Tag: safety: Page 6

How to do Everything Better

How to get a good oil sample on construction equipment

According to Dan Arcy, global OEM technical manager for Shell Lubricants, an engine oil analysis program requires users to follow a few fundamental procedures that often don’t get the attention they deserve. Some tips: • Provide a proper oil sample to the lab. If you take your sample when the oil is being drained, catch […]

July 29, 2019

How to do Everything Better

7 things to do before an equipment auction

If you want to get a good deal buying heavy equipment at auction, doing your homework – hours of homework – is essential. Things happen fast at these auctions and you can miss out on great opportunities or overplay your hand if you’re not ready. Here are some tips: Identify your needs. Make a list […]

July 29, 2019

How to do Everything Better

How to calculate construction owning and operating costs

Owning costs = purchase price of machine + financing + taxes – disposal price (what you get for that machine when you resell it). Operating costs = labor + fuel + maintenance + replacement costs of tires, tracks and other components + overhead. Add the owning to the operating costs and you have your O&O […]

July 29, 2019

How to do Everything Better

Make sure your load is secure

Moving heavy equipment safely is no small task. If not done properly, the results can be disastrous. During loading, keep the following in mind: Do not operate or load equipment that you do not know how to safely operate. When possible, place the equipment against a vehicle structure to help prevent forward movement – unless […]

July 29, 2019

How to do Everything Better

Know your limits: Towing more than 5,000 pounds with a half-ton pickup is against the law

That commercial showing a pickup taking on a heavy load sure does look good. But you first need to read the small print in the manufacturer’s owner manual. Half-ton pickups have a 5,000-pound towing capacity, period. This can be problematic when you just want to haul your compact machine to the next jobsite. The weight […]

July 29, 2019

How to do Everything Better

7 tips for jumpstarting heavy-duty equipment

When the mercury drops, equipment can sometimes get cantankerous when starting. Clore Automotive says these tips will get your engine humming again: Make sure you use a jumpstarter that can be used on heavy equipment. Keep your jumpstarter charged, especially during extreme temperatures, which are hard on a battery. If possible, store it above 50 […]

July 29, 2019

How to do Everything Better

A quick primer on using GPS in construction

The GPS you get in your car is accurate down to about 10 meters. How then can you get a dozer, excavator, rover or survey instrument to record GPS points down to within a few centimeters? The secret is in the base station for the site. This is set up on a surveyed and known […]

July 29, 2019

How to do Everything Better

How to stop operators from idling too much

This tip came from a 2014 Equipment World Contractor of the Year finalist Landon Floyd of Precision Pipeline in Cedar City, Utah: Have all your guys park their personal vehicles in the yard one day and drive them out to the site in a van or have them carpool. Make them leave their keys at […]

July 29, 2019

Safety

Trench violations lead to $212,158 in proposed fines for Mo. contractor

A Missouri contractor faces $212,158 in proposed penalties for exposing employees to potential trench collapse, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration. R.V. Wagner Inc. of Affton, Missouri, was installing concrete stormwater pipes January 11 in St. Louis without a trench box or other trench protection and no safe exit from the trench, […]

July 25, 2019

Safety

Two workers die in trench collapse in Ala.

Two workers for a drainage company died July 23 in a collapsed trench in Hoover, Alabama. The trench was 8 feet deep, and the buried workers were found 7 feet down, according to al.com. Hoover Fire Department Capt. Scott West said the department received the call at 3:04 p.m. and were using hand shovels to […]

July 24, 2019

Safety

Construction safety and the importance of saying “stop”

After the FIU pedestrian bridge collapse, the report noted failure to communicate and acknowledge safety concerns which are exactly why safety is so important.

July 17, 2019

Safety

OSHA reminds employers to protect workers from extreme heat at work sites

Heat illness prevention programs for workers exposed to high temperatures should include access to water, rest, and shade. Learn more here on Equipment World.

July 10, 2019