Outsmarting the Elements
Larry Reeves is a district manager for RSC Equipment Rental in Kansas City,
Larry Reeves
December 7, 2005 — If you're like most people, you've experienced those dark, chilly winter mornings when your body just doesn't want to get going — when everything just seems to move more slowly and require more effort than it should. In cold weather, the same can be said about lifting equipment and the liquids found within their systems, such as oil, anti-freeze, and especially hydraulic fluids.
Hydraulic equipment is affected by low temperatures because the fluid turns thicker, causing the pumping mechanisms to have to work harder to push it through the lines. This slows down the equipment, and puts a lot of extra strain on it, which increases the unit's chances of giving out. But cold weather doesn't necessarily translate into work stoppage issues. The good news is as long as proper precautions are taken, there's no reason equipment can still be used in cold conditions.
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There are many ways to help maintain equipment's productivity in cold weather. On some job sites, an obvious solution is to bring pieces of equipment indoors if possible, or to plug them into electric heaters. There are also various types of portable heaters that can be mounted onto the side of an engine to protect it from freezing. Heated blankets or jackets can also be wrapped around equipment to warm it and keep oil flowing. Another critical concern is to make sure the anti-freeze in every radiator is maintained at proper levels and temperature ratings to minimize the risk of freezing up. Yet another serious, but common, danger with cold equipment is when a cold engine won't turn over and someone tries to start it with ether, which can seriously tear up your equipment.
Lift and aerial equipment can be the most difficult type of equipment to maintain during cold weather because hydraulic fluids become thicker, causing the equipment to slow down.
In some instances, contractors will even wrap unfinished buildings in plastic sheeting and warm the interiors with portable gas heaters and blowers to reduce the effects of cold weather on heavy equipment. That not only makes the environment safer and more comfortable for workers on the site, as frostbite is always a threat, but it also improves the way equipment functions when it's cold.
When attempting to heat up a piece of equipment, always follow the manufacturers' recommended procedures and use only the correct tools for the job. Keep in mind that tools, belts, hoses, and other parts get more brittle when they're frozen, so be careful when working with them. Also be careful with your own two hands. Cold metal on bare skin is never a good idea, so you'll want to keep your gloves on until the equipment has warmed up.
When assessing your equipment needs for cold-weather projects, don't forget about light towers or other portable light sources. If the site has some heat, and your crews and equipment are adequately dealing with the conditions, you don't want to have to stop working just because it gets dark early. Additional light in the winter is also an important safety factor. Even though there's usually a drastic slowdown from December to April, a lot of contractors can't afford to shut down during the winter. So it's good to know there are cost-effective ways to deal with the cold and support your productivity when you need to.
Rental companies like RSC Equipment Rental, which specialize in providing equipment solutions for particular or unusual project needs, have a vested interest in keeping those machines running well on a customer's job site — no matter what the temperature. That's why on larger jobs RSC sends a mechanic out on a courtesy trip with the customer in the morning to make sure the equipment in the field is starting and running properly. This makes sense for everybody, because if there's a problem with that machine when it's cold starting out, the equipment won't be doing its job, thus creating downtime. We take the extra step to prevent equipment failure and downtime by providing our customers with the service they need to stay productive during cold winter months.
