Operating Support Equipment in WA: What You Need to Know
Support equipment such as skid steers, excavators, telehandlers, and other machinery plays a vital role in many of WA’s key industries, especially construction and landscaping. Whether you're shifting soil, loading materials, or preparing a worksite, these machines make the job faster and safer when used correctly.
Operating this equipment without the right training is not only risky, it can also be illegal. Equip-Safe’s nationally accredited Operate Support Equipment course provides the construction equipment operator training you need to safely handle this machinery and meet workplace standards.
What Is Support Equipment?
Support equipment includes a wide range of compact and mid-sized machines that assist with site operations and material handling. Equip-Safe’s course specifically covers machines like:
- Telehandler or Telescopic Handler (under 3 tonne GVM)
- Excavator
- Backhoe
- Vibrator Roller
- Sheep Foot Roller
- Front End Loader
- Integrated Tool Carrier
- Skid Steer Loader
This training is essential for anyone looking to become an equipment operator, gain a licence, or upskill for roles that require handling equipment.
Who Should Take This Course?
The Operate Support Equipment course is designed for:
- Construction workers involved in site setup, material transport, and earthmoving
- Landscapers managing soil, turf, and stonework with machinery
- Agricultural workers needing to load, lift, or clear land
- Tradies and general labourers wanting formal skills to expand their job roles
- Employers aiming to upskill staff and reduce risk on-site
Whether you’re working on large-scale commercial builds or smaller residential projects, this course provides the practical skills and formal recognition needed to operate key machinery confidently and safely.
Benefits of Training: Why Get Certified?
If you're looking to operate support machinery, formal construction equipment operator training gives you a major advantage. Here’s why it matters:
- Legal Compliance: Many worksites require certified operators—especially for plant like skid steers, telehandlers, and front end loaders
- Improved Safety: Learn how to conduct machine checks, use PPE, and reduce hazards on-site
- Career Flexibility: Adds credibility for those wanting to pursue other high-risk licences like an excavator licence
- Increased Employability: Stand out when applying for roles that involve machinery operation
Confidence on Site: Know how to handle the machine, troubleshoot issues, and work efficiently
Course Details: What You'll Learn at Equip-Safe
Equip-Safe’s Operate Support Equipment course (RIISSOO308F) is delivered face-to-face over one day and includes both theory and practical components. You’ll gain nationally recognised training from industry-experienced instructors.
Course content includes:
- Completing a Risk Analysis for the operation of the equipment
- Completing the routine checks in line with site procedures/operator’s manual
- Demonstrating knowledge of the main operating controls of the equipment
- Operating the equipment
- Operation and safety for different attachments
The type of equipment you require training for has specific course content that is relevant to that equipment. For example, if you require telehandler training, the course can also include:
- Using a bucket attachment to push up material, fill the bucket and dump material on a pile.
- Using a fork attachment to stack and unstack loads, travel with loaded forks and load/unload a truck.
Equip-Safe can work with you to make sure your course covers your needs and complies with national certification requirements.
Successful participants will receive a Statement of Attainment and a wallet-sized ID card, proving competency to employers and site supervisors.
Read the full course content for each equipment type here.
Start Your Support Equipment Training in WA Today
If you want to operate machinery like skid steers, front-end loaders, or telehandlers safely and professionally, Equip-Safe’s Operate Support Equipment course is your best option in Perth.
Whether you’re breaking into the construction industry or upskilling for new opportunities, this nationally recognised training gives you the confidence and certification to take your career further.
Enrol now to get certified and join WA’s growing community of skilled machinery operators.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a telescopic handler and a telehandler?
There’s no difference, “telehandler” is simply the shortened name for a telescopic handler. Both refer to the same type of machine used for lifting and material handling with an extendable boom.
Is a telehandler the same as a forklift?
Not exactly. While both machines can lift and place materials, a telehandler has a telescopic boom that extends forward and upward, giving it greater outward reach and flexibility with attachments than a standard forklift. Forklifts are optimised for lifting loads vertically in confined spaces such as warehouses, while telehandlers are better suited to construction or agricultural tasks that require extended reach, height, and versatility across uneven terrain.
What attachments can be fitted to a telehandler?
Telehandlers can be fitted with various attachments including fork tynes, buckets, jibs, crane hooks, and work platforms. The attachment used depends on the task, for example, forks for pallets or buckets for loose materials. Some attachments may change the machine’s licensing requirements. Equip-Safe’s Operate Support Equipment (telehandler) course includes bucket attachments and forks.
What’s the difference between a backhoe and an excavator?
An excavator has a fully rotating upper structure and cab, allowing 360-degree movement, and is mainly used for large-scale digging and earthmoving. A backhoe is smaller, wheel-mounted, and combines a front loader bucket with a rear digging arm, the operator swivels to face the rear attachment rather than the whole machine rotating. This makes a backhoe ideal for versatile work on smaller job sites where both loading and digging are required.
What is the difference between a vibrating roller and a sheep foot roller?
A vibrating roller uses a smooth drum that vibrates to compact asphalt or granular materials, ideal for roads and carparks. A sheep foot roller has a studded drum that kneads and compacts cohesive soils like clay, commonly used in earthworks and embankment construction.
What attachments can you use with a loader?
Loaders can be fitted with a wide range of attachments including buckets, fork tyres, grapples, brooms, and 4-in-1 multipurpose buckets. These attachments allow loaders to handle different materials, perform grading, and assist in general site clean-up or transport tasks.
What is the difference between an Integrated Tool Carrier and a Front End Loader?
An Integrated Tool Carrier (ITC) is similar to a Front End Loader but designed for greater versatility. ITCs feature a quick-hitch system that allows fast swapping of attachments, making them ideal for multi-task operations. Front End Loaders are generally larger and optimised for continuous material loading and transport.
What’s the difference between a skid steer and a bobcat?
There’s no difference, Bobcat is a brand name that became a common term for skid steer loaders. Both refer to compact, highly manoeuvrable machines used for digging, lifting, and site clean-up, often equipped with buckets, augers, or trenching attachments.
