How To Clean and Disinfect Construction Equipment Against Coronavirus

As we are all adjusting to the new "normal" way of life since the Coronavirus outbreak, it's important to take necessary precautions for not just ourselves but for others around us; especially on the worksite. While you may think working in the cab of a Doosan wheel loader might be the best environment to practice social distancing, it can also become the main hub for germs. If somebody else jumps in the cab of your machine, that person could be carrying germs and leaving traces of it on high volume surface areas, such as the handles, joysticks, arm rests, and monitors (to name a few).  That's why Best Line Equipment has gone beyond the traditional hose down method. We are dedicated to make sure that all equipment is required to be disinfected before and after any contact has been made on a customer site. Here are a few techniques and tips we recommend: 

Hard Surface Areas

These areas include but are not limited to, door handles, touch screens, joysticks, and buttons. If you are purchasing a cleaning spray, be sure to read the labels to make sure that it will not be harmful to the surface you are detailing. 

Pro tip: try to find cleaning products that are recommended for automotive interiors and not general household cleaners. Depending on the mixture of the household cleaners, they could cause damage to the interior plastic, leather, and vinyl in your machine. For other hard surfaces that may not need as potent of a cleaner but more of a disinfectant, you can use any type of disinfecting wipe. The disinfecting wipes are great to use on door handles and other hard surfaces. Try to make it a habit to wipe down the high traffic surface areas each time you enter and exit the machine.

Upholstery

While the hard surfaces are the highest traffic area in the machine,  you should still not neglect the upholstery. The upholstery can include the surfaces such as cloth seat covers, headliners, floorboards, and carpets. This does not have to be a daily duty but to have a clean working environment, we recommend doing this weekly if the machine is being used everyday by multiple people. If you've ever cleaned the seats in your car, then you know all about this. The best method of cleaning your machine's upholstery is to clean it like your car seats. You can use products you find at an auto store that come in spray cans and bottles. The traditional method of cleaning the upholstery of your machine is to wet the material using the proper products, scrub down the material and suck up the residue with a shop-vac. This will give it deep clean that will not only save you from virus but also keep your equipment healthier in the long run.  

In addition to cleaning the upholstery, its important to clean the seat belt. Pull out the seatbelt and clean it along its entire length as well, including the buckle & latch. The seat belt is one of the most frequently handled items in a cab.

Exterior

It is extremely important to pressure wash the machine's dirt and grease to keep the machine running effectively and last longer. By using the pressure washer on construction equipment, you can remove all the unwanted dirt, grease, grime, that build up in tight places that are tough to reach by hand. In addition to washing your machine when finished on the job, wipe down any handles, latches, buttons, and screens that may be on the outside of the machine with disinfecting spray. For instance, the battery box or the ground controls of a JLG lift. These areas should not be forgotten and be wiped down by disinfectant daily to ensure that it's as clean as possible.

Keeping your machine's frequently touched surfaces clean and disinfected as much as possible is crucial during the Coronavirus pandemic. The hygiene practices described should become habit for you or your employees. Cleaning your machine is also not just to keep you healthy, but it's a preventative maintenance to keep your machine healthy too. Cleaning your machines properly and regularly will keep your downtime on the job minimal and will save you time and money in the long run. 

For more tips on stopping the spread of viruses or equipment preventative maintenance, please visit us at www.bestline.com or give one of our industry experts a call at 1-800-679-BEST (2378).