Failure of critical infrastructure and equipment rarely comes with a warning. One day, everything is working just fine—then, suddenly, your excavator won’t start, or the generator won’t crank. On a quick inspection, you discover water intrusion in your storage building that was likely the cause.
For heavy machine owners, wear and tear is not the only source of worry, but one of the real threats that’s often overlooked is the weather, which can change drastically to extreme and destructive conditions. For instance, heat waves destroy electronics, and flash floods can destroy fuel systems. Strong winds can blow trash directly into a control panel.
So, whether they operate heavy machines like excavators or bulldozers, they are at risk. But with the proper safety practices, you can revamp how you protect your equipment and infrastructure to cut downtime, prevent costly repairs, and keep your operations running smoothly.
Here’s how to protect essential infrastructure and equipment from damage:
1. Start with What’s Most at Risk
Not all equipment or infrastructure is built equally. They can’t handle the same stress, so prioritizing the most sensitive ones should be your first step. Identify which assets are the most vulnerable when hit directly by hail, strong winds, rain, or airborne debris. Engines can overheat with exposure to intense sun, and electrical components can rust faster when exposed to temperature changes or moisture.
To protect infrastructure and equipment, you want to ensure that the most critical shelters are free from threats as well. Generator storage areas should be clear of standing water that can cause overloading. Ensure the foundation is well done to avoid shifting due to extreme weather.
Regularly inspect both mobile and stationary equipment and infrastructure to ensure they are safe and operational. Have a checklist to stay ahead and avoid waiting until an item breaks before taking action. If you see the signs, assume they are at risk and prepare accordingly.
2. Reinforce Infrastructure Before the Weather Hits
Your infrastructure needs to provide equipment with more than just a place to park. It should guarantee their protection. So, you want to reinforce the structures on your job site to withstand rough weather.
Here are some of the adjustments you can make:
- Strengthen the foundations: Watch out for cracks in garages and mechanical rooms, especially those located in freeze and flood-prone areas, to avoid bigger problems forming.
- Elevate electrical components: All electrical devices, from generators and panels to fuel pumps, should sit some distance above ground. Use concrete slabs or steel framing to keep them safe from water damage and short circuits if it floods.
- Close mechanical rooms and control rooms with flood barriers, watertight doors, and sump pump systems where necessary.
- Seal storage rooms: Installing watertight doors and barriers can reduce the risk of exposure to the equipment inside the storage area.
- Add fire-resistant coating: If there is high-value equipment exposed to intense heat, adding a protection layer against fire enhances its safety.
- Install wind shields: To protect the assets against fast-moving debris in a strong storm that could break the storage and destroy the equipment.
These simple changes prepare you to absorb the hits from a bad climate without sacrificing critical infrastructure and help avoid last-minute rushes.
3. Watch the Weather—And Act Fast
Extreme temperatures like heat waves and freezing can destroy your machines pretty fast. With a sudden weather shift, your engine could overheat, and hydraulic fluids could degrade pretty fast. If your machines are not designed to handle extreme temperatures, it is essential to monitor weather changes and take swift action.
To ease your work, install sensors on sensitive machines, such as generators, to receive timely temperature change alerts. Moisture-detecting sensors around electrical panels can help detect leaks before they shut down your systems. And a wind gauge enables you to gauge wind strength, which eases your decision between securing the equipment or shutting down operations.
4. Proper Storage Isn’t Optional
Failing to build a proper storage facility for your equipment may seem cost-effective at first, but it can be costly when a hailstorm or windstorm hits. Leaving valuable machines like your $150,000 excavator exposed to extreme weather is asking for trouble. Any sensitive electrical or fuel-operated component shouldn’t be left standing overnight exposed to freezing.
Climate-resistant storage is a must-have. If your work site lacks adequate secure indoor storage, consider leasing space in a nearby warehouse.
5. Properly Clean Equipment
Before you store your equipment, ensure it is thoroughly cleaned. You want to eliminate grime, chemical residues, and debris that can easily accelerate rusting or attract pests. Once cleaned, keep all electrical cables and other water-sensitive or flammable liquids equipment in sealed containers not exposed to sunlight.
Where you store your equipment matters, but how you store it makes all the difference to whether it will run smoothly next time you power it or jam up in the middle of the shift.
6. Keep Your Backup Systems Ready
Your power backup systems, or all equipment that helps you control water and climate, are part of your infrastructure backbone. But they’re always forgotten until it’s too late. That’s one risk you don’t want to take. Imagine having a diesel generator only for it to fail when there’s a blackout. It’s not only frustrating, but it puts your assets at risk. It affects visibility, and with low visibility, you operate in confusion, and many things can go unnoticed.
Periodically test backup systems from generators to ventilation systems and make necessary replacements to prepare for disasters and cut or eliminate downtime.
7. Don’t Just Buy, Invest in Strong Equipment
Survivability is an essential factor to consider when buying equipment or building infrastructure. You don’t just want something that gets the job done but can survive extreme climate conditions.
So, the next time you are upgrading or replacing your fleet, excavators, or graders, go for those designed to work in your specific environment. Look for extra protection features like heat-sealed electronics, watertight engine covers, and strong cab seals.
You are also much safer buying machines that are replaceable and whose replacement parts are readily available. You need equipment that holds together when things get serious and is back to work ASAP after a tune-up.
Conclusion
If you own or operate critical equipment and infrastructure, there’s more you can do than hold your breath for the weather to calm—sometimes it won’t! So, the more prepared you are to protect your facility and machines, the better.
Protecting your valuable assets from poor weather isn’t playing it safe; it ensures you get to accomplish your task on schedule, keeps your employees safe, and saves you the extra repair and replacement costs.
With these tips, reinforcing your infrastructure and watching over your machines, it will be easier. Prepare in advance by adapting to the weather changes, and you can face whatever comes—ice storms, heat waves, or anything in between.
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