Equipment World Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/933470
January 2018 | EquipmentWorld.com 20 2017 YEAR IN REVIEW MARCH Lee Manzanares, lead mechanic for RMCI General Contractor, Albuquerque, named AEMP's Technician of the Year. MARCH Mecalac launches Mecalac Americas initiative Parts, parts and more parts John Deere, JLG and Volvo used ConExpo to announce new parts initiatives. Deere's Big Part Promise guarantees critical parts by the end of the busi- ness day, or they're free. JLG's Max- Quip parts line supplies users with competitive model parts, and Volvo's 24-Hour Parts Guarantee ensures de- livery of parts within 24 hours of the order. In No- vember, Cat launched its Yellowmark aftermarket brand, aimed at customers looking for lower-cost parts, particu- larly for older equipment. Cat changes nomenclature Further details on Cat's nomenclature changes emerged last year. The letter modifi ers on most Cat models will be dropped and replaced with a Build Num- ber – which will only appear on product information, not on the machine itself – as generational changes occur. The fi rst ma- chine to use this new approach was the 745 articulated truck, which Cat debuted at ConExpo. One exception: Cat's dozers, which will continue with their current E, K, N and T letter designations. Georgia opens interstate bridge in 45 days Facing catastrophic traffi c snarls after an I-85 bridge in Atlanta was destroyed by fi re, Georgia and federal transportation offi cials smoothed the engineering and regulatory path for contractor C. W. Matthews to com- plete a replacement overpass more than a month ahead of time. In addition to being a showcase for Accelerated Bridge Con- struction methods, the incident prompted state DOTs across the nation to assess their current under-bridge material storage practices. Silica dust rules arrive After years of discussions, appeals and delays, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration began enforcing its new rules designed to reduce the amount of crystalline silica dust on construction worksites by 80 percent, on average, per 8-hour work shift. The rules were sched- uled to take effect in June but were delayed until September 23rd for OSHA to fi ne- tune compliance guidelines. The goal is to reduce and prevent lung cancer, silicosis and other respiratory ailments caused by overexposure to crystalline silica, a com- mon chemical compound found in rock, concrete and brick. Several manufacturers debuted tools compliant with the new rules. } }