Summer Construction Equipment Best Practices
Summer Construction Equipment Best Practices
Summer is the busy season for construction projects. You’re using your machines all day to handle a variety of jobs. The sun and heat can place additional strain on your equipment, eventually leading to operating problems and costly downtime if the right steps aren’t taken. To help you maximize uptime for your equipment, this article discusses the tips and best practices for working during the hotter months.
Inspect your cooling system
An important aspect of heavy equipment maintenance during summer construction is making sure your cooling system is operating correctly. Before beginning work each day, we suggest checking the cooling fans and watching out for damaged or loose blades. We also recommend removing excessive debris or dirt buildup on the fans. Another tip for summer construction projects is to power wash the radiator and cooler every few days. Humidity and dust buildup can coat and cover your radiators, air coolers, and oil coolers, limiting airflow and hindering system performance.
Operate your A/C the right way
Your A/C system is critical for effective equipment operation during the heat of the summer season. A typical cause of problems with machine air conditioning systems is operating them with the windows down. This practice places strain on your A/C, making it work harder than necessary and causing additional wear and tear and poor performance.
Store in the shade, if possible
When you’re not operating your equipment, we suggest trying to store it out of the sunlight, if you can. Consistent sun exposure will take a toll on your hydraulic hoses, paint, and especially your tires, potentially causing cracking and premature wear.
Work within your machine’s limits
An important tip for heavy equipment operation on summer construction jobs is: don’t push your machine beyond its recommended parameters. Overworking your equipment can cause overheating, unnecessary damage to engine, cooling system, and A/C components, and eventual breakdowns, and it should be avoided at all costs. It’s also crucial to watch your equipment’s displays and warning signals when they alert you of overheating.
Implement a proper shutdown procedure
When handling summer construction projects, you have to give your machines enough time to cool after finishing work. Before shutting down your equipment completely, let its engine idle for a couple of minutes. If you happen to have access to a shaded area, perform this cooldown out of direct sunlight. A phased shutdown lets the engine cool down and turn off properly, avoiding unnecessary damage to its parts.
Ensure your crew is protected
Being successful on summer construction projects requires more than just heavy equipment maintenance; you also have to keep your crew cool, hydrated, and productive. They should avoid working in the sun for long periods of time, use sunscreen, wear breathable clothing, take regular breaks out of direct sunlight, and drink a lot of water. Everyone on your team should be aware of the signs of heatstroke; dizziness, nausea, confusion, slurred speech, throbbing headaches, and the immediate stopping of sweating. If you see these symptoms in yourself or anyone else, stop working and seek immediate medical attention.
If you have any questions about equipment operation during summer construction or heavy equipment maintenance in general, contact our team today.
