Author Archives: Kevin

Heavy Equipment safety topics

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Heavy equipment is considered as one of the most important component in the construction industry. It not only termed to be important because of its utility in the construction arena but also it is far safer than the traditional ways of working in a construction site. When we talk about safety, there are 2 types of safety that comes in our mind. Firstly, the safety to the equipment and the second is safety to the people around. A construction company does not want to take any sort of risk on the site pertaining to the safety of the people and also wants the machines to work without any glitches.

We would be talking about what are the general steps that a company or an individual can take to ensure that the machine is in order.

Maintenance is the key:-

You just can’t expect the equipment to work all day for you without you bothering to service them once in a month. There are lot of things that needs to be checked in a machine every day before you start your work. There are some very basic things that you need to pay attention. Things like if the brakes are functioning properly, check the levers are in order, check if the engine is making noise before it starts and things thereon. Apart from that, you also need to keep a note on when was the last time you gave the machine for maintenance. Check if the engine oil was changed then and if all the parts were well lubricated. These are again few basic things that you need to keep in record while dealing with the safety of the machine.

Hire experienced operators:-

If you are a novice and are required to operate a machine which you do not understand a thing, please do not lay your hands on it. It is recommended that you hire an experienced operator who understands the equipment and can get the work done for you. If at all you feel that you know how the machine works but need little guidance, then you can always refer to the training guide that will direct you to use the machine properly. Don’t hire operators who are not confident with the equipment or have never operated on the machine before.

Wear safety accessories before you start your work:-

Many people simply skip wearing their safety accessories. They find it to be unnecessary and endanger their lives. Fatality does not knock the door before arriving and you can’t be so sure that you won’t commit any mistake that will lead to an accident. The safety accessories are a must to the operators. They should wear things like work gloves, sturdy shirt trousers and footwear that is primarily meant for doing such work, reflective vests etc.

Hand signals are a must:-

This is applicable when there are ground workers on the site. Extreme care needs to be taken to ensure that you do not bump off with any worker on site. Therefore, the operator as well as the worker should know the hand signals.

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How does your heavy construction equipment handle the cold weather?

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Heavy construction equipment are usually tough machines and they are able to work under tremendous hostile weather conditions. But at times, especially during cold weathers, they come across a lot of complications that result in nonperformance of the equipment. Construction industry is a billion dollar industry and nonperformance of the heavy equipment for a single day means a lot to the industry. They may incur huge loss if the machines cease to work for a day or two. Therefore, it becomes very crucial to keep the machines in check throughout the year and when it is winter time, pay extra care to it.

We would be discussing as to what care an owner should take to protect its machine from cold weather and keep it working throughout the year.

Regular oiling to keep the machine lubricated:-

Heavy equipment majorly work in rough terrain and external dust particles are bound to enter the machine through various entry points. It may not be possible for anybody to keep a check on those entry points and fill them up so that the dust particles do not find a place to enter. Understanding the situation, it is imperative that the machine is kept lubricated all the time. This will not allow the dust particles to stay at the place for long and will easily slip away. Having said that, it is also important to clean the machine once or twice in every month. Apart from this, during cold weathers, the oil gets condensed and finds it difficult to flow inside the engine valve. In such a situation, regular changing of engine oil will help to keep the machine in good health. So, during winter, we may have to change the engine oil and also lubricate the machine more often than we used to do it in other seasons.

Ensure that the brakes are in order:-

Most of the times we pay a lot of attention to important things and skip stuffs that we believe are not so important. Same goes in the case of heavy equipment. We may give lot of importance to the maintenance and servicing part of the equipment but at times, we fail to check the brakes of the machines. According to experts, checking the brakes is the first thing to be done before you begin your work. Majority of accidents happen due to brakes not functioning properly and at the right time. It not only causes damage to the machine but may also become fatal to the workers working on the site. Checking if the brakes fluid is at the proper level should be considered as a priority. Only when you are sure that the brakes are in good condition that you should start your work.

Check if the electrical systems are in order:-

Checking the electrical system is also an important part to ensure that the machine is in good health. The battery should be fully charged and the connections should be proper. It should not happen that while you’re working with the equipment, you press the button and it cease to work. It may only lead you into trouble.

 

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Safety norms can’t be ignored in a construction site

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Construction industry is a multi-billion dollar industry and like every big industry it also has areas that can create trouble for the owner of the business. This industry has many such areas but it seems that people have learned how to tackle them effectively and continue running the business. However, there is one such thing that recurs in spite of several steps taken by the governing body. The area is “Safety”. When we talk about Safety, it is not only limited to the safety of the people working in the site but also relates to the heavy equipment that are working along with the men. There have been several safety norms laid by companies but still accidents are bound to happen. At times, it is beyond our control but most of the time, it is within our reach. So how can something that we try to avoid safety happen so often. It is perhaps we tend to get over confident on ourselves and somehow believe that nothing is going to happen and therefore see no use of following the safety norms. This is where we lose our focus from one of the most important aspect that this industry relies on.

Wearing helmets while inside the construction site:-

We may skip to do something as simple as wearing helmets inside the construction site. While we enter the site, we probably do not see any danger but danger does not give a call before coming. A small piece of stone falling from the 20th story building can drill your head leading to serious injuries and you never know if the accident will happen to you or not. Therefore, skipping the most generic part of safety is for sure asking for trouble.

Hire qualified and experienced operators:-

We all want to save money but certainly not at the cost of our or someone else’s lives. What happens when you hire an operator who is not qualified to operate the equipment you want him to work on or for that matter you yourself want to see how it feels to be inside the cab. A wrong push of the lever and a major accident is on its way. You are not supposed to play around with things that are of so much importance. If you want to learn things, learn it from the right person. Hire a qualified and experienced operator. Even if you have to pay more to him, please do so. At least you will be assured that your men and machines will be safe.

Don’t allow the operator to do overtime:-

You may have lot of work to finish on the site for which you need the operator to work overtime. A couple of occasions of overtime are fine but do not make it a habit. Remember, operators are humans and not machines and they need proper sleep or else if they go drowsy at work.

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Komatsu has a lot of expectation from the year 2015

The slowdown of the global economy has put many big as well as small companies in the worry zone and many say it will perhaps take a couple of more years for them to see the glory days. So till then they have to do is to conduct business in the normal fashion without taking more risks. Taking risk at this juncture is only going to tarnish the reputation of the company because it is highly unlikely that you may get any high returns by taking unnecessary risks. Therefore, it is prudent that one carry on their businesses with caution as that will help them to conduct their business with impunity. Many big companies have seen a decline in their sales volume and they feel that the global slowdown is the major reason why they have such a low sales figure. Other than this, businesses in some countries have taken the major hit which has impacted the overall sales figure. Many are even pondering if it will be wise enough to wrap up their businesses in countries where they have suffered maximum losses. That will in a way help them cut off some of their losses in the future. They may also consider to lay off few employees for the time being as that will be a way in which they can save some money for taking major financial decisions.

China which has lately emerged as the world leader as far as its economy is concerned has also seen a fall in the construction and mining sector. Komatsu which is one of the largest producers of heavy equipment feels that China is no longer the market leader. Their sales of equipment in China have fallen drastically than they could have ever thought of giving them a shock of their lifetime. Companies like CAT have similar views. Tetsuji Ohashi, the chief Executive Officer of Komatsu, has said in an interview that China is losing its sheen as far as the construction and mining sector is concerned. He even went on to say that China is losing its hold from the economic growth and it is finally scaling down. The sale of Komatsu equipment has dropped noticeably between April and May and there has high chances that it will miss the annual sales target. He also felt that China is experiencing huge delays in the commencement of some construction projects. Alternatively, he also feels that the demand for mining machinery is also declining. This all attributes to the total mess that is happening in that country affecting the business of the company.

He feels that the impact of the situation in China is big and they have to closely monitor the situation before coming down to a conclusion. They just can’t take a decision without forecasting few very important aspects and are optimistic that things will get back to normal in that country. Komatsu sales have declined to almost 20 percent but they have high hopes for 2015. They feel that the year 2015 will at least heal some of their wounds if not turn the table for them.

A Guide To Atlas Copco Dynapac Rollers

The construction heavy equipment has its own advantages. No machinery can replace the other one. Therefore, it’s become vital for a person working in the construction site to know the utilities of each equipment very clearly. Rollers also have its own separate function and it is mainly used for road construction. If you are intended to buy rollers, you must find out the job requirement and the machine’s applications. To know the basic applications of the Atlas Copco Dynapac rollers, just go through the following article.

Critical study on Atlas Copco Dynapac Rollers

Atlas Copco has finished the manufacturing of Dynapac rollers with the designing of CA1300 and CA 1500 models. The manufacturing of the Dynapac rollers was at first started in Bauma. The new logo of Atlas Copco is easily visible on the roller along with the company’s name. Its compaction performance has been optimized and its active bouncing control also known as ABC has been modified to prevent the damaging of the machine and over-compaction. The scheme of their color varies from grey to yellow.

The roller’s built-in safety operations and enhanced serviceability has taken the models to the level of perfection. Moreover, it saves the time and is cost-effective.

Features of Atlas Copco Dynapac Rollers

With fixed linear freight which extends from 70 to 365 lbs per in., the Atlas Copco CA rollers are the best for compressing gravel, sand, rock fill, clay and silt. It also has almost no effect of environment on it. The unusual characteristic of the ‘silent weights’ has improved the working of the compaction and has become a standard on the Dynapac models of CA4000 to CA6500.

The machine also has the fuel saving Tier IV engine which reduces fuel consumption and the emission of CO2 by allowing the roller only that much power to utilize which is required for its operation at any given time limit.

The CA rollers can be set up with a sustainable package having the feature of mainframe system of ECO rpm, a service pack available for 50 hours, a hydraulic fluid which can be biodegradable, working LED lights and an electric engine block heater.

The ergonomically manufactured cabs which are air-conditioned provide comfort ad fine visibility to the operator. You can easily access the cross-mounted engine and ensure transportation ease as it subdues the length of the machine.

It produces very low noise which allows the operator to stay alert even during long tiring working periods. The machine’s safety measures comprises of electronic drive control having a speedy function of brake. This function minimizes the braking gaps if you move the lever rapidly and an angle indicator. The systems of optional anti-spin or toggling gear shifting smoothly counteract the problem of loss of friction even in the most difficult situation.

The latest CA rollers are reachable in standard designed models as per the specifications of the owners and consists of the extra facilities of wide range of scrappers, bolt-on-pad shell for carrying out the applications of PD and the lamps for the smooth working in the night.

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John Deere business plans for the Year 2015

The year 2014 may have a wonderful year for many and not so wonderful year for some. But it was definitely not a very happening year for the heavy equipment manufacturing industry. They had to struggle a lot of factors for the entire year; out of which competition was the biggest factor. Other than this, there were factors like global economic slowdown, unrest in the Middle East nations, the overall business slowdown that has largely affected the mining, oil and gas and construction sector and many more reasons that has slow paced the overall industry. Overall, it has not been a great year for the overall industry and the forecast is also not so pleasant. Big and small equipment manufacturing companies are affected alike by the slowdown in the global economy. The sales of the equipment have gone for a toss and there are not much takers available in the market. This is perhaps the reason why many companies have suffered losses and their sales graph shows a massive decline which they have not seen for years.

Talking especially about John Deere, it has not remained unaffected by the impact of the slow paced market conditions. John Deere is known for producing agricultural and heavy equipment machines had to take the beating of the market. Deer’s outlook gave the news that for the new fiscal year the situation will be grimmer and they do not see any major improvement in the market situation. The outlook suggests that the sales of the equipment is estimated to take a dip of more than 15 percent for the current year and may further scale down to 21 percent during the first fiscal quarter. They also estimated that the net income of the company will be around $2 billion compared to $3.16 billion in the year 2014. Things were much better in the year 2013 with earnings of $3.54 billion. The fall in the number of earnings only suggest the performance of the company. It will not be superficial to express that the company needs to take some time out to think and revamp its strategies. May be they need to make some changes here and there and need to focus on few very important issues that may kick off the sales number from where it is now.

The news of poor sales has already affected the price of their shares in the stock market making it more difficult for the company. The company’s earnings were totaled at around $35 billion in the year 2013 which has now come down to $32.9 billion. This dismal performance has not brought down the morale of the employees of the company. The CEO of the company is positive that the company will bounce back and this time with a bang. Though there has been a global pullback in the agricultural sector, still the company will show profits in the year 2015. They have intended to prepare a more resilient model of growth that will help John Deere to turn the table to their favor.

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Application of Equipment Tracking Method for Mounting Profits and Lessening Downfall

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Generally the companies those who depend on the heavy equipment may sometime experience the decline in the profit margin and unfortunately breakdown of the business. The main reasons to this problem are the lack of maintenance of the heavy equipment; erroneous billings can lead to the path of over spending and loss in the market. To curb out the problem the management companies formulated a new kind of solution known as equipment tracking method. It is a constructive equipment executive structure that is appropriate to be utilized with any kind of apparatus.

Equipment tracking system helps the companies to gain knowledge of each and every appropriate machine and its usage. In accordance with the equipment facts the companies are being taught to expand productivity by monitoring equipment tracking solution. This system gives practical information about various equipments like forklift, light tower, bulldozer and generator.  Sometime the appliances are kept in the construction site for long days and when it is again needed it is complex to predict that for how much time the machine was in use. The incessant examining of the equipment in the equipment tracking technique helps in analyzing the longevity of the machine and decreases the fuel cost. Some of the oil and gas companies are applying this method to find out all possessions and equipment very easily. The equipments are connected with the internet connection and the location can be accessed simply. This system facilitates the oil and gas corporations to enhance punter service, perk up billing processes and augment communication with the distant manual workers.

The primary facet of the equipment tracking system is the substitution of customary paper equipment logbook with the computerized record diary. This solution proffers all kinds of information related to equipments and its eminence obligatory for cGMP agreement.  This scheme facilitates the companies with digital signatures and approvals and helps in optimization of handling apparatus. The safeguarding and the calibration measures are analysed electronically in a simpler and faster way. The system gives a practical announcement about the maintenance program of equipment and present the notice prior to the date of expire of any calibration event. This technique can be applied alone or can be accompanied with other well-designed operation management components to increase the output of the organisation.

To operate the equipment tracking technique a computer with internet explorer browser is required. Microsoft SQL Server is the principal database of this system. The client can go through the web page of this solution by browsing only internet explorer. The hardware and software versions are different according to the company’s category. This system is required to maintain an electronic logbook where the records of equipment cleaning, calibration are written. The other quality of this solution is the maintenance of the document in computerised manner so that at the time of approvals and review these documents can be presented very easily. The system also shows the longevity of the engine of any equipment and there is an indicator that displays the need of maintenance of the machine.

Working With the Forklift- Learning the Basics of the Operation

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Are you involved in the construction industry? Then loading and unloading, transportation and piling and stacking of heavy loads must be an inseparable part of your profession. And if that is so, then the forklift definitely makes it to your list of heavy equipment.

What Does A Forklift Do In The Construction Arena?

The forklift has been considered to be quite an important part of the construction industry or any of those fields that require carrying of loads from one place to another. let us take a look at the basic functions that a forklift performs.

  • Consider a heavy item that needs to be stacked in your warehouse. But you aren’t able to lift it for obvious reasons. The forklift comes in handy in such situations, helping to lift up things and placing them where required.
  • Forklifts also come in handy when you need to transport a heavy item from one place to another. Combining the functions of a vehicle and lifting tool, this utility of the forklift seems to be pronounced in the construction industry.
  • Apart from the aforementioned utilities of the forklift, it can also be put to use for loading and unloading goods.

All of the utility features of the forklift make it a great draw in various fields that involve working with heavy equipment.

Operate a Forklift- Getting Started

Employing a professional hand in the operation of a forklift is one aspect of the entire deal that construction supervisors need to keep in mind. However, getting to know the basics of the entire deal is always a good thing to do.

  • Donning the safety gear before operating the forklift is the first aspect of the entire deal that has to be kept in mind.
  • Being familiar with the various controls and meter readings of the forklift is another aspect that operators need to bear in mind.
  • Checking the entire heavy equipment for faulty parts or any potential signs of damage is another important aspect of the entire deal.
  • Make sure that the load that you pile on the forklift is stable and secure. It would also do well if you do not overload the shanks of the forklift.
  • It is important for the forklift operators to ensure that they keep the loads as close to the ground as possible. This minimizes the chances of mishaps. It is also best to drive at moderate speed and not go too fast with the loads.
  • When bringing the forklift to a halt, it is important to slow down the equipment gradually and not suddenly. Neutralizing the controls of the equipment is another area that should be kept in mind.

Before actually operating the forklift in the construction arena or the like, it would do well for the drivers to hone their skills in a separate area- some place where people won’t get hurt. Operators who have just foot in the arena would do well to operate the entire thing under the supervision of an expert until they gain a certain amount of experience.

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Case sees the year 2015 as the year of development

The year 2014 has not been a great year for many heavy equipment manufacturer and many have struggled hard to keep their business at bay. It is not that they see a possibility of shutting their business altogether, but they definitely see a hard time ahead. Few equipment manufacturing companies feel that the forthcoming year will bring joy and prosperity to their business. However, others do not support this view point. Some are also of the opinion to wrap up their businesses from the country they do not see much happening in the future and may focus in only those countries where they anticipate good business. This is the case with almost all the big companies. However, there are also some companies who keep a different perspective. They believe that it will make more sense to simply wait and watch how the overall market performs. Especially, for companies who are located in developing countries are more willing to sit tight and monitor the happenings. It is only after intensely pondering the situation that they might come to some conclusion. They just simply do not want to pull the trigger and later remorse on what they did.

Companies like Case sees this moment as a great opportunity. They feel that the year 2015 is the year of development for them and they have chalked out plans which suggest that they are determined to achieve growth consistently for the entire year. Having said that, they also assume that the forthcoming year will also be a year of immense challenges and it will not be easy for anyone to do business. They feel the reason for poor sales is because of falling demand. It does not have to do much with producing innovative machineries but has to do more with the fall of demand in the overall market.

Case has come with a not so unique way but definitely effective. They do not want any of their employees to do overtime and they feel that working for extra hours is not required in a market condition where the demand is low. For the time being, they do not intend to lay off any of their employees but are giving strong indication that they are certainly not hiring any additional labor force.  They are also working on the plan to reduce higher weekend salaries for its workers and will also significantly reduce their dependence on outsourced sections that will help them a long way to keep the cost in tack.

In order to protect the segment margins, the company has already started to act on its cost structure by bringing it in line with its inventory positions. As far as the agricultural equipment are concerned, it is estimated that they will see a fall in its sale volume for the entire year. Farmers who require machine with higher horsepower will shy away from buying due to weak crop prices. Nevertheless, they also feel that the situation may turn good at the end of 2015 and they will pick it from there.

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Advantages and Tips of Leasing Heavy Equipment for Construction and Mining Projects

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These days leasing of heavy equipment is considered to be a money saving option without compromising on the quality of the equipment. Both for short term and long-term purposes leasing can be the best option for the contractors and project managers in the construction or mining site. It has numerous benefits and advantages. Some of the outstanding benefits of leasing are as follows:

Leasing is cheap: If you don’t have adequate capital for spending then leasing is an excellent option. It will help you to get the heavy equipment you want. In case you need to upgrade your existing heavy equipment for an upcoming construction project you may need to spend hundred and thousand of dollars from the bank. If you consider leasing the equipment it can be cheap and less expensive.

 Saves capital for future:  It is not a shrewd idea to invest massive capital in purchasing new equipment. You need to save your precious money for unforeseen emergencies, economic downturn or in case of recession in the construction sector. Leasing is the best method of preserving money for future use and put together your capital for other activities. You need to make monthly payments for leasing a heavy machine or equipment for construction. You can avail small business credit from banks for financial assistance. So it is hassle free and helps you in preventing exhaustion of your cash.

Equipment leasing is also beneficial in cutting down operational expenses of the heavy equipments and finishing all the construction projects in stipulated time.

Helps in saving taxes: Under section 179 leasing gives you reduction up to $50,000.You need to discuss this matter with your tax consultant to avail this benefit. Your construction equipment you have taken for lease must come under this section so that you can avail tax benefit.

Tips of Leasing Heavy Equipment for Construction and Mining Projects

 

Research on which equipment you need: Compare the various kinds, brands, dimensions and models online to land with the best equipment. Research is important, as it will give you information on the various leasing or rental companies that provide tractors, scrapers, excavators, loaders, bulldozers etc.

Figure out how much time is needed to hire the equipment. The time period of renting heavy equipment spans from day by day, weekly, and monthly basis. So get to know in how much time you will get the equipments for hiring.

Use websites like RentItToday or Equiprent to find the least possible prices of renting equipments: They present leasing quotes free of costs for the heavy equipment you require. Apart from these websites you can get information from the Yellow Pages or use Google for searching.

Give back the equipment in time and in good state to avoid extra fees: Make sure you return the equipment in top condition without slightest damage.

To sum up leasing and renting a heavy equipment can be a daunting task but hiring it is beneficial for both small and big contractors in many ways.

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