Many, however, work for other types of companies or for public agencies like utility companies or highway departments that do their own maintenance or construction work. There are also jobs for Operating Engineers in places like factories and mines, operating cranes and hoists, and in the woods dragging logs and building haul roads. The difficulty of the Operating Engineer's work depends largely on the complexity of the machine being used and the demands of the job. Operating a large crane, particularly in handling a heavy load or lifting materials of all sizes to great heights, requires a high degree of skill, while operating an air compressor requires less skill. Most Operating Engineers work outdoors.
Some jobs are in remote areas in forests, mountains, deserts, and along the coastline.
The work of Operating Engineers is physically demanding and conditions on the job are often difficult because of extreme weather conditions and variations in terrain. Operators must coordinate the action of their machines with other activities, making minute by minute judgments to do their work safely and efficiently. Most jobs for Operating Engineers are seasonal with peak activity taking place during the summer months. Interruption of the work due to unfavorable weather is possible at almost any time of the year. In some types of work such as dam, pipeline, and highway construction, workers move from place to place as work is completed on one project and started on another.