Montpelier shed comes up with fabric-rack innovation

One of the great by-products for a maintenance shed having gone through the 5S experience is an increase in innovative ideas as the crew continues to think about operations or practices that can help streamline standard practices and also save space.

The Montpelier shed, which went through 5S in summer 2018, has taken those actions numerous times since the event – the latest innovation is a fabric mat rack used primarily to help house Geo mats so they are up off the ground when stored and are easy to distribute and handle when needed.

The mats used to be on the ground and in the way of equipment. They were getting dirty and had become a tripping hazard.
Geo mats are typically used when crews are aware of a water issue when building a road, or maintenance workers use it when digging out a pothole in the asphalt and finding that water has saturated the base material.

"It's a temporary fix without having to dig up all of the base material, or it can fix the problem and stop the water from reaching the asphalt layer," said Montpelier Foreman DeLoy Romrell.

"It is mostly used when you have a water issue coming from your base layer in the road," Romrell explained. "The mat is laid between your base material and your asphalt and keeps the water from pumping up your asphalt mat, creating rutting and potholes."

It also requires less manpower.

One person now can roll off whatever is needed and cut it to length. Before, it took two people to carry it to the front of the shed, roll it out to length on the ground, cut off what was needed, and then pack it to the back of the shed and set it back on the ground.

Jeremy Parker decided to use horseshoes in the design as part of the bracket, so all the crew has to do is slide the roll on the pipe and place it in the horseshoe rack. Simple, and a savings in time, space, and manpower.

Published 01-04-19