SportsTurf provides current, practical and technical content on issues relevant to sports turf managers, including facilities managers. Most readers are athletic field managers from the professional level through parks and recreation, universities.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/101565
Facility&Operations | By Jason Kopp >> Top Left: IF YOU ARE HAVING ISSUES with a unit not starting this battery/starter tester will quickly identify or eliminate some issues. >> Bottom Left: THESE HOSES ARE FOR TESTING and draining a hydraulic system, which should be done at designated intervals, including during a winter service by a local distributor. >> A REEL GRINDER is a must for any turf manager; however since they are very expensive most don���t have the means to get one so having the work done by others is a great option. Managing and maintaining your equipment fleet N ow that the turf growing season has ended for most of the country and winter is here, many turf and equipment managers turn their attention to servicing and repairing equipment for the rigorous spring schedule that will soon be here. Whether you have one unit or several units, preparations and planning this winter can help ensure a productive, successful equipment season in the spring. Winter preventative maintenance programs can be scheduled to cover many of the larger recommended maintenance schedule items that are required. Because these services can include draining of fuel and hydraulic tanks and replacing many of the hoses, scheduling these services with a local equipment distributor can save time, money, and potential down time in the spring. Once spring arrives and the equipment is back out and being put through its paces, many of the common issues that are faced in the field can be prevented by following a regularly scheduled maintenance plan. The minimum maintenance standards that are outlined in the owner���s manual for each piece of equipment are essential to ensure the units in your fleet are operating 32 SportsTurf | January 2013 to their maximum level of expected performance. Changing the oil and filter regularly, checking tire pressure, replacing belts and hoses, changing the fuel filter, and if the unit is diesel draining the moisture from the fuel tank are some simple but important measures aiding in the performance of your equipment. While many of these tasks are performed on a regular or interval basis, there are other requirements that each operator should follow before using any piece of equipment. Doing a walk around inspection of the unit to visually check for issues is something that is often overlooked. Seeing an operator walk up to a unit and get on and ride away without looking on the ground to see if there are any leaks is a common occurrence in a race to be productive. This simple check could identify a potential issue and prevent environmental contamination or damage to playing surfaces. Training your team in proper pre and post inspections when using equipment is a key element in the maintenance reg- iment. Checking fuel levels to ensure you start each shift with a full tank of gas is the start of any pre-operation process. If you plan to refuel your equipment during the day, make sure the unit is moved to a flat, concrete surface, turn the engine off and allow the engine to cool. Checking safety devices to ensure they are working properly and have not been tampered with is also a critical step. Manufactures have continued to improve safety features that include automatic shutoffs, ROPS systems, vibration and noise reduction components, and seat belts to help prevent many of the injuries that occur. Tampering with these safety devices or using equipment for tasks not designed for can put the equipment at risk of serious damage. More importantly your operator or even bystanders can be at peril of serious injury or death. Fleet management system ONE OF THE KEY ELEMENTS of a maintenance operation is the ability to efficiently and accurately track imperative equipment data to ensure preventative maintenance is performed on schedule. One solution, myTurf, is The Toro Company���s fleet management system that offers a unique combination of tools that increase the efficiency of a turf equipment maintenance operation by reducing unnecessary steps and automating others. myTurf has you covered whether it is being able to locate and order parts online, automatically load service schedules, or view purchase and repair histories, whether for Toro equipment or any of the other brands in a fleet. The goal of a good online fleet management tool is to make sure the preventative maintenance gets done on time efficiently, automatically and simply. www.sportsturfonline.com