If you have a construction company, then surely you have invested in heavy machinery and equipment that cost a lot of money. These types of equipment need to be operated, handled, and maintained with care for long-term use. It is also an important part of your business excellence framework to have equipment that is safe and well maintained in order to minimise costs.
If not well taken care of, the equipment will suffer from wear and tears that will affect how well the equipment works.
In this article, we’ll take a look at the general things that you should do to ensure that all machinery is in working order.
Observing hygiene
Cleanliness should is a priority when dealing with equipment. Whether it is a hammer, pliers, or an excavator, you should ensure that when the job is done at the end of the day, the tool or equipment is cleaned so that it can be ready for use the next day. The cleaning process may vary depending on the type of machinery that you are using and there are also different methods of cleaning for each of them. There are some that you will simply need to wet a cloth and then wipe off any kind of dirt or debris from it, while there are others that you will need special chemicals to clean effectively. It is essential to follow the steps that have been given for cleaning by the manufacturers.
Lubrication of the equipment
Most machinery that has moving parts need to be oiled from time to time in order for them to work flawlessly. The frequency of when to oil it will be determined on how often the particular tool is used. This will prevent the parts from accumulating rust. When that happens then corrosion sets in and then the wear and tear begins.
Adhering to the manufactures recommendations
Following the manufacturer’s advice is definitely the best thing that you could do. This is due to that fact that the manufacturer will know the best maintenance methods for their equipment, and they know what it is needed to make it last longer and better while also being certified with the occupational health and safety certificate that makes it suitable for use.
You should also get the repair parts from the same manufacturers that you bought the machinery so that you get the appropriate parts. It may be cheap to have other parts from different places, but chances are that it will affect the overall performance and shorten its lifespan. As a safety precaution, if a machine is specifically meant to lift or carry then you should not use it for other functions.
Storage
You may have followed all the other instructions religiously on how to care for the equipment, but you should also be knowledgeable when it comes to how you store the equipment. Heavy machinery, especially, should not be placed in unsafe locations or be exposed to the elements to observe construction safety.
You should ensure that these equipment is placed in a dry shed with a covering so that the weather elements like rain and hot sunlight doesn’t cause damage and degradation to the machines.
Buying such equipment is a huge investment and no responsible owner wants to waste or lose their financial investment so make sure that you take care of them in the best possible way.