Operators too good to clean.

[JaredV]

It always makes me happy when I roll up to a machine to move it and I get to be the one to shovel the tracks and I've got a full day already. Usually not a problem when the machine has a regular operator, but when it's a machine that anyone runs, usually young guys, all bets are off.

Years ago I worked with dozer operators that would shovel their D3,4G and 450H tracks in the middle of the day to keep the machine moving at peak performance. Then they shoveled them out again to get on their ramp trucks to go back to the shop.

 

[James Sorochan]

Taking the time to clean tracks, grease and do a walk around before shutting down is a good practice in my eyes. Be responsible.

 

[eastroad]

Some operators will make an attempt to clean off a machine, but some could care less about it. Meet me half way, guys. If I’ve got to work on or grease ”your” machine, at least TRY to park it in a somewhat dry spot where I can get the service truck near to it. Crap in the cab is a catch 22. If he clears it out, only to strew waterbottles, spit cups, paper and trash all over the worksite, it looks bad to the customer; but often there’s no handy dumpster, and I can’t really blame the operator for not wanting to haul it home or back to the shop in his own vehicle.
Cleaning the undercarriage out is a no brainer to me but often with small crews, they are jumping from one machine to another, and are not given time to do all the cleanup. Just don’t call back to have someone else do it.
And greasing? Lucky if they pull the dipstick to check the oil....
OK, rant over. If the boss or the foreman doesn’t do it, how can they expect the operators to?

 

[masterwelder]

It starts at the top. Lead by example.

The one job I’m on, gc,d by a major national firm, is serious about cleanliness and safety. It’s enforced down the chain to the bottom from what I can tell. Every machine has burlap garbage bags hanging from them. Labors clean the tracks for me before they load on my trailer. Most of the time they will escort me even with non oversized loads. Overall it’s nice to see. Spend some money on keeping things clean, safe and a good image with the public off site.

When I’m running my equipment, it’s easier to work smarter not harder. If I can keep ahead of it makes my job easier, day to day and in the off-season.
Catching or identifying a problem is generally quicker on a cleaner piece. My steam jenny is my best freind.

These days I’m probably more the exception than the rule. I was lucky to work with some really good people coming up- be professional and take pride in your work. Earn, don’t expect a paycheck. Sadly I realize this isn’t the way it’s done anymore.

 

[HarleyHappy]

I am a Nazi about clean equipment and a clean work site.
Everyone that’s knows me, knows they better not throw a DD coffee cup in the trench or on the ground because I will chew you out the first time and throw your ass off the site a second time.
All machines and site is cleaned at end of day and greased.
I’m kinda a mean prick as a supervisor.

 

[Oxbow]

I am a Nazi about clean equipment and a clean work site.
Everyone that’s knows me, knows they better not throw a DD coffee cup in the trench or on the ground because I will chew you out the first time and throw your ass off the site a second time.
All machines and site is cleaned at end of day and greased.
I’m kinda a mean prick as a supervisor.

I don't get quite so anal about dust in the cab, but absolutely no trash, and sweep out the excess dirt/mud on the floor. Tracks are shoveled every day at the end of the shift year round and we all grease and fuel then as well. They packed the trash in, they can pack it out. We have a 5 gallon bucked in each pickup for garbage. No litter of any kind on the ground.

I learned 40 years ago that if you buried a grease tube 20' in the ground in the morning, by evening that thing magically appears on the surface.

 

[CM1995]

I thought a trench was the place to put all the empty water bottles?

 

[skyking1]

Love ya brother Oxbow.
Working on utilities and you come up with a piece of pipe 4' from locate and start panicking, only to reaize it was #$#@Y%&UU*& tossing scrap in the ditches. To heck with that. Garbage goes in landfills, concrete and asphalt to the recyclers.

 

[Spud_Monkey]

I dust my gauges about every 4 hours so I can see them again out here. I like babysitting the temperature gauge the most.

 

[eastroad]

I love this thread. Come on, folks. Don’t hold it it. Tell us how you really feel.

 

[Shimmy1]

Been a union operator 51 years this year. Long, long ago, on my very first job, was sent out to oil on a cable crawler hoe. We were putting in concrete pipe bout 4 foot deep down an old fence row. As my operator moved, I could see he was going to hit an old steel fence post with a track. I took the spade from the machine and popped the post out. And the laborers walked off the job. Bout an hour later the laborers BA, the Superintendant, and the Foreman showed up, and they all had a piece of my scrawny a$$. When they wore themselves out chewing on me, I asked if I might say something. Told them just 6 weeks prior a piece of rebar caught in the track of a D6 my dad was running, caught him in the mouth as he turned his head. Told them all I wanted was for someone not to be hurt. It was my first day of my first job, all you had to do was say something, but no, you got to be a$$holes and take turns yelling at the kid. Then I looked the laborer steward in the eye and told him you better hope the ditch don't cave in, cause I won't pick up a shovel to save your fukin life! And all the rest of my days pulling levers, I never run a shovel again. Get one of those prik laborers...

I think we need to hear more of this story.......

 

[Shimmy1]

When I see a guy who is clueless and turns and burns and trashes the site, I am tempted to have a word or two. I con't care how fast you load a truck, quit making a mess out of everything.

I've never been able to preach this enough. All it takes is just a tiny bit of give a fcuk and a site can stay decent.

When guys complement me on the look of a finished job, I always say if you keep it nice from the beginning, it'll be nice at the end.

 

[Shimmy1]

I'm an owner/operator, one man show, and take really good care of my equipment. Greased religiously, fluids, filters, etc all by the books, buy only OEM parts, completely clean the belly pans out every oil change, equipment washed every time its back at the shop, etc. With that said, I never clean out the tracks unless:

I'm hauling it.

Mud has built up to the point it's causing wear.

We are expecting freezing temperatures overnight.

I just don't see the point of cleaning it out otherwise. Does that make me a lazy seat warmer? lol

BTW, there are some very well used shovels and rakes on all of my trucks....

My policy as well. It gets old late in the fall when it's wet, cold, muddy, generally just miserable. I'm not making my guys clean tracks in the summer when they're going to be filthy in the first 3 minutes in the morning.

 

[cuttin edge]

A few things I guess. Sounds like a management problem. Summer time, most guys will keep their top rollers clean, or clean the machine if it is to be moved out. Our float guys will let them have it if they are not cleaned off. High production jobs, mostly want you loading or leveling till dark, and most guys won't stay and shovel in the dark. In the fall, as the temps drop, a notice is sent out with the pay stubs reminding operators to clean off at night, even if that means shutting down early to do so. I like to grease. That's when you find loose or broken stuff. I've often suggested hiring an oiler to grease machines at lunch, or break time. Most guys here are pretty good. Another problem is that operators are hard to come by. If you have an a$$ that won't grease or shovel, but does the job really well, it's hard to send him packing and try to find a replacement. I'm talking larger companies, not a small operation. There are some guys here that don't mind grabbing a rake or shovel. 90% of the time I'm in charge of a 3 man crew (including me) I'm the operator, I have a labourer, and a truck driver. My truck driver has no issues, grabbing a shovel when he is not trucking. But sometimes if he is sick, or off, and they send me another driver...... some of those guys have no issue sitting in the truck for 16 hours, and watching. I've informed management when they say they are sending me one of those guys, but again good drivers are hard to come by, they just send me another labourer. I've actually been told by other operators, that I should not be shoveling. I'm guessing they are more worried about me making them look bad than me working too hard.

 

[Old Growth]

Here in the PNW cleaning you tracks daily is about the same as wiping your A$$ half way through a good poo.


Unless its freezing or going on a trailer or across concrete/gravel then I have better things to do than wipe the tracks a$$ all the time.


Also, for all you owners, do you want to pay a guy $50 an hour to shovel tracks a dozen times week?

 

[Oxbow]

Also, for all you owners, do you want to pay a guy $50 an hour to shovel tracks a dozen times week?

Yes, but it's only five times a week per operator.

 

[Tyler d4c]

I love this thread. Come on, folks. Don’t hold it it. Tell us how you really feel.

I could never have employees. Dad and uncle drive me nuts enough let alone having to pay for it

 

[skyking1]

I stopped by the 52 on my way home from getting that bandsaw.
Diesel was 3.69 so I topped off. There was some doings there and a couple of machines.
I don't want to go out and see this. Hard to see but the old girl is growing grass on the little bit of dirt that would take a minute to sweep off with a glove.


The new iron was not growing any grass.

 

[Oxbow]

Yes, but it's only five times a week per operator.

The reason is that it packs in so hard, especially when you work in an out of water like we do, that it is a real chore if we don't do it every day.

 

[92U 3406]

I am a Nazi about clean equipment and a clean work site.
Everyone that’s knows me, knows they better not throw a DD coffee cup in the trench or on the ground because I will chew you out the first time and throw your ass off the site a second time.
All machines and site is cleaned at end of day and greased.
I’m kinda a mean prick as a supervisor.

Teach me your ways. I need to be more of a prick at work.