If you were told that replacing the roof on your house would make it safer, would you do it?
If you were told that immediately moving out of your house was the only way to keep your family safe, would you do it?
Yes, you would. You wouldn’t even think twice about it.
Why isn’t it the same for your employees and storm brakes?
Storm brakes are used to lock something into place to prevent it from breaking. This prevents weather from damaging outdoor equipment. Without a storm brake, you could be negatively affecting the safety of your employees and your equipment.
Why Do I Need New Storm Brakes?
Great question. There are many theories on when you should replace your storm brakes, and it all depends on what kind of storm brakes you are talking about.
We can discuss the timeline of how often you should replace them, but here are the two most important reasons why you need new storm brakes in the first place.
1. Storm Brakes Protect Your Employees and Consumers
Being safe in the mining and construction industry is the number one goal. It doesn’t matter if you build a beautiful building if it isn’t safe to live in. Having these brakes as tools against seismic movements, retractable roofs, and weather threats is essential.
The brakes are used during the building process. They allow for bursts of wind to come in and not halt the building or mining. Updating the storm brakes often will ensure safety with the employees.
When you were questioned as to whether or not you were willing to risk your families safety, you immediately said no. These brakes allow for you to ensure your employees are safe while at work as well.
Risking their lives by not being cautious with your equipment is a mistake even if the likelihood of them getting insured is small.
2. To Protect Your Equipment
In 2017, the construction equipment market was estimated at 192 billion dollars. Equipment costs vary between industries, but with the construction industry using a lot of storm brakes, the maintenance of their equipment is crucial. A storm brake is meant not only to keep those using it safely but to keep the equipment from braking as well.
When playing the “What-If” scenario, what if you choose not replace the brakes after several years and a huge storm comes in. Not only are you putting your employees in danger, but you can damage all of your equipment in a matter of seconds.
Halting production each time a storm comes in so that you do not have to replace a storm brake is also not the answer (although it may sound easier). Just a small burst of wind that is unpredictable could break a thousand dollar piece of equipment.
Preventing Future Heartache
These are two fundamental reasons why replacing your storm brakes should be a yearly investment. It may seem like a pain, but you are preventing yourself from a lot of heartache in the future.
To learn more about how to spot a maintenance problem with your equipment, check out this article.