Common Mistakes People Make When Handling Heavy Machinery

There's a lot that you have to do in order to make sure that your heavy machinery lasts as long as possible so that the repair costs stay low. Unfortunately, it's common for operators for heavy equipment to make certain mistakes that lead to the necessity of repairs.  While repairs are likely always going to be necessary at some point, it will be better if you pay attention to potential mistakes so you can avoid them.

Failing to Test for Lubricants

Heavy machinery equipment tends to require a large amount of lubricant in order to function. This means that if you don't test lubricants on a regular basis, you could end up with serious damage to any equipment you're using in the meantime. In addition to checking lubricant levels daily, you should also take a look for signs of problems related to lubricants.

For example, sometimes pistons have extra oil on them when they shouldn't. Sometimes you can see signs that a sealed oil compartment is leaking. Even if the level was filled to where it should be, that doesn't mean that a leak can't happen, which leads to unsafe levels of lubricant.

Letting Training Expire

Heavy equipment is especially one of those areas where technological upgrades are going to have a frequent effect. This is especially the case if you've had any upgrades to your equipment in the near past. This is also the case if new operators enter your company when they don't have a current license.

Your understanding about the machinery could end up out of date quickly. Nothing will lead to a situation where you have to now repair a broken machine faster than failing to understand some new aspect of its operation. For example, if the controls have changed, you can end up giving shock damage to the machine due to improper technique.

Failure to Notice an Ongoing Problem

All parts of heavy equipment are going to wear down over time, especially any parts that are high impact such as the forward parts of a crane or anything that hits into dirt or concrete like a drill bit. Checking for signs of something that's nearing the end of its life such as from too much exposure to high temperature or overuse is critical to avoiding the need for excessive repairs.

Heavy machinery parts are often all dependent on one another, so one failing part can damage other parts of the whole unit. 

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