Operation and maintenance of heavy equipment and construction machinery in temperatures between 48°F and −40°F
As a construction manager, specialty contractor, fleet manager, equipment owner or machinery operator, it’s important to properly prepare your fleet of heavy equipment and construction machinery, before winter weather, cold temperatures and adverse conditions arrive.
Caterpillar (www.cat.com) publishes Cold Weather Recommendations for All Caterpillar Machines, (Excerpted from Operation & Maintenance Manual, SEBU5898-11-01). Further, Caterpillar organizes the document in the following five topical sections of information, operation, maintenance, reference information, and index:
- Foreword
- Information Section
- Cold Weather Recommendations
- Operation Section
- Starting Recommendations
- Parking Recommendations
- Maintenance Section
- Fluid Recommendations
- Battery Recommendations
- Tire Inflation Recommendations
- Reference Information Section
- Reference Materials
- Index Section
- Index
In the first of the five topical sections in Cold Weather Recommendations for All Caterpillar Machines, Information Section: Cold Weather Recommendations (SMCS Code: 1000; 7000), Caterpillar explains that the information contained in the cold weather recommendations document covers the operation and maintenance (O&M) of heavy equipment and construction machinery in temperatures between 48°F and −40°F.
Accordingly, monitor weather events at the start and finish of each work day, and before the start of each work week, to identify low temperature events or periods where the low temperature is below 48°F, or between 48°F and −40°F. Further, in moderate temperature events or periods where the temperature is above 48°F, Caterpillar recommends to refer to the Operation and Maintenance Manual for each machine.
Further, the cold weather recommendations document highlights the challenges “…to outline the operation and maintenance of a machine that is used in freezing temperatures for a general publication…,” caused by the variability in weather conditions, machine operations, supply availability, and other factors. In conclusion, Caterpillar advises to monitor weather events and to follow “… recommendations from your Caterpillar dealer, and past proven practices.”
(Source: Caterpillar, Cold Weather Recommendations for All Caterpillar Machines, Excerpted from Operation & Maintenance Manual, SEBU5898-11-01)
More in the next blog about heavy equipment and construction machinery in winter weather, cold temperatures and adverse conditions…