It is not just the project schedule that suffers because of the equipment breaking down. The equipment operator, project supervisor, and the entire construction team is under pressure as they depend on the machine being ready for action in order to be able to complete their jobs successfully.
Even if a single piece of equipment ends up breaking down it can result in the project schedule being affected and the entire team having to wait patiently for repairs and replacements. Downtime in the construction industry is not only expensive but also problematic in the long term because it results in the project going over the deadline. If you are dealing with one piece of equipment breaking down while the other equipment idles it will only bleed your budget.
How Equipment Malfunction Affects Projects
If you are working with an excavator at a construction site but failed to maintain it properly and the machine breaks down suddenly in the middle of a job, how is that going to affect the progress of your project? The trucks will continue to line up behind the machine with the drivers standing around waiting for the operator to figure out what the issue is. For as long as it takes the mechanic and the operator to troubleshoot the cause, all the other drivers and workers on site would have their work interrupted and this interruption would cost you quite a lot in the end.
The heavy equipment will be in need of repairs and the first step in that process is to troubleshoot. This process can be quite time-consuming, even more so if the mechanic is unfamiliar with that particular machine. Prior knowledge of the machine is necessary to quickly identify the root cause of the issue and make the necessary repairs. You might be able to find some answers in the heavy equipment repair manual that you got when you purchased the machine.
It is quite common for construction companies to have to deal with equipment failure, however, if you take the necessary preventative steps and prepare yourself by incorporating an effective troubleshooting system you can reduce the chances and negative impact of the breakdown on your project.
The following are a few steps you should follow when you are equipment troubleshooting in order to figure out what the root cause of the issue is.
Recognize Symptoms
In order to troubleshoot the issue, you need to first try to determine if a problem actually exists by recognizing any symptoms that your equipment might be displaying. The first thing that you need to do is to contact the equipment operator because they spend the most time with the equipment and are familiar with it. You can ask them for details regarding the circumstances during which the equipment broke down.
You also need to observe the equipment, the controls, and the equipment indicators to get an idea of what could be wrong. Make note of any abnormal symptoms that you come across during your inspection and make sure to examine the technical documentation about the equipment and its systems as well. Make sure to discuss whatever you discover with the operator as that would help you in determining what the cause is.
Narrow Down the Root Cause of the Issue
In order to narrow down the root cause of the issue the troubleshooter needs to rely on his technical skills, experience, and intuition. You will be testing equipment and reading equipment instructions to find the cause of the issue and if you fail to find out anything from making adjustments to the equipment’s components you might even have to disassemble the machine. Make use of your specialized knowledge to successfully isolate the problem, to do that you will need to use logic and reasoning to deduce what could be wrong with the equipment.
Rectify the Cause of the Issue
Once you have identified the root cause of the issue you need to correct it by performing necessary repairs or taking the required measures to eliminate the problem. As a company, you should be prepared to deal with broken equipment and either have a backup piece of equipment or a spare machine in your inventory. If not, then you should have contacts whom you can call for a temporary placement.