We all know poor weather makes driving harder, but nothing makes operating equipment more dangerous quite like the snow. Most of us, unless you’ve been lucky enough to live in a part of the country that never sees the white stuff, have had the experience of trying to stop at an intersection and then kept sliding right into the middle of traffic. As terrifying as this can be, a lot of our customers have to drive or operate equipment in the snow and we want to offer our advice with keeping safe this winter.
YOUR ENGINE
We all know engines have a tough time in the winter, but there are a few key things you want to avoid when operating equipment in the snow. Fueling in cold weather requires some extra care to avoid water and other contaminants from entering your equipment’s fuel tank. Starting your engine in the cold comes with more risks like starting aids in pressurized cans. Improper use can cause an engine to seize while cranking, bend valve stems or worse. Your engine is a pretty expensive fix, so taking this extra care in the cold could save you a lot of time and money.
STAYING WARM
Equipment has become more robust in the modern era, but that doesn’t mean it’s as easy as starting your equipment in the summer. Your hoses and wires become brittle and stressed in extremely cold conditions. Always allow sufficient warm-up time before putting the equipment to work. Then don’t forget to keep yourself warm, being cold can lead to disorientation, distraction, and ultimately accidents.
TRUCKING IN THE SNOW
With so many of our customers operating trucks in the snow, we wanted to touch on some tips for this group specifically. The first piece of advice offered here, is to stay calm. “When you stay calm and understand the basic principles of driving on slick surfaces, most bad situations can be kept under control”. Then always keep in mind how big your truck really is, whether you’re in a small pick-up or full semi, chances are you’re bigger than most other equipment on the road and require a lot longer to slow down or stop. We know most cars don’t understand this idea but doing your part to avoid an accident can save you a lot of time and hassle.
The winter is a dangerous time to be on the job site, and operating equipment in the snow takes just that extra bit of care, so when snow is on the ground be sure to stay safe out there.
Sources:
https://www.equipmentworld.com/the-21-best-practices-for-winter-equipment-operation/
https://news.pickuptrucks.com/2016/01/winter-driving-tip-just-stay-cool.html
