In our last blog, we looked at how trading condition issues faced by most UK businesses, have caused delays in the production and shipping of machine parts. So it is important to make sure you have planned maintenance to keep up to date with scheduled daily checks and plan for repairs, to boost performance and efficiency.
When working at height, if you are ever advised that a part of your equipment needs repairing, you should take immediate action to book in an engineer to fix the job to keep providing a safe working environment for your workers before it’s a health and safety risk for the team. Delaying the time of repair will increase further malfunctions and disruption in productivity if the equipment were to come out of service. Furthermore, additional delivery and stock delays can occur. Resulting in expenses on repairs and any other costs where the problem has had a knock-on effect on other parts of the machine.
According to Senseye, an AI-powered machine health management company, a report revealed that in 2022 the cost of unplanned downtime increased by 50% more than in 2019-2020, due to inflation. With a cost of lost hours ranging from £32.9k for Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) facilities to over £1.7m for automotive sectors.
The urgency of coming up with a solution or a plan, whether it’s replacing equipment or restoring the value of what you currently own. Is dependent on the short- and long-term factors that will impact the business. Whilst it may be worth investing in new equipment with newer features if an old machine is causing more breakdowns and repairs. You may want to consider the costs that will be sustained during downtime for waiting for equipment to arrive with long leading times in delivery, the installation and the cost and time for training employees for new equipment.
According to the HSE website before you start using any machine you need to think about what risks may occur and how these can be managed. Download our free HLS MEWP Pre-use inspection checklist. To ensure that daily checks are recorded and regular inspections and servicing schedules. As well as identifying any parts that may need repairing, or require an inspection by an engineer to confirm any defects and faults, before using any equipment.
Read our blog to find out more about LOLER and PUWER inspections for MEWPs
How to get the most out of your equipment
- Daily checks to quickly identify any issues that may put workers at risk.
- Scheduled maintenance and repair inspections to prolong the life and efficiency of the equipment.
- Upgrade current equipment with features, such as fixed guards to improve safety
- Making sure only competent workers with training operate the equipment. So, they are aware of how to care for, identify, and report any damages to the equipment.
- Whether the equipment you plan to use is suitable for the working environment and aims to complete a task that will improve company performance.
- Store equipment in a suitable location, to avoid getting lost or causing further wear and tear.
How we can help you with your equipment
During your daily checks, if you find an issue with your equipment, such as your machine is no longer charging properly. Get in touch with the HLS team as soon as an issue is identified. With the current economic challenges, we have improved our supply chain by improving the availability of resources from the manufacturer to our customers. Ensuring that part stocks are ready for use when repairs are needed.
We provide maintenance and repairs for all powered access platforms (MEWPS, scissor lifts, booms, tracked booms, trailer mounts, PAV’s, Spiders, cherry pickers, and materials lifts), both on and off-site. All our engineers will advise you of any repairs needed. We’ll also provide you with all the documentation you need to show that you’ve maintained your certification.
If you’re looking for another way to extend the life of the equipment that is otherwise in good condition but is not working because of its age. It may be worth refurbishing any mechanical parts that are in poor condition. At HLS we offer an overhaul refurbishment service, a cost-effective solution that is not as expensive as buying a new piece of equipment.
In summary planning daily checks and booking inspections when advised can mean that you can be prepared for any repairs by sourcing parts in advance to avoid downtime costs. And avoid the risk factor of having multiple machine failures.
If you’d like to know more please contact us by calling 0113 524 1018 or email hello@hls.co
