Summer is right around the corner (in North hemisphere) and with rising temperatures comes a higher risk of overheating and wear down of your machines. Here are a few tips to prepare MEWPs for the hotter days!
Prepare your MEWPS before summer
Summer is a busy time for construction work. To prevent break downs and repair:
- perform any regular maintenance before the weather gets too hot,
- inspect fluids levels and fill your machine with the proper coolant,
- Check the cooling system in particular, look out for signs of corrosion or damage.
Excess dust in some areas can cause wear down and slowdown especially when it’s summertime. Therefore it is important to regularly clean your equipment and look over your components multiple times during dusty and hot weather.
Don’t forget to grease all necessary parts, especially the parts that move a lot as they have a higher chance of being damaged first.
Golden rules during summer
Don’t forget to continue your effort during the busy summertime. Here are the best practices to follow to protect your machine and yourself.
Summer weather can cause a lot of damage to the exterior of your equipment. Storing your machines away from the sun will help to better protect the engine and hydraulic hoses. If possible, minimize use during the hottest hours: around 11 am to 3pm.
Remember to pay attention to your environment; summertime is more prone to a dusty environment, which means less visibility, and cracked grounds that could lead to instabilities.
Watch out for any kind of overheat. Take care of the batteries by giving machines more time to cool down for example. Operators can also become overheated. Follow the 3 steps below to prevent heat strokes and heat exhaustion.
3 tips to prevent hot-related ailments
- Know the warning signs
You must be able to discern the first signs of heat exhaustion before it evolves into heatstroke. Light-headedness, mild nausea, confusion, sleepiness or profuse sweating are obvious signs of heat exhaustion. When working in the heat, monitor the condition of your co-workers and have someone do the same for you. Keep in mind the two tips below to prevent any of these symptoms from happening.
- Stay cool
Just like the machines, your body needs to cool down and should not be exposed to too much direct sunlight. Wear sunscreen, take multiple breaks away from the sun and wear your PPE correctly to prevent any additional danger…
- Stay hydrated
Hydration is key to not getting sick, so drink more fluids and stay away from drinks containing caffeine and sugar which might cause more dehydration.
While daily inspections and routine maintenance are necessary all year, you may have to put a bit more effort during summertime. If you want to avoid overwork of your equipment and heat exhaustion of your employees, make sure to follow the tips above.