5 Key Considerations When Reopening Your Site
As the construction industry begins to cautiously return to work and play a vital part in the coming economic recovery, protection of our workers and our businesses is of prime importance. Bill Noakes from Atlantic Pumps looks at some of the important considerations for quarries and building sites in this new era.
1. Look after your Plant and Equipment
It is important to keep your equipment in good condition even if they have been idle. For example, keep greasing any bearings to prevent moisture ingress. Consider investing in equipment that can look after your equipment even if you’re not there, such as the SlurryPro Auto Greaser.
Pumps are a vital, if hidden part of your operation, so this may be an ideal time to service them to prevent breakdowns once work starts again. See here for more information on pump maintenance:
2. Do Not Neglect Dewatering
We have enjoyed glorious sunshine for most of the current shutdown. However, ground water levels remain high, and if dewatering pumps are not operating you could be losing weeks of production when work restarts. It is important dewatering pumps are regularly maintained and kept running to keep water levels down. If the pump floods, you will have an expensive repair or replacement to pay for as well as a flooded quarry. The Intrax Pump Monitor is a device which allows you to monitor pumps even if you aren’t on site.
3. The Safety of your Workers is Key
The Construction Leadership Council has produced very clear guidelines on how sites can operate safely and protect the welfare of their workers. By complying with these guidelines, you are following the advice set out by the Government and Public Health England.
It is remarkable how innovative companies have responded to these guidelines with products that will assist you in complying. An example of this is the H-Wash hand washing system, which is mobile and does not require any plumbing or electrics.
Atlantic Pumps have responded to industry needs and have sourced a range of health & safety products for rapid despatch, so you have no delays in getting going again.
4. Keep within your Environmental Permits
Although your site may have been closed or had reduced activity, you are still responsible to be a good neighbour. It is important to keep monitoring the quantity and quality of your site discharge and abstraction. The dryer weather may mean more attention is needed on your dust suppression strategy. For peace of mind, Atlantic Pumps have developed the revolutionary EnviroHub remote monitoring system for constant control of your water movements on site.
5. Instigate Improvements
When sites are busy it is often difficult to introduce improvements to your site as they can disrupt your production. Now may be an ideal time to think about replacing high-maintenance or low-efficiency equipment with new products which will make you more productive and save you a lot of money. For example, 70% of the lifetime costs of a pump are in the energy used to run them, so investing in a pump more appropriate to your application will quickly give you a pay back. To see the additional benefits of correctly specified pumps, see here.
A Bright Tomorrow
These unusual times will not last for ever, and it’s clear the wheels of industry are starting to turn again. However, for now that means with additional protections in place for the health and welfare of our workers.
Atlantic Pumps founding principles are to make our customers lives easier, and to respond rapidly to our customers’ needs. We are delighted to be working with the industry to ensure we can all go back to work with your workforce protected, your business protected, and the environment protected as well.
