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Your farm equipment is the backbone of your business, so it is critically important that you keep it properly maintained on a regular basis. Doing so will maximize the lifespan of your machinery and reduce the chances of breakdowns taking place that can result in costly downtime.
If you have a larger operation, you’ll need to be as organized as possible so that you make sure all of the pieces of your farm equipment get the attention that they need. Try to arrange maintenance by season, if possible, so that you’ll know what you need to do and when you’ll need to do it. Don’t try to take care of everything at once. Divide your maintenance into different phases so that you are not overwhelmed and your operations aren’t delayed. Keep meticulous records of all your maintenance activities so that you can easily find out when you need to perform them again.
It sounds obvious, but having the right tools are critical to being able to maintain your machinery properly. Protect your tools from the elements so they’ll be ready when you need them. If you’re not technically proficient, hire a professional to take care of your maintenance so that you can be sure it the job will be done right the first time.
There are several different ways of providing basic farm equipment maintenance. For tractors, example, make sure the brakes and engines are running correctly. Empty out and clean the fuel tanks of any machinery that is idle so you lessen the chances of an explosion. If you have machinery that runs on batteries, disconnect the terminals before working on them so you avoid the risk of electrocution.
Store all of your machinery properly and keep it clean. Talk to your employees about wearing the correct protective clothing when working on any sort of farm equipment. They should never wear any sort of loose clothing or dangling jewelry. Also, don’t every try to remove any types of blockages from machinery without first turning it off. Don’t use gasoline or other dangerous materials to perform cleaning.
As important as maintenance is, it’s just as important to do it safely. It is your responsibility to make sure your employees are safe at all times, and this includes routine work. You need to train them on the machinery they are working on so that they know it from top to bottom. Whether you have a small piece of land or a vast expanse of property, you need to make sure that everything is as safe as possible.
By investing some time into farm equipment maintenance, you’re also making an investment in your land. The more reliable your machinery, the smoother your operations will be.
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