TACKLING A LARGE EARTHMOVING JOB

THERE ARE MANY OPERATIONS, DECISIONS AND FUNCTIONS NECESSARY TO THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF ANY LARGE EARTHMOVING JOB, BUT A FEW OF MAJOR SCOPE ARE BASIC. ESTIMATING AND BIDDING ARE THE FIRST IMPORTANT STEPS FOR A CONTRACTOR TO OBTAIN AND SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE A BIG PROJECT. THE MILITARY ARE CONCERNED ONLY WITH ESTIMATING. FAMILIARITY WITH THE PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS; CHECKING BORINGS, CUTS AND FILLS; STUDYING THE TERRIAN AND THE LOCAL WEATHER CYCLES; DETERMING HAUL LENGTHS, AND ESTIMATING TYPES AND AMOUNT OF EQUIPMENT REQUIRED, LEAD TO THE SECOND BASIC STEP. PROPER EQUIPMENT SELECTION CAN BE THE MOST IMPORTANT SIGNLE DECISION IN RELATION TO THE SUCCESS OF ALL OPERATIONS. TO COORDINATE EQUIPMENT AND MEN, PRE-PALANNING OF CUTS AND FILLS, WITH CORRESPONDING EQUIPMENT ASSIGNMENTS, MUST BE FOLLOWED. OF COURSE ALL PRE-PLANNING MUST ALLOW FOR CHANGES DUE TO WEATHER OR MATERIAL CONDITIONS, BUT WITHOUT SUCH PROCEDURE IT IS CONCEIVABLE THAT EQUIPMENT MAY BE IDLE OR MAY BE USED INEFFICIENTLY. EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE MATCHED TO THE JOB SIZE TO PERMIT MAXIMUM WORK UNITS OR PRODUCTION PER MAN-HOUR. LARGE MACHINES (50,000 TO 75,000 LB.), ALTHOUGH DIFFICULT TO MOVEFROM JOB TO JOB, WILL INCREASE PRODUCTION AND HASTEN COMPLETION OF JOBS. THIS PERMITS FEWER MEN AND MACHINES TO COMPLETE MORE PROJECTS IN A GIVEN LENGTH OF TIME. PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE IS OF PRIME IMPORTANCE TO ANY TYPE OF OPERATION. ATTENTION TO DETAIL WILL PAY DIVIDENDS IN BOTH PRODUCTION AND COSTS. THE PERSONAL ATTENTION OF THE OWNER OR COMMANDING OFFICER RESULTS IN INCREASED INTEREST BY OPERATORS AND SUPERVISORS. KNOWLEDGE OF THE JOB AT HAND, PROPER EQUIPMENT SELECTION, A GOOD PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, AND CLOSE SUPERVISION WILL RESULT IN MAXIMUM PRODUCTION, LOWERED COSTS AND EARLY COMPLETION DATES. /AUTHOR/