Whether you know it or not, fleet maintenance has a big effect on your safety program. Complex equipment such as aerial devices, cranes and digger derricks are built to work hard in tough environments, designed to exacting national standards and intended to reward owners with a long service life. They are also a large investment that needs to be protected by following the manufacturer’s guidance for safe operation and maintenance.
It’s likely your safety team is hard at work enforcing safe work rules, implementing programs, compiling safety metrics and tracking OSHA reports. Meanwhile, a poorly maintained piece of equipment may be creeping closer to failure, threatening to undo all those efforts keeping workers safe on the job.
Make Maintenance Programs a Priority
Fortunately, Altec’s unit maintenance manuals give you extensive guidance on preventive maintenance schedules and detailed instructions on performing the important tasks that keep your equipment safely in service.
Your fleet needs the right kind of maintenance program, with inspection intervals timed for the severity of operating conditions. Heavily used units need more frequent inspection and maintenance. Think of the difference between a New York City taxicab and Grandma’s Crown Vic. Which one will need more preventive maintenance or repair? Of course, sitting idle in the garage can also pose problems, but a well-designed fleet maintenance program will consider that too.
Take Your Training Seriously
Fleet programs are part of the equation, but there are human factors, too: the people using the equipment and the people maintaining it. Both groups could introduce risk or mitigation effects into overall operational safety. In large part, this depends on your effectiveness in two key training areas—training your operators and training your technicians.
Train Your Operators Properly
Trained operators break less equipment because they use it correctly. Too often, employers condone work methods that misuse and abuse equipment. This essentially trains operators to damage equipment, and it puts everyone at the job site at serious risk of injury.
Train Your Technicians Properly
Letting untrained technicians inspect and maintain complex equipment gives a dangerous false sense of security. If you don’t have trained mechanics who follow Altec’s maintenance procedures, call Altec Service. We have the resources to help keep your units safely in the field, protecting your workers and getting the job done.
Altec is Here to Help
Building a connection between your fleet maintenance and safety teams is a solid move toward protecting your workers. Start by asking the question, “How are we training our technicians and operators?”
If you need help, contact Altec Service to discuss maintenance training options. For operator training, contact Altec Sentry. Let our experts help you fix and operate your Altec units properly, putting your safety program on a better path toward prevention.
