Construction Equipment,

Operations and Maintenance

Group 6 Members:
Bacud, Adrian B.
Deocadiz, Leslie H.
Paolma, Sandrey John B.
Zamora, Genevieve
Capanang, Jestoni A.

Submitted to: Engr. Vincent John B. Agdales

Construction Equipment

Any equipment or device designed and intended for use in construction or material handling
including but not limited to air compressors, air tracks, pile drivers, pneumatic or hydraulic tools,
bulldozers, tractors, excavators, trenchers, cranes, derricks, loaders, backhoes, scrapers, pavers,
generators, off-highway haulers or trucks, ditchers, compactors and rollers, pumps, concrete
mixers, graders and other material handling equipment.

Types of Construction Equipment

1. EARTH-MOVING EQUIPMENT
2. CONSTRUCTION VEHICLE
3. MATERIAL HANDLING EQUIPMENT
4. CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
5. TUNNELING EQUIPMENT
6. COMPACTING EQUIPMENT

1. EARTH-MOVING EQUIPMENT
Generally, refers to any piece of heavy mostly been used in road construction for the
machinery that can move and grade soil and rock. In addition to construction work, they are also
used for materials handling, demolition, mining, and any other industry that requires more power
than can be provided by humans.

1.1 EXCAVATOR
An excavator is a construction vehicle used to excavate or move large objects. An
Excavator is made up of 2 parts: a driving base associated with a powerful boom arm with an
attachment designed for excavating. The operator sits within a small cab connected to the base and
controls the arm. The excavator probably is the most commonly used machine in the Construction
Industry.
There are many uses for an Excavator.
 Digging of trenches, holes, and foundations
 Demolition
 Material handling
 General grading/landscaping
 Brush cutting with hydraulic attachments
 Forestry work
 Lifting and placing of pipes
 Mining, especially, but not only open-pit mining
 River dredging

1.2 GRADER
A grader is a construction machine with a long blade used to create a flat surface. It is
commonly called names such as a road grader, a blade, a maintainer, and a motor grader. Graders
are mostly been used in road construction for the construction and maintenance of dirt roads and
gravel roads. The grader typically consists of three axles, with the engine and cab situated on
top, the rear axles at one end of the vehicle, and a third axle at the front end of the vehicle, with
the blade in between. In the construction of paved roads, they are used to prepare the base course
to create a wide flat surface for the asphalt to be placed on.
They are also used to set native soil foundation pads to finish grade before the
construction of large buildings. Many countries use graders for the flatting process
that is done before the placing of Asphalt.
Graders too have various types; some consist of a large fork front, and some consist of a
flat blade front, which varies in different sizes.

1.3 LOADERS
A loader is a heavy equipment machine frequently used in the construction industry,
mainly used to load material (such as demolition waste, feed, gravel raw minerals, used material,
rock, and plywood) into or onto another type of machinery (such as a dump truckload). Loaders
have a very higher productivity and a lower maintenance cost unlike most of the other large-scale
construction machines. The Loader has a large bucket with a shorter moving arm.
Large quantities of material such as soil, construction material, etc can be moved from this. The
loader consists of four large wheels for its movement. Loaders are best suited for earth moving,
road construction, agricultural purposes, and also in large- and small-scale constructions which
include marine structures.

Loaders too are available in various types based on their use and brand.

SIMILAR NAMES: FRONT END LOADER, BUCKET LOADER, SCOOP LOADER, OR

SHOVEL.

LOADING MATERIALS INTO TRUCKSUSAGE OF LOADERS IN CONSTRUCTION

 Laying pipe
 Clearing rubble
 Moving of Construction waste and other materials
 Small excavations

1.4 SKID LOADER

A skid loader or skid-steer loader is a small rigid frame, engine-powered machine with lift
arms used to attach a wide variety of labor-saving tools or attachments.
Though occasionally they are equipped with tracks, skid-steer loaders are typically
fourwheel vehicles with the wheels mechanically locked in synchronization on each side, and the
left- side drive wheels can be driven independently of the right-side drive wheels.

1.5 CRAWLER LOADERS

The crawler loader combines the stability of the crawler tractor with the abilities of a
wheel loader. However, constructing a reliable crawler loader requires more than simply
attaching a loader bucket to a crawler tractor. It must be considered with its specific purpose in
mind to ensure. It has the strength to survive heavy excavating.

The introduction of hydraulic excavators reduced the market for the crawler loader
because it was incapable to match the excavator’s lifting power and flexibility. crawler loaders
are capable of
maneuvering across the entire construction site under their own power, whereas most hydraulic
excavators require towing or transport.

1.6 BACKHOE LOADERS

The success of the backhoe-loader comes from its versatility. This is not a high-production machine
for anyone task, but it provides flexibility to accomplish a variety of work tasks. It is three
construction machines combined into one unit-a tractor, a loader, and a hoe. Because of its
fourWheel-drive tractor capability, the backhoe-loader can work in unstable ground Conditions. It is
an excellent excavator for digging loosely packed moist clay or sandy clay.

1.7 DOZERS
may be either crawler (tracklaying) or wheel-type machines. They are tractor units equipped
with a front blade for pushing materials (dozing). These machines are designed to provide
tractive power for drawbar work. Consistent with their purpose, as a unit for drawbar work, they
are low-center-of-gravity machines.
Types of Dozers
Crawler Type - are tracklaying machines. They have a continuous track of linked shoes
that moves in the horizontal plane across fixed rollers.
Wheel Type – Most wheel dozers are equipped with torque converters and power-shift
transmissions. Wheel dozers exert comparatively high ground pressures, 25 to 35 psi
(172241 kPa).

1.8 TRENCHERS
It is sometimes called Ditchers or Trenches, and are similar to excavators in the sense that
penetrate the soil, break soil and rock, and from the earth. They differ from excavators in that the
soil is removed in one continuous movement. Digging trenches for pipes is used specifically for
this, but other machines have been improvised in the past to serve this purpose.

Trenchers can come in two types:

1. Ladder trenchers
2. Wheel trenchers

- can dig trenches at speeds that other machines cannot compare to.

1.9 SCRAPERS
The scraper is a large piece of equipment used in mining, construction, agriculture, and
other earth-moving applications.
When the hopper is full it is raised and closed with a vertical blade (another name: apron). The
scraper can carriage its load to the fill area where the blade is raised, the back panel of the hopper,
or the ejector, is hydraulically pushed forward and the load tumbles out. Then the empty scraper
returns to the cut site and repeats the cycle.

2. CONSTRUCTION VEHICLE
Any car, truck, tractor, trailer, or other vehicle used to perform any part of a Construction
Activity or to transport equipment, supplies, or workers to a Construction Site.

2.1 TIPPERS
A truck or lorry the rear platform of which can be raised at the front end to allow the load
to be discharged by gravity also called tip truck.
Tippers are suited for the rough and tumble of mining & quarrying operations, as well as
for carrying bulk loads in construction and infrastructure industries.
Complete maneuverability, high performance and long-term endurance are common to all trucks,
resulting in lower operational costs.

2.2 DUMPERS/DUMP TRUCKS

A dump truck is a vehicle designed to transport bulk material, often in construction. It has
an open jump ahead with the driver seat and consists of a large boxlike body to contain materials.
A dumper usually has 4 Wheels, which the entire load and the movement depend on.
The jump can be tipped to be the load dump; This is where the name “dumper” comes
from. They are usually diesel engines. A towing eye is equipped for use as a tractor secondary
site. Modern dumpers have payloads up to 10 tons and usually articulate perform in the middle of
the housing. There are various sizes of dumpers in the present construction industry. Apart from
using them for construction, they are also been used in large mining tunnels and gem excavations
to remove soil and other substances.

2.3 TRAILERS
A trailer is generally an unpowered vehicle towed by a powered vehicle. It is commonly
used for the transport of goods and materials.
Sometimes recreational vehicles, travel trailers, or mobile homes with limited living
facilities, where people can camp or stay have been referred to as trailers. In earlier days, many
such vehicles were towable trailers.
Commonly, the term trailer refers to such vehicles used for the transport of goods and
materials in construction or another related field.

2.4 TANKERS
A tank truck (USA usage) or road tanker (UK usage) is a motor vehicle designed to carry
liquefied loads, dry bulk cargo, or gases on roads. The largest such vehicles are similar to
railroad tank cars which are also designed to carry
liquefied loads. Many variants exist due to the wide variety of liquids that can be transported. In
construction, it is used for carrying concrete mix.

3. MATERIAL HANDLING EQUIPMENT

Material handling equipment (MHE) is mechanical equipment used for the movement,
storage, control, and protection of materials, goods, and products throughout the process of
manufacturing, distribution, consumption, and disposal.

3.1 CRANE
A crane is a type of machine commonly used in construction, generally equipped with an
elevator, ropes or chains, and sheaves that can be used both to move and lift and lower materials
horizontally. It is mainly used for heavy lifting and transport to other locations. One or more
simple machines are used to provide a mechanical benefit and thus to move loads on the normal
ability of a person.
Cranes are commonly employed in the transport industry for the loading and unloading of
goods for the movement of materials and in manufacturing industries for mounting agricultural
machinery, in the construction industry.

2 Basic Types of Cranes

Mobile – is mounted on treads or wheels and can be move from job site to job site. In most cases,
they don’t require much effort to assemble.
Stationary – is a permanent/semi-permanent structure fixed to the ground or building the lifts and
moves loads along a fixed path.

3.2 CONVEYOR
A conveyor system could be a common piece of mechanical handling equipment that
moves materials from one location to a different. Conveyors are especially useful in applications
involving the transport of heavy or bulky materials. Conveyor systems allow quick and efficient
transport of a wide sort of materials, which makes them very popular within the material handling
and packaging industries
3.3 HOIST
The hoist is a device for raising or lowering a load using a drum or wheel lift that wraps
the rope or chain. It can be operated by hand, is driven electrically or pneumatically, and the
chain or wire rope fibers are used as a lifting device. The load is connected to the lifting means of
a lifting hook.
Also known as a man-lift, Buck- hoist, temporal lift, builder forklift, lift, or elevator, this
kind of lift is often in large construction projects large as tall buildings or large hospitals. There are
many other uses for the elevator.
Other industries use the buck hoist for full-time operations. The purpose is to transfer its
personnel, material, and equipment between the ground and the upper floors, or between plants
in the middle of a structure.

3.4 FORKLIFTS
A forklift truck (lift truck, fork truck, Forklift, tow-motor) is a powered industrial truck
used to lift and transport materials.
Forklift trucks are available in many variations and load capacities. In a typical warehouse
setting most forklifts used have load capacities between one to five tons.
Larger machines, with up to 50 tons lift capacity are used for lifting heavier loads.

4. CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT
Any equipment or device designed and intended for use in construction or material
handling including but not limited to air compressors, air tracks, pile drivers, pneumatic or
hydraulic tools, bulldozers, tractors, excavators, trenchers, cranes, derricks, loaders, backhoes,
scrapers, pavers,
generators, off-highway haulers or trucks, ditchers, compactors and rollers, pumps, concrete
mixers, graders and other material handling equipment

4.1 CONCRETE MIXER

A Concrete (Cement) Mixer is a machine that combines cement evenly to form aggregates
such as sand or gravel and water to concrete. A typical concrete mixer uses a rotating drum for
mixing the components. For smaller volume works portable concrete mixers are regularly used
for concrete and can be produced at the site so that workers have enough time to use the concrete
before it hardens time.
Special trucks for transporting concrete produced and ready-mix concrete to the
construction site. They can be charged with dry materials and water, with the mixing
occurring during transport. With this method, the material was mixed. The concrete truck
transportation of liquid mixture-maintained material by movement or rotation of the drum to
the delivery.

4.2 COMPACTORS
A compactor is a machine or mechanism used to material soil through compaction in the
construction industry.

In construction, there are three main types of compactors:

 Plate compactor
 Jumping Jack. 
Road roller.
4.3 PAVERS
A paver (paver finisher, asphalt finisher, paving machine) is an engineering vehicle used
to lay asphalt on roadways. It is normally fed by a dump truck. A separate machine, a roller, is
then used to press the hot asphalt mix, resulting in a smooth, even surface. The sub-base is
prepared by the use of a grader to trim crushed stone to profile after rolling.

4.4 ROAD ROLLER

Road roller (sometimes called a roller- compactor, or just roller) is a compactor type
engineering vehicle used to compact soil, gravel, concrete, or asphalt in the construction of roads
and foundations, similar rollers are used also at landfills or in agriculture.

5. TUNNELING EQUIPMENT
The method of tunnel construction depends on such factors as the ground conditions, the
groundwater conditions, the length and diameter of the tunnel drive, the depth of the tunnel, the
logistics of supporting the tunnel excavation, the final use, and the shape of the tunnel and
appropriate risk management. Tunnel construction is a subset of underground construction. The
selection of the apt equipment therefore becomes pivotal.

5.1 ROAD HEADERS

A road header machine is called a boom-type road header. Road headers are advanced,
self-forced, and extremely powerful rock-cutting machines designed to excavate roadways,
tunnels, and compartments continuously without using volatile. Powered hydroelectrically, they
produce no fumes and are used extensively in mineral mining, coal mining, and underground
construction projects, where their capacity to excavate the desired profile without causing
damaging vibrations is highly valued for both safety and environmental reasons. It is a piece of
excavating equipment consisting of a boom-mounted cutting head, a loading machine usually
involving a conveyor, and a crawler traveling track to move the whole machine forward into the
rock face. The road header also includes separate parts and multi-purpose hydraulic cutting
heads for increasing excavators.
The cutting head can be a general- purpose rotating drum mounted in line or
perpendicular to the boom or can be particular function heads such as jackhammer-like spikes,
compression fracture micro wheel heads like those on larger tunnel boring machines like a
gigantic chain saw for dicing up a rock or simple jaw like buckets of traditional excavators.

 Construction road headers Road headers for construction are set with powerful,
transverse cutter heads proven to give the best cutting performance in a wide range of
rock formations. Subway tunnels, shaft sinking, rehabilitation of existing tunnels,
road tunnels, and excavation of underground caverns are some examples where these
machines have established their great flexibility.

 Mining road headers Road headers for mining are prepared with powerful, transverse
cutter heads proven to give an unparalleled cutting performance in a wide range
formation of rock. Mounted on an extremely robust hydraulic boom they are the
reliable, rugged, highly creative result for both development and direct production
duties.
Hydraulic cutting heads Hydraulic cutting heads are designed to be increased on suitable
excavators quickly and easily. With transverse cutting structures, tried, geometrically
optimized, and tested on some of the world’s most rocky mining and tunneling machines,
they are well-organized, multi-use tools for various applications including scaling,
production, tunnel treatment, roadway leveling, trenching, and demolition.

5.2 TUNNEL BORING MACHINE (TBM)

Bored tunneling using a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) is frequently used for excavating
long tunnels. Tunneling Boring Machines (TBM) is all the time more used for tunneling with
difficult and complex geological environments, including rock and soil mixed and interfaced
grounds, bursting rocks, squeezing and swelling grounds, highly rocks fractured, shear and fault
zones, and grounds under high in situ stress and water pressure.
Tunnel Boring Machine may be suitable for excavating tunnels which contain competent
rocks that can provide adequate geological stability for boring a long section tunnel without
structural
support. However, very hard rock can cause major wear on the TBM rock cutter and may
slow down the progress of the tunneling works to the point where TBM becomes useless and
uneconomical and may take longer time than the drill and blast tunneling method.

BORED TUNNELING BENEFITS

 Possible environmental impacts in terms of dust, noise, and visual on sensitive receives
are much reduced and are restricted to those located near the launching and retrieval
shafts.
 Compared with the cut-and-cover approach, trouble to local traffic and associated
environmental crash would be much reduced.
OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
Operations and maintenance usually include tasks to maintain equipment before
significant issues arise, such as inspections, cleaning, minor part replacement, lubrication, and
fluid monitoring.

Work that must be performed by a highly-skilled engineer or technician with specific

knowledge of the equipment’s inner workings and design would fall under corrective or reactive
maintenance.

 Owning and operating construction equipment is an expensive investment. Even a small

construction company can have hundreds of thousands of dollars tied up in equipment.
Aside from the cost of purchasing and running machinery, there’s also the cost of
performing routine and preventive heavy equipment maintenance.

6. COMPACTING EQUIPMENT
The function of compaction equipment is to produce higher density in soil mechanically. The
basic forces used in compaction are static weight, kneading, impact and vibration. The degree of
compaction that may be achieved depends on the properties of soil, its moisture content, the
thickness of the soil layer for compaction and the method of compaction.
6.1 Sheepsfoot rollers – suitable for compacting all fined-grained materials, but is generally not
suitable for use on cohesionless granular materials. It tends to aerate the soil as it compacts
and is ideally suited for working soils that have moisture contents above the acceptable
moisture range.
6.2 Tamping rollers – are high-speed, self-propelled, nonvibratory rollers. As a tamping roller
moves over the surface, the feet penetrate the soil to produce a kneading action and a
pressure to mix and compact the soil from the bottom to the top of the layer.
6.3 Smooth-drum vibratory soil compactors – whether single or dual drum models, generate
pressure, impact, and vibration. It is most effective on granular materials.
6.4 Padded-drum vibratory soil compactors - Padded rollers are also known as trench rollers due to their
effective use in trenches and excavations. Large eccentric units provide high impact force and high
amplitude (for rollers) that are appropriate for cohesive soils.
6.5 Pneumatic-tired rollers - These are surface rollers that apply the principle of kneading action to affect
compaction below the surface. They may be self-propelled or towed.
- used in compacting asphalt, chip seals, recycled pavement, and base and subbase
materials.
6.6 Rammers – deliver a high impact force (high amplitude) making them an excellent choice for
cohesive and semi-cohesive soils. Rammers get compaction force from a small gasoline or
diesel engine powering a large piston set with two sets of springs

6.7 Impact Rollers – used for deeper compaction of coarse-grained soils, effective approximately
1 meter in depth.
- As the compactor is towed, the drum rotates, lifting itself up on edge, and then falls back
to earth. The impact of the drum striking the ground provides the compactive force.
Much of the impetus for this compactor design was the need to develop a high-energy
compactive device that could be used for densifying materials at low moisture content in
arid regions.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO DO PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE?

 Routine preventive maintenance lowers overall operating costs and reduces equipment
downtime.
 Regular repairs and upkeep prevent parts and components from excessive wear and
sudden failure.
 It makes equipment safer, extends service longevity, and enhances operator confidence.

• Longevity - performing routine and preventive maintenance on construction equipment

and machinery makes them last longer.
• Availability - any construction equipment that suddenly breaks down is unavailable for
service.
• Expenses -when construction equipment suddenly fails and breaks down, it causes
unplanned expenses.
• Confidence - to be productive, construction equipment operators have to be confident in
their machine’s performance.
• Safety - proper safety procedures are especially necessary when working with heavy
machinery and on construction sites.
• Litigation - no one wants to go to court and risk ending up paying for damages due to a
lawsuit.

PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE COVER THREE PRIMARY COMPONENTS:

 Routine scheduling for mandatory service tasks.
 Visual inspection
 Proactively replacing parts.

PREPARING HEAVY MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST

Checklist must be comprehensive and identify every crucial and not-so-crucial
maintenance point that unique to a particular equipment piece. They cover what should be done
and at what recommended time. They also remind maintainers to anticipate developing problems
so they can take counteractive measures before something fails.

COMMON TASK FOUND ON A HEAVY EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST

• Batteries - batteries notoriously lose charge or die on short notice. Checklists should
include the battery’s voltage retention and acid ratio. Also important are the terminal and
cable conditions.
• Belts - most construction equipment has built- driven components like compressors,
alternators, and pumps. Belt age, fraying, slackness, and discoloration should be on an
equipment list.
• Body - inspect and record general body condition with a checklist. Note the damage,
rust, looseness, and paint condition.
• Brakes - brake condition should be near the checklist top. Pad and shoe status, as well as
drum and disk health, are crucial observations. So are fluid levels, pressures, and cable
conditions.
• Coolant - radiator and transmission coolant tell a lot about the equipment’s state. Aside
from adequate levels and normal colors, the coolant should have periodic analysis.
• Electrical - electrical component checkpoints go beyond battery conditions. Checklists
should include voltage and amperage testing, cable examination, and fuse condition.
• Exhaust - exhaust systems tell a lot about engine performance. The abnormal sound is
one problem indicator but so is smoke. Exhaust connections like clamps and hangers
should have their checklist boxes.
• Filters - every filter on the equipment must have its check-off. That includes oil, fuel, air,
and hydraulic filters.
• Fluids - checking equipment fluids is mandatory in every scheduled service inspection.
Fluid analysis for engine oil, hydraulic oil, transmission fluid, and engine coolant is like
a blood test for humans. They reveal what’s going on inside the equipment.
• Fuel - gasoline, diesel, and propane fuel functions are extremely important to equipment
operation. Without functioning delivery systems, they’re not going to run. Ensure there
are check mark spots for fuel pumps, lines, and storage tanks.
• Injectors - diesel engines rely on injectors for fuel delivery. Plugged or dysfunctional
injectors impact power and the economy.
• Lubrication - it goes without saying that greasing and lubricating are on a check sheet.
The list should also identify critical moving areas like joints and sleeves.
• Safety - Every safety device should have a checkbox. This includes seat belts, lights,
horns, locks, and energy lockout points. Other safety devices like fire protection and
hazard warning belong on the list too.
• Steering - every part of the equipment steering system needs preventive maintenance
checks. That goes for the rods, ball joints, idler arms, and even the wheel condition.
• Suspension - preventive maintenance and proactive tasks always take in the equipment’s
suspension components. Note the condition of springs, struts, shocks, and undercarriage.
• Tires - if the equipment rolls on tires, it needs a checklist mentioned. Record tire wear, tread
depth, and pressure. Balance is another item on the list.
• Tracks - tracked equipment deserves special recognition on a maintenance checklist.
Treads, cleats, and idlers should have their box as well as general wear condition.
• Windshield - all glass should be inspected every time a checklist comes out. Chips can
easily develop into sight-impairing cracks. Also, look for a mirror and light glass
condition.

PLANNED MAINTENANCE
Effective maintenance of the plant and construction and equipment is a prerequisite to
efficient operation and uninterrupted construction activities. While deterioration of building
cannot be stopped, it can be retarded by maintenance.
Machine and equipment likewise, are subject to wear and tear from use.
Machine tend to get out of adjustment not only as the result of use, but only because of
temperature changes, vibration, seasoning of machine parts and a host of other causes.
Time is likewise a factor as corrosion forms in bodies and on various vital parts of the
machine. Dirt gradually finds its way into many types of equipment.
Moisture seeps into electrical winding and breaks down insulation. To counteract the effect of
all these inherent diseases in equipment, the only wonder drug that could be prescribed is
proper periodic maintenance.
Planned maintenance is an organized attempt to prevent sudden breakdown in equipment
and periodic shutdown for repairs. It is accomplished under the program of preventive
maintenance, a definite program of periodic cleaning, servicing, inspection and replacement
of worn parts.
Preventive maintenance has long been an economic necessity for construction equipment
which must operate on a continuous process. When failure does occur, investigation is made to
know the cause, and statistical records are kept to indicate and working.
Maintenance for the machine and equipment is very costly. Continuity of operations demand
that the following general procedures should be carried out:

1. Down time of each equipment for servicing is planned in advance.

2. Important items of equipment that requires regular cleaning and maintenance or liable to
sudden failure should be ready at hand for substitution at any time of failure or signs of
approaching failure.
3. Records should be maintained and analysis made repetitive failure.
4. Regular and prescribed inspections should be made for signs of impending failure.

A number of engineers feel that in the long run, the cost of regular inspections of equipment
exceeds the cost of failures that are hereby prevented. They pointed out, that many break downs
occur suddenly without warning. Hence, predicting the approach of such failures is statistical
improbable.
How does one foresee a fractured drive shaft, a sticky hydraulic valve, a limit switch that
suddenly fails to operate a transformer that blows up? These are only few of equipment
breakdown headache
which are difficult if not impossible to cure by the inspection medicine. Thus, every case of
preventive maintenance inspection must be weighed on the balance scale of cost. The question is:
does an ounce of prevention really affect a pound of cure, or does a pound of prevention result in
only an ounce of cure?
Where machine and equipment have been in operation for a considerable period of time,
records of the timing and extent of failures are available. Knowing the probability of breakdowns
and their associated costs, the expected expenses of different maintenance policies are calculated.
Preventive maintenance program is indicative of the of calculation, which revealed the interval
between overhauls that minimizes maintenance costs.
Economic reasoning frequently must bow to other considerations. On some items of
equipment, failure is prohibitive from the standpoint both of property damage and of employee
safety. The frequency of inspections will depend upon the nature of the facility or item being
checked, its importance to the continuity of operations or to the safety of the plant and workers
and the time interval from the first indication of trouble to the actual failure. General inspection
of machinery can be scheduled at intervals of perhaps 3 to 4 months depending upon the volume
of service or operations.

EQUIPMENT RENTAL
The trend in construction business is to have equipment rented. In very recent years, there
has been a significant swing toward the rental of equipment as opposed to outright purchase. This
trend has found particular favor in rental plans for construction equipment, delivery trucks,
materials handling trucks and office equipment.
Renting equipment offers the advantages of no capital outlay, no maintenance or servicing
worries for the user, and rental cost fully deductible on income tax classified as current business
expense. Whether the long-range cost of such rentals compared with ownership is lower is a
debatable point which each company must decide on the merits of its own case.