Get Operators Involved in Equipment Maintenance

Companies are wise to train their employees how to keep equipment in top shape

Get Operators Involved in Equipment Maintenance

Some companies have the luxury of trained mechanics on site to handle any equipment problems. Even if this is the case for you, keeping the actual equipment operators involved in the upkeep of machinery is important. It’s the operators who run the equipment on a day-to-day basis, and they are the ones who know the machines best.

Pete Paulsen, owner of Paulsen Construction, based out of Eagle, Colorado, says his company does not have an in-house mechanic. Right off the bat, Paulsen starts training his operators to be vigilant about the upkeep and maintenance of his machines.

Take the Time

The key to getting operators involved in equipment maintenance and upkeep is to start training immediately. Paulsen has new employees shadow him until he’s confident they’re able to handle the routine on their own. He trains them on each piece of equipment, and he doesn’t let them go off on their own until he has full confidence in their ability to handle a variety of situations.

Paulsen has seven machines including three trackhoes, a loader, a backhoe, a skid-steer and a dump truck. He expects the operator running each machine to know how to handle fluid checks and changes, hose repairs and basic troubleshooting when something is wrong.

“Typical maintenance includes a walk around the machine and checking hydraulic, coolant and oil levels,” Paulsen says. “I train my guys to look for obvious problems. I expect the employee running the machine to be able to see that all is well or if something is wrong.”

One of the things Paulsen has his guys do as part of the walkaround is to grease all fittings.

“On a trackhoe, there may be upward of 50 fittings,” Paulsen says. “As you’re doing the greasing, you’re looking at every hydraulic connection on the machine. Hopefully you’re going to see if there’s something wrong.”

Paulsen also trains operators to open all of the compartments in order to check fluids. Completing these checks as part of a daily routine can make a difference. An operator gets to know his machine, and if something is off one day, he has the instinct to shut it down and figure out what’s wrong.

Handling the Problem

If there’s a problem with a machine, best-case scenario is being able to take care of it before getting to the job site. However, Paulsen says that this is not always how it works.

“If we get to a job, fire up a machine, and it doesn’t sound good, I train my guys to turn it off immediately,” Paulsen says. “At that point, we do another walkaround and try to figure out what’s going on.”

In Paulsen’s experience, if there’s a problem with a machine, the operator is going to feel if something’s wrong.

“If the machine is running sluggish, or if there is a strange smell, something is up,” Paulsen says. “Generally speaking, it’s a hydraulic leak or a cooling leak. The tricky part is finding the leak. The operator has to go through the machine and find the cause. If it’s a hydraulic leak, you’ll see the fluid on the ground because it sprays.”

Assuming all that’s needed is a replacement hose and the part is available, the whole repair can usually be completed in an hour or two.

One thing Paulsen has had to stress is the importance of checking gauges throughout the duration of the job.

“It’s hard to get operators to look at gauges because they’re focused on the job and getting it done well,” he says.

When something is really wrong, an alarm will sound, but Paulsen wants his employees to be diligent in knowing what’s going on with equipment at all times.

The time he takes to train his guys to troubleshoot and maintain his machinery is well worth his efforts. Paulsen is confident that if something happens with a machine on the job site, more often than not, he isn’t going to have to call in a mechanic. His operators will handle the situation and get back to work as quickly as possible.

“Keeping my operators involved in the daily maintenance and upkeep of equipment is simply a no-brainer, and it’s part of the job,” Paulsen says.



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