Monthly Archives: July 2013

Heavy equipment operator keeping from getting dehydrated

The looming concern of dehydration for a heavy equipment operator

We often preach others that in case of diseases preventive measures are way better than the cure itself. However prevention does not pan out to be realistic option for some quarters of people in our society due their professional obligations. Yet after applying plentiful of resources and expenditure for risk management, many outside workers like heavy equipment operators succumb to death or serious physical disabilities rendering them permanently unfit to join the service again. The case is not very different for some physical workers for instance dry cleaners, mechanics, boiler room workers, bakery staff, steamfitters, plumbers and so on who  perform within the enclosure of walls. Taking all the possible defects into account, it can be asserted firmly that dehydration poses the biggest threat for all sorts of hard labor workers. According to NIOSH, every individual has a threshold upper value to withstanding the rising heat content of surrounding environment and that capability to maintain body temperature is influenced by a host of factor like age, blood sugar status, alcoholism profile, physical built and lifestyle etc. yet above all the determiners, it is the type and strenuousness of the job that take the toll most on body.

On-paper standards & the ground realities:

Since date, there have been innumerable health tribunals and commissions set up by the government and sometimes by the management to recommend the best health practices to be adapted by the professionals working in hot weather conditions. The most considered indices by notable health organizations like CDC, WHO in making out the heat hazards for workers are- wind velocity, humidity, radiant heat and most necessarily atmospheric temperature. Then come, the individual-specific factors like sex, age, heat tolerance, acclimatization to changing working conditions and hydration level. For such complexity in measurement, it was finally advised to the industries to develop their own set of methods to determine the optimum level of heat tolerance though the industries are hard to be heard since there botheration is only own profits.

Adversities of dehydration and palliation:

Medical data shows that dehydration level, as low as 2% of an individual’s body weight, can impede motor nerve senses; doom the vision momentarily; impair the short-term memory and attention and arithmetic efficiency. If the situation deteriorates further to 4% of body weight, a considerable 23% reduction in reaction time happens, entailing significant increase of work-related accidental risks. The biggest threat of dehydration comes from the greatest companion of the workers- the encapsulated protective clothing. Such clothing causes unceasing perspiration in hands and feet incrementing the chance of slippage of operating devices. Appointers often get out of their comfort level to teach workers about the behavioral & medical risks and the symptoms of heat-related illness as well. Although they utter the misconception that fluids intake is enough to prevent heat related stress while instilling the necessity of safe working by providing adequate breaks, proper scheduling, taking plenty of cool water, gradual acclimatization to adverse work conditions, preparing an emergency plan etc. are the most successful steps in preventing untoward situation.

 

Looking to Buy an Excavator at a Reasonable Price – Go For CAT 320

If you are in the construction business, you need to have the best machines working for you. You can’t simply compromise on the quality of heavy equipments and before you consider the company from whom you decide to buy heavy equipments, be sure that you have done enough research on their products. If your research work convinces you to go ahead for the purchase, you might make a deal. It’s advisable that one should buy construction equipments from a company who has been in the respective domain for years which makes them more reliable and trustworthy when it comes to manufacturing and selling those equipments.

Here are many companies that produce quality equipments for their customers and have also built a reputation in the market. Nevertheless, we would be speaking about one of the finest companies which have for many years managed to secure its position as one of the best heavy equipment manufacturing company. We would be talking about Caterpillar’s Excavator 320.

Cat Excavator 320 was first introduced in Japan in the year 1992 and the production began in many countries since then. Consumers using this equipment were pretty content with its performance and hence the sale volume kept on increasing in many countries giving a tough competition to other construction equipment manufacturing companies. Being hydraulic, it was much more powerful than other excavators which gave it an edge over other machines and also became the major reason of its growing popularity.

If we look at its engine, we will find that the excavator has 2 engine configurations which are CAT 3066 or 3116. Both the configurations are turbocharged diesel engines which is capable to produce 128 flywheel horsepower. It also possess a variable flow hydraulic system that provides it different modes which are power and work mode selectors, horsepower summation control, activating the pilot control system, an X-shaped car body and many more features that make it a complete package for the user. It has paid more stress in offering high level comfort to the operator and also offers good visibility to the operator to check things in the front as well as at the rear.

At time passed, Caterpillar came out with more models which are in line with the 320 model. Some features were added and things that didn’t go quite well with consumers were removed. For example, it has installed the new boom and stick-in regeneration circuit which saves a lot of energy with the boom-down and stick-in operation. It also reduces the cost of productivity and ensures the machine delivers more in terms of performance.

More importantly, they have given a lot of stress on factors that reduces the fatigue to the operators. They relocated the frequently used switches for easier access so that they do not have to try hard to reach for them. All they have to do is sit in their place and press the switch they require at that point in time. The armrest has also been redesigned to provide better comfort to the operator.

The entire series of 320 has truly ruled the market and still has its positive impression in the global heavy equipment industry.

It’s Pointless to Rot the Idle Heavy Equipment – Better to Rent It

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A person has to strive a lot to establish his business. Right from gathering the right men for the job to acquiring the right set of heavy equipment, you put a lot in your business. After having done so much, the last thing you would want is to see the old equipments rot on a site which could have otherwise been used to do something productive. You’d definitely see no point in keeping the machine idle and watch it die its death. Therefore, it’s ideal for you to look up for options that will keep the machine active and will also earn a fixed amount on each and every month. You would simply rent it out to someone who is ready to pay its price.

While we speak about renting the equipment, the thought of “Why don’t we sell it” is quite evident to hit our mind. Well selling the machine may give you the price it is worth of. However, that will be the end of the story. You can further reinvest the money and buy new equipment after adding few more bucks to it. But the point is you have to add some extra cash from your savings. On the contrary, if you rent the equipment and contemplate to buy a new machine, the rental earnings can be used to pay the monthly installment to the bank. At the end of the payment term, you end up having 2 machines with you.

It’s not always so easy to find a party who agrees to take the equipment on rent at your quoted price. Especially if it is a used one, the taker tries hard to negotiate and bring down the rental price. Therefore, it takes a good deal of time to rent it off to someone. You can follow the below gives methods to rent the machine.

Talk with people you know:- It’s prudent that you talk with people about the thought of renting the heavy equipment. The word of mouth might spread and might reach to the person who is in need of the equipment. You both have to meet and agree with each and other’s conditions. If this works for you, you make a deal without losing a penny on advertisements.

Use of social media:- Social media is used by good chunk of people for many business purposes. They out their stuff on the advertisement section and in this way reach out to the larger section of the society. However for this, you need to have a website of your own so that people after clicking on the link would directly enter on your site and get a taste of things you have for them.

Put it on classifieds:-  You can advertise about renting your heavy equipment on newspapers as well as on internet. While selecting a newspaper, ensure that you put the ad with the newspaper which has a wider circulation in the city. This will allow your advertisement to reach a lot of people and thus increases the chances of renting the stuff at your price. You can also put the ad on classified websites which also fulfils your purpose.

Following the above stated methods can certainly work for you as far as renting the construction equipment is concerned.

During Summer Give Your Machine the Coolant It Requires

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A construction site when it is in full swing is full of dust that forms a layer up to certain height. These dust particles enters the small pores which are left uncovered in the machine and when the dust gets accumulated in there, it causes problems to the machine. Therefore, there are various tools available which helps to take off the dust from the pores and keep the stuff working. Another major challenge which construction equipment has to experience is the scorching summer heat and on top of that, it is expected to work round the clock. This results in the machine becoming hot in no time and that eventually affects the life of the machine in a number of ways.

It is evident that we can’t do much about the summer heat but we can definitely fight it out to give more strength to our machine. There are number coolants available which if applied in the machine can help the engine to become cool faster and will thus help it to work for long hours. It will also prevent the equipment from getting shut every now and then which ideally happens when the engine becomes excessively hot and can’t take the heat anymore. Initially, not much mechanism was there to cool off the engine. However, the case is not the same any longer. The engineers of various heavy equipment manufacturing companies are producing machines where a set of coolants can be installed which will help the machine to cool off without interrupting the flow of the work.

We would also be discussing the various reasons why different coolants are required on heavy equipments.

To increase the life of the machine:-  Heavy equipments are highly priced items and it takes a good deal of money to buy a new branded equipment. Suppose, you have multiple projects in hand and for that you have allocated construction equipments accordingly at different locations. You would not want them to give up just because it does not have sufficient cooling systems in it. That would perhaps the last thing you would want to happen with your ongoing projects and that really hurts. Therefore, you might want to do everything possible to ensure that your equipment has the coolants to keep the engine buzzing and also that it continue to perform with the same intensity in the future.

Keep the atmosphere cool inside the cabin:-  Other than the engine, there is one more important place which always needs to remain cool and that is place in the cabin which is meant for the operator. Heat in the summer is killing and it can take its toll on the poor chap sitting inside the box operating the big gun. It is very important to ensure that there is proper cooling system installed inside the cabin which keeps the environment cool and workable. That will also lower the risk of accidents happening in the construction site.

A proper coolant can make life very simple both for the machine as well as for the one operating it.

It’s Summer Time – You Can’t Work without an Air-condition in Your Heavy Equipment

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We all know and understand the importance of heavy equipments in the construction industry. It is indeed the backbone of the industry without which it is almost impossible for the sector to move ahead. We might not see huge buildings kissing the sky any longer without the use of heavy equipments. One who is into the construction business for long may know how important these machines are for him. He probably might consider them as a part of his family which as a matter of fact many do. Though they do not get too personal with their stuffs, yet they care a lot for it.

One of the most intrinsic features in today’s heavy equipments is that they are manufactured by keeping every minute detail into account. Right from safety parameters to operators comfort, everything is given due consideration while the heavy equipments are designed and then manufactured. To be precise, comfort of the operator and safety both go hand in hand. As long as the operator does not find himself comfortable inside the cabin, he is bound to make mistakes and at times the mistakes may take a fatal approach which may cost a life of a person or may even injure someone. Therefore, it is quite imperative to see if the operator who is the brain of the construction equipment is at ease inside the cabin. Once he is cosy inside, he would take care of things outside.

Other than having easy accessibility to switches in the cabin, what more can one think of from the comfort point of view? Well, if you are thinking of fresh air and keeping the room temperature inside the cabin cool, you have hit the bull’s eye. The space inside the cabin may become suffocating if there is no proper ventilating system attached to the machine. To get away with this problem, the engineers have taken special care to ensure that they set up mechanisms inside the machine which will condition the air by removing the hot air from inside and blow fresh cool breeze. They have set up the air conditioning bolts at various points which will throw fresh air on the operators head and they have also installed mechanisms by which the operator can adjust the flow of air as per his need. In other words, this will allow the operator to make adjustments to the temperature by either increasing the flow of air or by reducing it.

During winters, one may not need the air conditions. However, as soon as the winter ends and the climate start getting hotter, you may find the need of an air condition. It becomes unbearable for a person to sit inside a box where the temperature outside is more than 37 degree Celsius. There are companies which are in the process of making air conditioners that can be controlled via remote control. It is probably in the testing phase and will be soon out once everything seems to be just ok.

Looking To Buy A Scraper? Go For Cat 623

If you are having a construction business where you are associated with mighty projects, a Scraper is something you can’t do without. Though the involvement of other heavy equipments is not ruled out, a scraper is considered to be the most important heavy equipment due to its versatility, reliability and high degree of performance. The front of the scraper can be fitted with various applications based upon the need of the circumstance. N order to clear the mud/debris from the earth, a bucket can be installed in the front using which the stuff can be pulled out and dumped in the truck. It can also be used to dig earth and make a hole on its surface to give strong foundation to the building.

Companies that manufacture Scraper are plenty in number. Nevertheless, the one that leads the rank is Caterpillar. Cat is renowned for manufacturing quality scrapers which has undergone years of testing and then has been finally launched for the consumers. Time again, changes are made by the engineers to add more features in the product which makes it a compact product for the consumers. For instance, the engineers have worked a lot on providing comfort to the operators by making several changes such as deploying the switches at close range, putting more cushions on the armrest and things thereof.

Cat has produced many models of scraper. Out of the many, we would be discussing about CAT 623. Starting with the engine, the tractor has 3406CAT engine. It’s considered to be the most consistent engine which is also known for consuming less fuel which in turn results in higher productivity on the field. Speaking more about the engine, it produces around 407 hp which seems to be 18% more as compared to its earlier models. CAT has also designed a new torque converted which is capable to deliver more power to the bottom. The capacities have been tremendously increased from 2 cubic yards to 24 cubic yards.

Features like these are not provided by any other construction equipment manufacturing companies. Though other companies are trying to match the pace and catch up with CAT’s technology, but the high performance machines of CAT always keeps it a way ahead from other companies.

There are 2 ways through you can buy CAT 623 scraper. You can directly reach out to the company and check if they have that model available with them or you can contact the nearest dealer and buy it from them. However, out of the two options, the best would be to close the deal directly with the company. There you can expect some discounts if you make the entire payment at one go. Alternatively, if you choose to take a loan, you shall get it at a very low interest rate. All these things are handled by the company. A dealer may not be able to offer you such facilities. At the same time, you can call the company if you see any problem with the machine. They would either fix it or get it replaced.

Caterpillar Excavator 330 – Why It’s Still the Favourite of Many

When it comes to heavy equipments, there are lot of options available for the users. However, there is one such name which has its dominance over all the other brands and has its impression on the minds of the consumers. It’s none other than Caterpillar which has gone the extra mile to ensure that its consumers get what they want. Many are of the view that nothing can be better than heavy equipments produced by Caterpillar. Though there are other companies which have made their presence felt but one can’t deny the fact that Caterpillar has succeeded to win all hearts with its state of the art technology that it uses to manufacture construction equipments.

The construction equipments produced by Cat needs no introduction. They are renowned for their quality and excellence. We would be discussing in brief about the features of Cat excavator 330 and how it’s benefits the consumers.

Specifications:-  Starting with the specification of the boom stick of the machine, the shipping length of the unit is around 36feet, 8 inches, and shipping height of the unit is 11’9”. The maximum loading height is around 24’, 8”

The width of the machine outside the tracks would be around 11’ 1” and the height from the bottom to the top of the cab would be around 10’ 3”. If we talk about the engine, CAT is known to use the best engine compatible for the machine. For the model 330DL, they use C9 ACERT   engine which has a net power of 270hp. The engine oil capacity is around 10.6 gallon and the hydraulic system fluid   capacity is 108.3 gallon. Its operating voltage is 24Vand alternator supplied amperage is 35amps. The fuel capacity of the machine is 163.8 gallon which means that it can work for days without getting refuelled. However, it also depends upon for how long one would be using the excavator in a day.

The fluid capacity of the cooling system is 10.6 gallon. This ensures the applications needed to cool the cabin does not run out of fuel and allows the operator to work without any trouble. It’s advisable that the purchaser should go through the user manual before taking the call to buy the item. The user manual speaks everything about the machine. You can get every minute detail about the excavator in the manual and by that you can analysis if this is what you require for your project.

From where can you buy the machine?  You have multiple options to buy a Cat excavator. However, the best possible option is to order it directly from the company. Doing that will enable you with some additional benefits and unlike dealing with a dealer where they rush things to you, here you’ve the privilege to take your own time to decide if you should be going ahead with the purchase. They can also initiate a bank loan where you’d be required to pay monthly installments to the bank.  Shipping the excavator to your place is their responsibility. All you have to do is insure the item. At times, the insurance part is also dealt by the company.

Used Construction Equipment Can Get You a Good Price, Read More to Find Out

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You pay a good sum of money to buy heavy equipment and when it gets old, you definitely do not want to sell it for nothing. Well, you are correct if you think your machine will fetch a good price even after having worked for you for 5 years or may be more than that. The key is that it should be in good working condition and rest everything would be just alright. Technological advancements do depreciate the price a bit but that does not mean the equipment has lost its shine. If you pursue to keep a tab of people looking to buy the machine, you may come across many. Not everyone would be ready to take it at the price tag that you’ve decided, but you won’t find it too difficult to sell it off.

Apart from selling the equipment, there are other options which you might want to ponder on. If your machine is in excellent condition, you might as well think of giving it on rent and can earn some good money on each and every month. There are many new guys who have entered the construction business and are more than willing to take equipments in good working condition on rent. They can be approached and the equipment can be rented out to them.

Different modes one can choose to sell/rent heavy equipment

  • Advertise it in the classified:-  Using this option will help you reach to people not only within your city but also outside your city limits. However, it depends mostly on whether you want to do business within your city or you are ok with shipping the machine outside the city. As far as selling is concerned, it should hardly matter about where the buyer belongs to. It’s probably a onetime affair and after you receiving the money and the buyer getting the equipment in proper working condition, the deal gets over and the business is completed.

 

However, if you are renting the machine, then you’ve to give a thought to ship the item outside your city. Therefore, it’s recommended to mention clearly in the advertisement that you’re looking for people within the city. This will allow the advertisement to reach to people in your city.

  • Using the online mode to sell/rent the construction equipment:-  This mode allows you to reach a lot of people as many of them remain hooked to internet for such deals. From the perspective of selling the item, you need to post a listing on an online selling website. Make sure you take some good pictures of your listing and the pictures should be authentic. Don’t take the picture of a new piece to deceive others, it normally doesn’t work. Put the features and the specification of the equipment in the description section and quote a price. If you’re selling the item, you can place it under “Buy It Now”, clicking which the buyer would be taken to the payment section. Once he pays for the item, you can make arrangements to ship the item.

 

You can use the same option to put it on rent. It’s just that the page will not have the “Buy It Now” option. It would be replaced by some other option which will indicate the taker to click on it to confirm the deal. Once that’s done, contact the taker and check when they would be coming down to complete the paper work. A contract is very important when you’re renting your equipment. Make sure you enter all the necessary points in it which are agreed and accepted by the taker. Once that’s done, you can ship the item.

Heavy Equipment Contract – When Does One Need Them

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Heavy Equipment Contract – When Does One Need Them

Let us first understand what a contract is. A contract is a written agreement between the owner of the equipment and the lessee who wants to take the machine on rent for a defined period of time. In the contract the person giving the equipment on rent defines the rules in clear terms and which if agreed by the taker gives the deal a concrete shape. Once the contract is framed and accepted, both the buyer and the seller are entitled to accept and honor the rules of transaction stated in it.

Why a contract is needed:  A contract protects the rights of the person leasing the machine to the person who would be using it. The person giving it on lease can set some rules of using the machine and the person taking it is bound to comply by it. Just in case, if the equipment is getting sold, the seller can state the details of the transaction in the contract to safeguard his interests and avoid any unforeseen problems.

What should be written in a contract: A contract should have all the major points concerning the transaction between the giver and the taker. The leaser can state his points like how the person should use the equipment and for how many hours in a day it should be used. He can also mention the time intervals for servicing the machine and other points that he feel is relevant and should be stated in the contract. Nevertheless, the contract should precisely state the number of months it will be in the possession of the taker and the amount he would be paying to the owner of the equipment.

Giving it a legal form:- Once everything is understood and accepted by both the parties, the contract needs to be signed. Signing the contract means that both the parties are ready to accept the conditions outlined in the contract..

 

Earning Profits Isn’t difficult for Someone in the Construction Business

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We all have this notion that having a business of our own can make us real rich. We land up in any business and after having learnt the tricks of the trade, we can make good money out of it. Well, doing a business from can definitely earn good profits for you but it depends how soon you learn the game and if you have the skill to carry on the business successfully. Not many are gifted with the knack of doing business successfully and therefore many people after having spent considerable amount of time and money trying their luck simple gives up their hopes and desires. However, the one who stick to their idea and their beliefs are the one who make it big in their respective business.

Not all business can guarantee quick profits. However, there is a business which may not guarantee but can certainly ensure that you make good money after being in the business for a proportionate period of time. If you are the one who is looking for such a type of business, welcome to the world of construction. It may give you all that you’re looking for. Be it money, fame or recognition, you may have them all. However, for that you may have to invest good amount of your time and a lot of money in setting up the business.

We’ll talk about the pre-requisites that are essential before you step in this business.

Learn the tricks of the trade:-  What makes one a successful businessman? Undoubtedly, his efforts and hard work plays a mighty role in it. However, it’s also clubbed with how well does he knows his work and how effectively he can manage the work assigned to him. Learning the business is very important. You can’t do that in a month or so. You need to devote a lot of time for that and need to learn every small thing, right from the scratch. Also, you need to recognize if you’ve the skill to manage things well. Not everybody is gifted with this skill and hence, you should first identify if you possess it or have to learn it.

Getting contracts:-  In order to successfully run the construction business, you need projects in hand and projects are given to people who are renowned in their business. So there you see your first hurdle. If you’re not known, no one will have the faith in you and getting business from them might become quite tough. Therefore, it’s important that you set up good contacts with people and before you start up something of your own, let people know that you’ve this in your mind so that you can expect some work to come. Big or small doesn’t matter much at that point in time. Getting the work is what more important for you.

Invest on good heavy equipments:-  Once you have a project in hand, you need good heavy equipments to work round the clock. You would never want any sort of break downs as that will hamper your growth as well as your business’s growth. So, it’s imperative that you invest in good machines which last long and helps you inch closer towards setting up a successful business in construction.