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5 Ways to Improve Reliability of Your Buck Hoist or Construction Elevator

There are a handful of important items that you can control on your jobsite that will improve the reliability of the buck hoist or construction elevator on your next project.

Here is a simple list of items that your superintendent can follow:

  1. Make sure you complete the daily inspection as outlined. It is important to note this is a requirement of the national safety code. This inspection will take no more than 5 minutes at the start of the day but could save hours in avoiding a delay later in the day. The checklist is provided by McDonough during the operator training and is easy to follow. If your operator doesn’t know how to do this, give us a call and we’ll be happy to train a bit more.

  2. Only allow trained operators to operate the buck hoist. Not only is this smart but it is required by the code for safe operation. Fight the urge to allow untrained personnel to operate the hoist simply because it is convenient.

  3. Empower your trained operators to report subcontractors who abuse the construction elevator. One of the biggest problem areas is loading materials on and off the buck hoist, especially when using motorized carts. When a cart is run into the hoist doors it can cause adjustment issues and damage that will cause otherwise avoidable downtime.
  4. Put up signage letting buck hoist users know that only the buck hoist operator is allowed to open and close the elevator doors.

  5. If you see something (or hear something) unusual during operation of the hoist, call McDonough immediately so we can dispatch a trained technician to investigate. Loose switches, doors that become hard to open, or new noises that you haven’t heard before are all quick and easy items to repair if caught early. If you wait until the elevator stops working the issue could become worse or cause a delay in your schedule at an inconvenient time.
We’ve been in this business for over 40 years and, based upon our data and experience, if you are diligent in following the list above you can avoid 92% of the issues that can cause disruption of your buck hoist operation. The good news is that keeping up with this list has no cost to you and has the potential to save tons of time and money when a breakdown is avoided.
 
If you are interested in learning more about the importance of buck hoist reliability, contact our team.

 

 

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