Each season brings its own set of challenges to job sites. During the winter, you can expect bitter cold temperatures, deep snow and slippery ice. Each issue can put employees at risk, damage your equipment and put jobs behind schedule. Working during the winter season makes it feel more like survival of the fittest than an everyday challenge.
- Gloves are a needed requirement. Try not to remove your gloves or mittens if at all possible. Keeping your hands in your pocket while trying to keep them warm increases the risk of losing your balance.
- Forget coffee and cigarettes. Before doing any strenuous work, avoid coffee and nicotine. It increases your heart rate and may cause your blood vessels to constrict.
- Wear shoes or boots with non-skid soles.
- Don’t allow snow or ice to accumulate in work areas, clear them off immediately. Especially when they run off on scaffolds and roofs.
- Always wear a hard hat while going outdoors; this could protect you from falling objects as well as impacts caused by slippery surfaces.
- Monitor weather conditions by knowing the latest updates.
- Minimize the risk of frostbite or becoming ill by covering the exposed skin before stepping outside, taking a warm beverage and removing wet clothes immediately.
When using construction equipment during the winter season, you’ll need to take extra steps to keep that equipment running smoothly and prevent it from breaking down. Store tools in enclosed areas, and keep them in lightly heated areas if possible. You’ll need to keep oil, fuel or any other liquid at room temperature. When the temperature drops, oil can slowly turn into a solid. This change means that oil won’t flow smoothly, which can lead to major engine problems in certain equipment and machinery.
If you use battery powered equipment, keep the battery charge as full as possible. When temperatures drop to a specific point, batteries use extra energy to turn over. If you have to start your equipment several times, you could run out of power quickly creating a barrier to your work.
In cold temperatures, you should never turn on the engine and start using the machine at full power immediately. Let the equipment reach its normal operating temperature first by running the engine for a minute or two, take the machine on a short test drive and then put it to work.
Extreme temperatures can wreak havoc on tire pressure too. Inspect each piece of equipment before using it. Belt and hose cracks can easily form in cold weather conditions. With the right equipment in good functional condition, you can finish almost any job hassle free in the winter.
What makes a Lyon Auction unique among the auction circuit is that all of the equipment is in the same location. Companies are able to liquidate a large fleet of vehicles in a single location. Lyon Auction is able to help well-known companies from conception to the conclusion of an auction. This makes it headache-free and as enjoyable as possible for both the seller and buyer. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us, we’re listening!
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