for it. Even my local quarries have a random check day, so you never know.
LIBERTY_GUY:
otherwise there is nothing much to them, other than racing around like a demented wasp all day long.
Never raced around in my life and never will thank you. But, as I’ve said, I’ve never done muckaway so it may be different to the batch plant feeding that I do.
Its called a MPQC card now I think, I was looking in their website and it does seem they run courses around the country, I think the course costs about £120.
Most of the big players like Hanson,Lafarge/Tarmac,Cemex and AI demand you have 1 and I believe Cemex want you to have 1 even if you go into a unit to collect.
If you are near to 1 of these companies bigger quarries its worth asking if you can tag onto the next course.
LIBERTY_GUY:
Also watch your weights if muck shifting on sites, as they pay per load and will try to overload you if you let them. If they argue, just tell them you’ll empty the entire load off, that always does the trick…
Thanks for all the replies, Do all modern tippers have scales fitted to weigh the load? if not how do you tell?
If you’re doing muckshifting, only on building sites or where ever, a EPIC card isn’t required?
alamcculloch:
I have done some tipper work in the school holidays dont have an EPIC and never asked for one.I would rather do tippers than multi drop.
Mcculloch, was it quarry or muck shifting you did without the EPIC card?
LIBERTY_GUY:
Also watch your weights if muck shifting on sites, as they pay per load and will try to overload you if you let them. If they argue, just tell them you’ll empty the entire load off, that always does the trick…
Thanks for all the replies, Do all modern tippers have scales fitted to weigh the load? if not how do you tell?
If you’re doing muckshifting, only on building sites or where ever, a EPIC card isn’t required?
Some (not all) tippers have a weight scale, but from experience I often found there was disparity between what they said and what the weighbridge said…
You don’t need an epic card on building sites, but may need a CSCS card, which is a different card altogether. Someone that has been on muck shifts more recently may be able to advise you more on that.
Have done both quarry work and muck shifting.Agency sent me to tipper firm doing road repairs and laying new school play grounds.Also had work where a school was being demolished and took building rubble to land fill site.
I had an epic card when I used to work out of a bardons quarry for one of their subbies cos they said we had to have them. But when I done a shift through an agency at another companies quarry and was asked if I knew what I was doing, when I said I’ve got my epic card the reply was So what that doesn’t mean anything. So probably worth ringing around some of companies that run tippers near you before you splash out on one.
As said above always tip on level ground, watch out for over head obstacles watch your weight and make sure you check for stones etc stuck between the rear tyres.
There are three companies that I’ve heard about locally, Denny Tippers, Brown Soils and Hunter demolition that I’ve been told don’t do quarry/tar work, just muck shift and demolition jobs… Anyone any experience of these companies?
