ASPHALT ANSWERS
sessions show your team that you are in-
vested in them and only expect the best.
Controlling your Pace of Paving.
Fast and furious. Does this describe your
crew? Too many times we get so caught
up in emptying the truck that we lose sight
on what makes a quality job. In evaluat-
ing the job site, we need to take into con-
sideration truck turnaround times so that
when we empty a truck, another truck is
ready to take its place. With this in mind,
controlling the feet per minute of your
paver is essential. When you outrun your
trucks, you risk starving your screed as well
as allowing the asphalt to cool. Ok, I get
When you cut corners on the binder, the surface
suffers also.
it. Sometimes it’s unavoidable because of
conditions beyond your control. If you
do have to wait, make sure your hopper is
at least 2/3 full of asphalt when you stop.
This way, your screed stays full of asphalt
and any that cools in the hopper will be
re-heated with new asphalt when the truck
arrives. Being on site to proactively train
will certainly reap dividends in quality
down the road.
Pre and Post Job Checklists. An on
the job audit of your procedures as it
pertains to these checklist are crucial to
maintaining your fleet. The easy answer
here is that you will assume a walk around
is being done before and after each job.
But unless it’s written down and docu-
mented, it’s not really done. A daily log
must be recorded to make sure no sur-
prises occur when trucks are backed up.
The key to any checklist is making sure
that any abnormalities are triaged. Sim-
ply put, make a list of items that can be
put off vs. a list that must be completed
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[16]
When you try to save a few pennies,
it cost you dollars in the end.
immediately. Worn rubber on the hop-
per or even wear on the screed plate can
be scheduled maintenance. Hydraulic
leaks and dry grease fittings require you
take immediate action lest you risk send-
ing a load of asphalt to the recycle bin.
Don’t hesitate to get your dealer or man-
ufacturer involved to make sure all the
bases are covered.
The Little Things Matter. We all hear
it too many times – “Don’t worry about
it, it’s only the binder.” What I’ve come
to learn is that when you let the little
things slide, the big things suffer. For
example, I was with a crew in a subdi-
vision where the cars were allowed to
drive on an uncompacted mat. The
general idea was that we are going to
pave over that, so what does it mat-
ter? What matters is that the roller is
going to bridge over the tire ruts and
affect the life of the finished product.
Same with the crew that puts down
just a small stream of tack over the old
asphalt. 10 months later when they
have to come back and repave because
the asphalt delaminated, who gets the
blame. A simple re-training on pro-
cedures could save warranty costs and
ultimately, your company’s reputa-
tion.
It may seem heavy handed or
even micro-managing in some cases,
but in the end, your crew will respect
the professional reputation that your
company enjoys in the industry. No
amount of cost-cutting can buy that
kind of publicity.
Brian Hall is the territory manager of
Mid South Region at VT LeeBoy, Inc.
You can contact him at [email protected]
Article sponsored by LeeBoy and Rosco.
1.800.210.5923