Any construction company owner knows that maintaining their machinery is
tantamount to the success of their project. Your machinery has to be in good
working order so that you can complete the project on time, otherwise, you will
lose clients and your income. But sometimes, you might not be sure how to
continue with this maintenance.
By looking after your vital heavy machinery, you are ensuring that your construction projects will go off without a hitch. All construction equipment will need to be kept clean and rust free, no matter if it is heavy construction equipment or more simple machinery. If you want to keep your project up and running, read on below for some top tips on maintaining your heavy machinery.
You don’t keep your doctor’s visits to only one per year, you keep
yourself healthy by having regular checkups. And you should apply this mindset
to your heavy machinery. Set up a routine of checking your machinery at least
once every two weeks, especially if you are going to be working on a large
project.
Your routine checks should look at both the exterior and the interior of
the machinery, starting with the tyre pressure and ending with the driver’s
seat. Catching minor problems early on means that you can easily fix them
before they become major issues. Ask your maintenance managers to create a
schedule that is easy to follow, that makes sense and that is thorough enough
for all of your equipment to be inspected equally.
Keeping things clean extends to your working environment as well as your
machinery. You should be sure to inspect all seals and filters on your
construction equipment so that there is no contamination of the fluids and so
no dust can easily get in. If any of the seals are broken, be sure to replace
them as soon as possible.
The area that the machinery is kept in should be dust-free and should
not be close to any moisture sources, in order to avoid rust. Be sure to clean
the area of all rubble and rubbish after you have finished working for the day,
including all food wrappers and drinks bottles. Not only will this ensure that
no rubbish can get into any filters but your clients will be impressed with
your neat and tidy workspace.
One effective way to maintain your machinery is to ensure that you
always use the right tools for the job. This way you will be able to fix your
machinery correctly and will not battle with ill-fitting tools and incorrect
equipment. Similarly, you will need to ensure that you use the right
construction equipment for the job.
For example, you could not use agricultural backhoe loaders to help you
dig a hole for a construction site. If you use the right equipment for the job,
you will find that your maintenance needs go down. It will also make your
schedule easy to stick to, as you will know exactly which equipment is being
used when, and when you need to inspect this machinery. Ask your workers to
keep this in mind when they start a job and work on a maintenance schedule.
If you would like to know what needs to be fixed on your construction
equipment, you will need to be on the lookout for signs of wear and tear. This
includes misaligned gears and belts which are causing the machinery to vibrate
when in use,.Poor lubrication and old parts cause overheating and age causes
warped belts and cracked seals.
Take note of how old the parts of your vehicle are and take steps to
replace them as soon as possible. Your tyres will also need regular inspection
for uneven wear, inaccurate pressure and the wrong alignment. The condition of
your tyres can greatly impact the condition of your equipment engines and
overall performance. Make a note of any tyres that need to be repaired and
replaced and ask the manufacturer to do so, if you are still under warranty.
You might not remember what you had for lunch last Thursday, let alone
which of your pieces of equipment need to be repaired. And this is why you need
to keep good, clear maintenance records for every piece of machinery you use
and own.
This way, you can quickly turn to the right page in your records to see
how your heavy equipment is doing without having to guess. For example, you
might not remember that your digger needs to have its tyres replaced because
you did not make a note of it. This could be disastrous for anyone who has to
use it urgently or who does not know that this replacement needs to take place.
Ensure that all workers have a copy of these records to consult whenever they
use any equipment.
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