The proper selection and care of equipment is a critical key to any successful company.
There are many factors that can be considered in the purchase of equipment. These points, as well as how to properly care for this equipment after the purchase, were discussed at an Associated Landscape Contractors of America breakfast of champions at the GIE Show in Nashville, Tenn.
“It is good practice to include everyone who will operate, work on and pay the bills in the purchase of equipment,” explained Wesley Hadsell, managing member of HadcoServices, LLC, Bartlesville, Okla., and the leader of the roundtable.
After getting input from everyone at the roundtable, several factors were determined to be important in the selection of equipment:
- Budget restraints
- Size of equipment needed
- Internal investment
- Ease of repair
- Ease of operation
- Reliability
- Standardizing the fleet
- Snow removal capabilities
- Ease of transport
- Safety
After these factors have been considered and a purchase has been made, the proper care is critical to keep equipment running smooth for future use. According to Hadsell, behind every successful company, you will find a plan in place for operational training on and caring for the equipment, which must serve every time we turn the key or pull the rope.
Hadsell remarked that it is necessary to remember everyone is responsible for the care of the equipment from the employee to the supervisor to the manager.
Also, according to Hadsell, managers should continually ask themselves some very important questions. Who is paying the bills? Do we have a written policy for training the operators on both proper handling and daily service work? Where are the equipment manuals? What is the company policy on tampering with the safety switches? Do we have a trusted mechanic who can do major repairs?
“All of these things are time consuming but it’s worthwhile,” Hadsell noted.
If managers do have trouble implementing training and safety policies, free help is available. “It is important to use these assets when you are a small company,” Hadsell added.
According to Hadsell, the best place to start looking for help is the local vocational technical school. The specific school he receives help from has a business assistance center, which helps his company with an OSHA safety criteria workbook. After the workbook is completed, it enables a company to easily write out policies in their own manual.
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