COVID-19: Hygiene when operating machinery

In the face of extraordinary measures to help curtail the spread of COVID-19, it’s worth considering some sensible hygiene measures that you can apply to your machines, or indeed, one that you may be test driving or considering to buy.

During this challenging period, the constructionsales team will continue to test machines and cover new product launches where possible, but we will be taking some extra measures to minimise the risk to our team. You may want to apply the same regime to your vehicle, especially if you’re sharing it with other people on site.

Here are basic tips to ensure good hygiene when operating machinery:

1. Consider cleaning your machine with an alcohol-based disinfectant or wipes before you hand it over to another driver. If the boot is on the other foot and you’re the ‘new’ driver – apply the same logic.

2. Ideally wear gloves while doing so and test the cleaner on an out of the way area of the interior before you launch into the main dash. Avoid overly harsh cleaners (ie: bleach).

3. The touch points you should target include the steering wheel, joysticks, door handles, and other places you’d normally touch such as the data touchscreen, radio volume knob or heating controls.

4. Remember the government ‘social distancing' protocols to help reduce the risk of person-to-person infection. That means only one person in the cab at all times.

5. If operating a machine on a work site, have disinfectant wipes and hand sanitiser handy in the cab with you for when you need to clean your hands after a task or wipe surfaces down etc.

While commercial vehicle drivers might need to be more cautious and rigorous with hygiene at the public gas pumps, machinery operators might not need to worry as much if they are refuelling from a diesel tank on the back of a truck. However that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have basic hygiene measures in place, especially if they might share the pump and tank with other people.

Consider using gloves when handling the pump and always wash your hands with soap and water after. And if you’re some distance away from water and soap, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser.

Where practicable, give your machine a good blow down with an air compressor and gun; and hose down your machinery with a good pressure washer after use.

All this is after you give all in-cab surfaces a wipe down after use of course. (don’t forget door handles both in and outside!)

Pandemic or not, it’s always good practice to clean your machinery on a frequent basis, as when it comes time to sell, a well-loved and cared-for machine always scores.