Equipment Rental Offers Managers Many Advantages
August 9, 2012
I'm Steve Schuster, associate editor of
Maintenance Solutions magazine. Today's topic discusses equipment rental.
Renting equipment is an essential strategy for maintenance and engineering managers looking to supplement their staff's arsenal of in-house tools and technology. From generators and emergency-cooling units to specialized grounds equipment and aerial work platforms, managers have a range of issues to consider in their efforts to make a smart rental decisions.
Equipment rental offers many advantages. Costs are fixed, and they are expensed each year as they are incurred. Also, the equipment is used 100 percent. The department does not pay for downtime in the storage yard.
When deciding to rent equipment, consider these guidelines:
- Have a well-trained and experienced equipment operator.
- Get manuals for rented equipment, along with a maintenance log, to verify recommended maintenance has been performed on time.
- Check for visible damage of the body, frame and accessories.
- Perform a complete pre-operation inspection checklist. The item that is not checked during this process is the one that will fail.
- Make sure moving parts are guarded.
- Ensure safety devices and warning lights and horns are working.
- Be certain the lift equipment and related products are properly sized for both the operating space and load capacity.
- Make sure no warning lights or strange sounds indicate problems.
- Make sure gauges are working.
All of these factors yield smarter, more cost-effective decisions that can lower the equipment rental costs and help managers deliver a safe, high-quality project.
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