ASPHALT ANSWERS
Allowing your trucks to be cleaned out in front of the paver will cause inconsistent compaction due to the different temperatures being rolled .
Cleaning trucks in the area to be paved . Different jobs have different challenges as far as space , but truck drivers should always have a spot to safely clean their trucks . When drivers leave chunks of cold asphalt in the path to be paved , compaction suffers and the end result is air voids because the material cannot be manipulated properly . The only exception is if you have a skid steer loader or broom to immediately clear the area of the cold asphalt . In any event , the unused asphalt should be removed from the jobsite and deposited in the spoils bin . Many times I see contractors who have payed thousands of dollars per day to mill an area to the correct grade , only to allow a dump truck to deposit chunks of cold asphalt in front of the paver . Not taking time to clean equipment . I get it . It ’ s been a long hard day . All you want to do is park the machines and get off the job site . But , besides your employees , your machines are your largest investment . Isn ’ t it worth taking a few minutes at the end of the day to make sure everything is ready to go in the morning , especially while all the dirt , grime and asphalt are fresh and easier to clean ? Cleaning the paver is a no brainer ; clean all of the excessive asphalt with your approved release agent , but did you know that if you spray the machine down before your last truckload of asphalt , the new , hot asphalt will almost clean the machine for you . Also , don ’ t forget to clean the bristles of your broom , spray down and clean your tack equipment and most importantly , top off all of your fuel and DEF tanks . This prevents condensation forming and contaminating your fluids . I really don ’ t think I have told you anything that you don ’ t already know , but are you currently taking them for granted ? Contractors are always looking for things that set them apart from the crowd , and this may just be the jump start for you and your crew . Team members should hold each other accountable for bad practices and your team will soon get the reputation as the quality leader .
Brian Hall , LeeBoy Territory Manager . He can be reached via email at Brian . Hall @ Leeboy . com .
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