Changing cart for snowplow blades makes for safer transitions
An innovative new plow blade-changing cart pioneered in District 5 but applicable statewide promises to offer relief for workers changing over to new blades during winter operations. Blades have to be changed on average after every 1,500-1,800 miles of use per vehicle.
It will minimize the back-breaking work of performing the changeovers and requires less manpower in each changeover by eliminating the need to hold blades in place while removing and installing them by hand. The cart serves as the holder during these operations.
"I'd been thinking about this for several years, but noticing a handtruck at a dump really pushed this forward, and now we've used it 20-30 times in our shed," explained Mike VanSell, a transportation tech. in the American Falls maintenance shed.
Most importantly, VanSell said, the cart allows crews to get plow trucks on the road more quickly.
Published 08-17-18