Because light-construction equipment is relatively new to many grounds departments, training will lead to safer, more efficient operations. Most manufacturers offer operation and safety videos, safety manuals and other resources to help operators and mechanics become familiar with a new set of equipment challenges. Crews have used mowers and utility vehicles for years, but that does not mean operators will be able to climb into a skid steer and feel comfortable on the first day.
“When it comes to a buildings and grounds project, there is some talent that needs to be there to be able to sculpt land,” Gilles says. “You can’t just go out and cut a slope with a bucket unless you have time behind the (controls).”
Using more complex attachments also calls for a skill set some operators might not possess.
“The simpler attachments, like an auger or a pallet fork, they’re pretty intuitive,” Zupancic says. “But these attachments nowadays are getting pretty complex. They’re able to do three or four different functions, and they require a basic level of training.”
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