Heavy equipment helps workers complete tasks that would normally take hours or days without it, yet its presence poses risks that must be managed carefully by construction workers. Hearing, breathing and thermal protection must always be worn along with wearing their seatbelt at all times.
Heavy equipment includes machines like a bulldozer and road grader; each piece serves a specific function.
Track loaders
Track loaders, often known as compact track loaders (CTL), are used to move materials on construction sites. Their undercarriage includes rubber tracks or steel tracks which make them gentler on surfaces than skid steers and more efficient when servicing than wheeled models since service items are closer to ground level and can be reached with standard tools.
CTLs are ideal for landscaping, digging, trenching, clearing snow and hauling materials. Their attachment versatility includes buckets, pallet forks, augers and grapples that open up new markets while increasing rental center revenue. Furthermore, CTLs’ low ground pressure and dedicated undercarriage allow them to be maneuverable while working on established surfaces, clearing vegetation or grading and leveling; adding days or weeks onto any job that increases revenue and its lower center of gravity improves stability resulting in added revenue for rental centers.
Cranes
Cranes can handle materials that are too heavy for humans to carry alone. Like other levers, cranes utilize long arms called booms to create mechanical advantage by spreading force over an extended distance. Cranes are commonly found in transportation for loading freight and construction sites for building buildings.
These enormous pieces of machinery can hold thousands of pounds at a time and reach incredible heights thanks to sheaves on their booms and outriggers. Even with such heavy loads on board, these cranes remain upright thanks to counterweights which can be added or subtracted depending on load sizes.
Portable cranes are commonly utilized by the oil, gas and water industries as well as infrastructure projects to move pipes or towers around. Furthermore, portable cranes offer great solutions for job sites with space limitations as their compact dimensions don’t take up as much room for operation than other forms of cranes do.
Trenchers
Trenchers are pieces of earthmoving equipment that use trenchers to dig trenches in the ground for pipes or other types of material to be laid on it. Trenchers can dig much faster than hand digging, saving both time and money; additionally they dig more precisely than excavators, making them invaluable tools for construction projects of all sorts.
These machines come in all sizes, from small handheld trenchers resembling chainsaws to large track trenchers with tires or tracks for superior traction and maneuverability.
Though trenchers are ideal for line digging, it’s essential to first evaluate the ground conditions prior to using one. While some smaller machines might work fine in dirt conditions, their use in rock could damage machinery. A track trencher excels in such conditions because it can efficiently cut rock of 20 psi or less pressure; saving contractors both time and money by eliminating the need for separate machines to break apart the rock before digging a trench.
Road graders
Graders are long pieces of machinery with an adjustable blade that are used for creating flat surfaces during grading. Additionally, graders come equipped with hydraulic rippers or scarifiers which can help remove rocks, roots and debris.
Motor graders are widely utilized in road construction and maintenance. These machines help achieve durable surfaces that are safe and durable for drivers while simultaneously improving drainage and reducing erosion on roads. Furthermore, motor graders can be equipped with V-plows to clear snow faster.
Motor graders come in various varieties. Small motor graders feature shorter blades and are best used for smaller projects; medium-sized graders boast longer blades with larger wheels for highway construction sites or large construction sites; while large (heavy graders) motor graders offer a powerful performance, ideal for hard-packed terrain requiring additional strength.
