Subscribe To Aerial Pros

We know keeping your equipment up and running on the job is at the utmost importance for your business. Uptime is what keeps your equipment in the field and out of the shop. Proper upkeep and maintenance is also critical to keeping your customers and equipment safe when working in the field.

To keep your equipment operating safely and productively, it is important to regularly inspect your equipment to make sure everything is in good, safe working condition. Here are the most important to dos you need to follow to ensure that your equipment is ready to rent:

1) Check that all decals are legible and in their proper place.

• If decals are not legible, operators could improperly use equipment causing machine damage, leading to downtime in the field.
• Look in your Operator’s Manual to understand what decals need to be on your equipment.
• Make sure they are not covered in paint, drywall, dirt or other elements that can cover important information.
• If a jobsite inspector sees you do not have clear decals the equipment can be tagged and removed from service.

2) Examine limit switches for any damage.

• Improper operation of limit switches can cause the machine to be disabled or not work properly.
• Be sure to review you Operator’s Manual to see where your limit switches are installed.

3) Inspect the platform and base toggle switches for functionality.

• If there are malfunctioning switches the functions on the toggles will not work, causing the machine to be down.

4) Make sure beacons, horns and alarms are in place, not damaged and working properly.

• Damaged safety items will cause the machine safety concerns and should not be used until fixed to avoid a safety incident.

5) Examine your platform entry mid-rail or gate for functionality and condition, making sure it moves up and down and is secure.

• If damaged, the machine should be removed from service until fixed.

6) Analyze electrical components, looking at the wiring and electrical cables.

• Inspect for damage such as kinks, curly, cut, frayed, or chaffed wires.
• Shorts and opens are caused from regular wear and tear and will affect the machine’s function and ability to start.

7) Check your filters’ differential pressure indicator to make sure it does not require changing, refer to your service manual for further instructions.

• If filters are unchanged they will become dirty, it can cause component damage leading to equipment going down in the field.

8) Look at the hydraulic hoses, fittings, cylinders and manifolds for any leaks or damage.

• If you see any leaks the machine should be shut down immediately.
• Hydraulic oil can also ruin worksites and is an environmental, as well as a safety, hazard.

9) Be sure you have the proper hydraulic oil levels per the Operator’s Manual.

• If oil is low the equipment will run hot causing component damage and equipment to breakdown.

10) Look for any damage or leaking from the drive and turntable motors and drive hubs.

• If they are leaking or damaged they will not work properly and will not allow the equipment to drive or turn.

11) If your equipment has air filled tires, check the pressure in your tires to its appropriate pressure per your Operator’s Manual.

• If your air pressure is incorrect, it can cause the equipment to become unstable.
• Be sure to review tires side walls to see if there is any damage whether they are foam or air filled.

12) Review the machine for any gaps on nuts, bolts, pins and other fasteners on your equipment.

• If these components are loosened it can cause panels, parts, wheels, swing wheels, to fall off leaving areas exposed to outside elements.

Review your Operator’s Manuals for an extensive list of tips to follow to keep your rental equipment fleet in peak operating condition and running safely for your customers. If you find any of these parts are damaged or need to be replaced you can contact us at (877) 367-5606 or order online at gogenielift.com. Be sure to refer to your manuals to find the correct part numbers for your machine.

Learn more about OSHA's National Safety Stand-Down Week May 2nd 6th by visiting: https://www.osha.gov/StopFallsStandDown/