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Progressive Insurance® has announced the 2024 recipients of the brand’s Driving Small Business Forward grant program in collaboration with Hello Alice. Each of the 20 recipients will be awarded a $50,000 grant to use toward the purchase of a commercial vehicle for their business.

According to the Small Business Administration, over 33 million firms qualify as a small business. They represent 99.9% of all US businesses. This number reflects the significant role small businesses play in generating employment and contributing to economic stability. Progressive fosters progress in business by continuing its commitment to supporting owners and helping them move forward and live fully by offering improved access to capital to fund some of their transportation needs.

“At Progressive, we recognize the small business owners who work so hard to make meaningful contributions to our society yet face many challenges when it comes to access to capital,” said Karen Bailo, Commercial Lines President at Progressive Insurance. “For the last three years, the Driving Small Business Forward grant program is one of the ways we’ve been supporting entrepreneurs on their small business journey, and we are proud to continue facilitating progress in business as part of our belief that insurance should do more.”

Hello Alice

To administer the grant program, Progressive worked with Hello Alice. The financial technology platform connects over 1.5 million small businesses to capital, connections, and opportunities.

The full list of recipients for the 2024 Driving Small Business Forward grant program are:

James Dong, Owner of Last Minute Gear in San Francisco, CA
Vernic Popat, Owner of PlantOGram Inc in Orlando, FL
Dermot Jones, Owner of Jones Family Bee Removal in Antioch, CA
Colin Wiseman, Owner of Chai For in Cincinnati, OH
Ikei McCoy, Owner of McCoy Masonry LLC in Shaker Heights, OH
Jarami Bond, Owner of Bond Studio in Charlotte, NC
Charles Zhang, Owner of Blue Hawaii Lifestyle in Honolulu, HI
Charmaine Gahan, Owner of Cuttyhunk Shellfish Farms in Concord, MA
David & Mary Rodriguez, Owners of The Oven Pizzeria in Seaside, CA
Shawn Jonutz, Owner of Wind & Brass in Berkeley, CA
Holly Verbeck, Owner of HeyChef! LLC in Truckee, CA
Xiaoyuan Su, Owner of Chinese Radio Seattle in Bellevue, WA
Adell Badgett, Owner of Dellstar VR L.L.C. in South Bend, IN
Mariam Gogeliya, Owner of Wonder Room Coffee & Flowers in Brooklyn, NY
Jose & Michelle O’Quinn, Owner of Street Wise Driving Schools in Grand Prairie, TX
Sharie Renee, Owner of Cosmic Bobbins in Cleveland, OH
Erica Cole, Owner of No Limbits in Richmond, VA
Chevonne Woodard, Owner of Mr. Appliance of West Loop in Chicago, IL
Frederique Mitchell, Owner of Cookies By Freddie in Baton Rouge, LA
Stacey Cline, Owner of New Earth Farm / CompostSTL in St. Louis, MO

Selected recipients submitted applications highlighting the impact their business has on the local community. Erica Cole is the owner of No Limbits in Saint Louis, MO. She leads a team of people with disabilities creating products to help those with disabilities live life without limits.

“I am so thrilled to have been selected for this grant as it will allow us to engage even more with the disability community,” said Erica Cole, owner of No Limbits. “We plan to use this grant to purchase a commercial vehicle to host pop-up events at our retailers, clinical partners and adaptive community events to reach customers in a fun and authentic way.”

Another applicant, Dermot Jones, Owner of Jones Family Bee Removal in Seaside, CA has dedicated his company to spreading awareness about the importance of bees and their role in our ecosystem.

“Small businesses are the heart of this country, but it’s become increasingly difficult for them to operate and scale with the challenges today’s economic environment presents. Hello Alice has helped many of these small business owners’ access much needed capital, credit, and opportunities to thrive and support their communities,” said Carolyn Rodz, CEO & Co-Founder of Hello Alice. “We’re proud to work with Progressive on this important grant program and continue championing small businesses.”

In addition to receiving a commercial vehicle grant, recipients will have the opportunity to participate in Boost Camp. It is is a business coaching program from Hello Alice that instills repeatable annual frameworks that focus on core concepts for business growth. These concepts include financial budgeting and forecasting, funding and pitch strategies, sales and customer acquisition.

For more grant recipient coverage from Turf Magazine, click here.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have announced a partnership with Massey Services. Massey is one of the nation’s largest family-owned pest management companies in the industry. Massey Services will be recognized as the “Exclusive Pest Prevention Partner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.” The Massey headquarters is located in Orlando, Florida.

Now in its fourth year, Kubota continues its commitment to hometowns across America with its Kubota Hometown Proud® grant program. The program has awarded $600,000 in grants to 20 deserving community-based nonprofit organizations in 2024. The distribution included more grants to more communities in one year than ever before. Kubota Hometown Proud is an annual grant program that encourages nonprofit organizations to partner with their local Kubota dealership to apply for grant funding consideration.

This year, the program launched a call-for-entries in March. It received 1,590 applications before Kubota selected its 20 regional winners. All 20 community projects were put up for public vote to determine which 10 winners would receive additional funding through a $50,000 grant.

“The Kubota Hometown Proud grant program not only saw more applicants than ever before from nearly every state in the country, but also more grant winners. In years past we’ve named five grant recipients, and this year we had 20,” said Todd Stucke, President of Kubota Tractor Corporation. “Our dealers embody the spirit of their hometowns, and it’s important for us to give them more resources to give back to local organizations that matter most to them and their customers, positioning them as the local dealer of choice while shining light on the important work being done in their hometowns. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all who were a part of this year’s program.”

In August, Kubota opened the public voting phase of the program allowing the public to choose their favorite hometown nonprofit to receive a chance at more grant funding. In all, more than 94,000 votes were cast. As a result, the 2024 Kubota Hometown Proud grant program winners are:

2024 Kubota Hometown Proud: $50,000 Grant Recipients

Ag Alley at Shanél Valley Academy, Hopland, CA, supported by Garton Tractor
Bryant City Park Improvement Project by Bryant Up & Coming, Bryant City Park, SD, supported by Eastside Equipment
Cape Fear Heritage Garden at Cape Fear Botanical Gardens, Fayetteville, NC, supported by Linder Turf & Tractor
Developing Ag Opportunities for Residents at Bethel Hills by Advocates for Community Choice, Marthasville, MO, supported by Wayde’s Equipment
Diamond Dream: Enhancing Youth Baseball & Softball Fields by Cross Plains Youth Sports, Cross Plains, TX, supported by Abilene Equipment Center
Downtown Community Park by Leave it Better, Eastman, GA, supported by Mid-State Tractor and Equipment
Friends of Distant Hill Accessible Nature Trail and Pavilion Project, Alstead, NH, supported by Pinnacleview Equipment
New Heart: Feeding Those in Need by Fed By Faith, Joelton, TN, supported by Coleman Tractor of Nashville
Vocational Tech Program at the Lighthouse Ranch for Boys, Loranger, LA, supported by Star Equipment
West Union Recreation Ballpark Restoration by Future Plans, Inc., West Union, OH, supported by Baxla Tractor

2024 Kubota Hometown Proud: $10,000 Grant Recipients

Agricultural Education Space for Black Youth and Adult Land Stewards by Black Oregon Land Trust, Corbett, OR, supported by Moen Machinery Company
Barns Repair and Restore at AACORN Farm, Kalamazoo, MI, supported by Wolf Kubota
Bristow Town Square Renovation by Bristow Historical Society, Bristow, OK, supported by Kubota Center of Tulsa
Denton Freedom House Gardens Project, Denton, TX, supported by Zimmerer Kubota
Growing Food and Opportunities by The Farm School at Gibbs Road, Kansas City, KS, supported by Coleman Equipment, Inc.
Growing Hometown Pride by Wello, Inc., Green Bay, WI, supported by Service Motor Company
High Tunnel House for Free Produce at Matthew 25 Farm, Inc., Tully, NY, supported by Empire Tractor
Pony Van for Stable Moments by Justin’s Place, Wilmore, KY, supported by Central Equipment
Refugee Children Farm Educational Shelter by Transplanting Traditions Community Farm, Chapel Hill, NC, supported by The Tractor Center
UGArden Community Farm Stand at the University of Georgia, supported by Gene and Matt Tractor Sales

Kubota also announced that Ben A. from South Carolina, is the winner of the 2024 Kubota Hometown Proud national sweepstakes. Ben selected the Kubota Z422KW-54 prosumer zero-turn mower as his prize and will plan to put it to good use upon receipt from his local Kubota dealer, Hendrix Machinery Inc., located in Pooler, GA.

Through this program, Kubota aims to invest in hometowns across America to help make a sustainable impact on community programs and projects. To-date, the company has awarded nearly $2 million in Kubota Hometown Proud grant funding.

For more information and official rules for the Kubota Hometown Proud grant program, please visit KubotaHometownProud.com.

For more recent Turf Magazine coverage of Kubota Tractor Corporation, click here.

All Access Equipment, Inc., longtime dealer of CMC tracked aerial lifts, has announced its rebranding as CMC North America, effective immediately. The strategic transformation follows the acquisition of All Access Equipment by CMC, announced in February of 2024. The move was spearheaded by private equity fund Metrika, which acquired a 70% stake in CMC in October, 2023. At the time, Metrika’s Marco Giuseppini and Nicola Pietralunga noted that the addition of AAE represented “a significant step for CMC in consolidating its leadership in the lifting industry, with a particular focus on the US market.”

The rebranding to CMC North America represents an evolution in the company’s mission. They wish to enhance customer satisfaction and elevate its position as a market leader. By outwardly aligning with a globally recognized brand in the aerial lift industry, CMC North America aims to leverage such prominence to focus its business model and better serve clients.

“This rebranding to CMC North America reflects our commitment to growth and integration,” says CEO Ryan Polonski. “It’s a positive step that will streamline our efforts and strengthen our market presence. While we honor the legacy of the All Access Equipment brand, transitioning to CMC North America is a natural progression, as CMC is already a well-recognized name among our customers, partners, and the aerial lift industry.”

As CMC North America, the company will continue to offer the full range of CMC’s tracked aerial lifts. The machines are essential for the arbor care, building maintenance, construction, and heavy equipment rental industries. Customers can expect the same quality and service from All Access Equipment. It will now be enhanced by CMC’s global reach and continuing technological advancements.

The transition to CMC North America will be seamless for existing clients and CMC lift owners who purchased through All Access Equipment. There will be no interruption to service or support. The company’s website, certain customer service channels, and select product offerings will be updated over the coming weeks.

For mor recent Turf Magazine coverage of CMC/All Access Equipment, click here.

By Jack Demski, CIC, Ansay & Associates
From the August 2024 Issue of PLOW

Snow removal contractors are vital players in ensuring safe and accessible environments during Winter. However, with the unique risks involved, adequate insurance coverage is critical to protecting a business. Below are the essential policies.

General Liability Insurance

General Liability (GL) insurance is a cornerstone for any business. It covers third-party bodily injury and property damage claims that may arise during operations that include bodily injury mostly occurs with slips/falls and property damage can occur while using snow removal equipment. It’s vital to ensure the policy includes coverage for “Completed Operations,” as liability can arise even after work is finished due to alleged negligence or failure in snow removal.

(Photo: Adobe Stock / evannovostro)

Here are some of the most common GL endorsements:

Additional Insured Endorsement (CG 20 10, CG 20 26, etc.). Extends coverage to additional parties, typically property owners or municipalities, who may be held liable for the contractor’s operations and commonly required by clients as part of contract agreements.

Snow Plowing Operations Endorsement (CG 20 42). Specifically addresses liabilities related to snow plowing activities and extends coverage from the GL contract. May include coverage for property damage or bodily injury caused by plowing equipment or operations.

Snow and Ice Removal Operations Exclusion (CG 22 92). Excludes coverage for specific risks associated with snow and ice removal. It is important to review and understand the scope of this exclusion, as it could limit coverage for certain snow removal operations or businesses that have multiple different classes of liability.

Equipment Coverage Endorsement. Provides coverage for damage to or loss of snow removal equipment.

Waiver of Subrogation. Prevents the insurer from seeking reimbursement from third parties who may have contributed to a loss. Commonly requested by clients to minimize their risk.

Contractual Liability Endorsement. Extends coverage to include liabilities assumed under a contract, while protecting contractors in agreements requiring them to assume liability for specific risks.

Pollution Liability Endorsement. Covers liabilities arising from environmental damage caused by snow removal. It may include coverage for spills/leaks of chemicals, such as de-icing agents.

Hired and Non-Owned Auto Liability. Commonly added into an Auto Liability Policy but could provide coverage for vehicles not owned but used in operations, such as rented, leased, or employee-owned.

Broad Form Property Damage. Expands coverage for property damage to include damage to property in the care, custody, or control of the contractor and would be critical for contractors working on properties where they handle clients’ equipment or other assets.

Per Project Aggregate Endorsement. Modifies the policy to apply separate aggregate limits to each project rather than a single limit for all projects combined. Useful for those managing multiple contracts.

Other Essential Insurances

Workers’ Compensation is mandatory in most states for businesses with employees, and is crucial for companies involved with snow removal. (Photo: Adobe Stock / Parilov)

Commercial Auto. This insurance is crucial, and coverage limits should reflect the value of vehicles and the potential costs of liability claims resulting from accidents. Scenarios Covered: An accident involving a company vehicle while traveling to or from a job site and damage to or theft of a vehicle or snow removal equipment.

Inland Marine. This vital insurance protects equipment frequently transported or used at various locations. Tailor the policy to cover all equipment and tools you regularly transport. Scenarios Covered: Theft or damage to plows, blowers, and other specialized equipment while in transit and losses during temporary storage at job sites.

Workers’ Compensation is mandatory in most states for businesses with employees. It covers medical expenses and lost wages for employees who are injured or become ill due to their work. It’s crucial to ensure the policy covers the specific risks associated with snow removal activities or has payrolls allocated to class code 9402, as these can be more hazardous than landscaping work 0042 or 9102. Scenarios Covered: An employee sustains an injury from a slip/fall while working on icy surfaces; Medical costs and rehabilitation for an employee injured by operating snow removal machinery.

Professional Liability insurance, or commonly Errors & Omissions (E&O) coverage, protects against claims of negligence or failure to perform professional duties. Even if you operate as a sole proprietor, this coverage is vital. Scenarios Covered: Claims that the contractor did not clear an area adequately, leading to accidents and disputes over the quality of services provided.

Documenting Landscape Damage For Insurance Claims

Commercial Property insurance safeguards your physical business assets, including buildings, office spaces, and storage facilities. Ensure the policy reflects the value of your property and consider additional coverage for business interruption to cover lost income if operations are halted due to property damage. Scenarios Covered: Damage to a company office or garage used to store equipment due to Winter storms and vandalism or theft of business property.

Umbrella insurance provides additional liability coverage beyond the limits of GL, auto, and other policies. We call this the “sleep easy” coverage as everyone has a different tolerance for what is enough. Scenarios Covered: High-cost liability claims that exceed the limits of existing policies and legal costs/settlements from major lawsuits.

Cyber Liability insurance. Contractors often use digital tools for payments, so protecting against data breaches and cyber threats is increasingly important. Scenarios Covered: Data breach of customer information collected through online payment systems and cyber-attacks that disrupt operations or lead to financial losses.

Demski is a business insurance specialist with Ansay & Associates, based in Port Washington, WI. He has over a decade of experience in advising small to medium-sized enterprises, helping them navigate the complexities of insurance coverage. You can reach him via email at jack.demski@ansay.com, or call 262-284-7174.

Do you have a comment? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below, or send an e-mail to the Editor at jessica@groupc.com.

An important part of responsible power tool ownership is to appropriately dispose of rechargeable batteries at the end of their service life. Yes, lithium-ion batteries have revolutionized power tools and other devices by providing long-lasting, reliable power. However, no battery lasts forever. When it’s time to discard a rechargeable battery, don’t be tempted to throw it out with your regular household trash. It must be recycled.

Recycling a battery is easier than you think. To make it easier still, the Power Tool Institute (PTI) has now linked its dedicated battery safety website to an online tool that can help power tool owners find authorized battery recycling drop-off points in their own communities. You might be surprised by how many options you have.

To access the feature, visitors to PTI’s battery safety website simply go to the “Disposal” tab. They should then enter their ZIP code. After clicking “Go,” they will be taken directly to Call2Recycle®’s website and a customized list of appropriate disposal sites in their area. To try it out, visit https://www.takechargeofyourbattery.com/disposal/.

Why should you recycle your lithium-ion batteries instead of tossing them in the trash? Improper disposal can expose batteries to extreme heat, liquids, crushing, short circuits, and other hazards that could cause potential fire hazards at waste-handling facilities and landfills, and contaminate the water supply. Recycling these batteries conserves natural resources, prevents them from entering the solid waste stream and, ultimately, preserves the environment.

Meanwhile, many common materials used in batteries can be extracted as part of the recycling process. They can be re-used for future batteries and other products. Typically, higher yields of usable material are achieved from recycled battery material than from mining natural resources. This makes recycled batteries an efficient source of future energy. For example, one ton of battery-grade lithium can be derived from 28 tons of batteries, whereas it would take 250 tons of ore to yield the same amount.

PTI is the leading organization for power tool safety resources, information, and education. For more information on the Power Tool Institute, click here.

For Turf Magazine‘s latest Get Equipped: Battery Powered Equipment product spotlight, click here.

Ruppert Landscape has named Larry Windsor, Josh Guyton, and Krysta Marshall Branch Managers at three separate Ruppert locations.

Larry Windsor

Larry Windsor

Larry Windsor has been promoted to Branch Manager of Ruppert Landscapes’ Bowie, MD, landscape maintenance branch.

Windsor began his journey with Ruppert in 2020 as an Area Manager in the Forestville, MD branch. He brought with him 20 years of landscape and nursery experience. He quickly established strong relationships with both customers and employees. Over the past three years, he has focused on providing top-notch customer service to his many clients. He has achieved significant enhancement sales, which earned him the company’s Branch Impact Award in 2022.

In January of this year, Windsor was promoted to Associate Branch Manager. There, he was put on the fast track to learn the Branch Manager role and oversee the newly established Bowie branch. Windsor embraced this opportunity with enthusiasm, quickly building an outstanding team in Bowie.

Josh Guyton

Ruppert Landscape has promoted Josh Guyton to Branch Manager of the company’s Raleigh, NC, landscape maintenance branch.

Guyton holds a bachelor’s degree in landscape horticulture from The Ohio State University. He brings over 15 years of landscape industry experience to the table. Since joining Ruppert in late 2020 as a Business Developer in the Durham branch, Guyton has been instrumental in expanding Ruppert’s market presence not only in Durham but also in Raleigh and Charlotte. Near the end of 2023, he was promoted to Associate Branch Manager in Raleigh, where he focused on building strong customer relationships and enhancing employee development.

Krysta Marshall

Ruppert Landscape is pleased to announce the promotion of Krysta Marshall to Branch Manager of the company’s John’s Island, SC, landscape maintenance branch.

Marshall holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing and international business from Temple University. She has over a decade of experience in the landscape industry. She served the previous two years of her career as an Account Manager with The Greenery of Charleston—a leading landscaping firm that joined Ruppert in late 2023. In early 2024, Marshall was chosen to lead the Johns Island branch and help oversee the integration while continuing to build the team and grow its market presence.

In their new roles, each will be responsible for overseeing the branch’s overall welfare. This includes the safety and development of his team, strategic planning and budgeting, training, customer service, and day-to-day operations.

For more recent Turf Magazine personnel coverage of Ruppert Landscape, click here.

By Emily Pagura & Ryan Ruhl
From the August 2024 Issue of PLOW

Natural disasters and snowstorms can strike at any time, greatly impacting communities, businesses, and infrastructure around the country. When an extreme weather event occurs, cleaning up and revitalizing an affected area can take days, months, or even years. That’s why it is essential landscape contractors are prepared to support restoration efforts and are equipped with the proper machines to work safely and efficiently.

To clear large quantities of snow, skid steer loaders are an ideal choice and offer versatility for other applications. (Photo: John Deere)

Equipment Selection

When working to clean up and manage wreckage produced by earthquakes, tornados, floods, and hurricanes, there are a variety of compact equipment types that are ideal for such demanding applications. When providing support in areas with significant debris and wreckage, skid steer loaders are highly recommended. Their compact size and design make it easy to maneuver around objects and obstacles, helping to maximize capability in a complicated work area.

Skid steer loaders can be easily equipped with non-pneumatic tires, such as solid rubber or flex tires without air, enabling a contractor to work without the possible setback of a flat tire. Landscapers may also want to consider adding a debris package to their machines, which typically adds an engine air pre-cleaner, a polycarbonate door, and other shielding and guards around the machine to protect both the equipment and the operator.

In addition to skid steer loaders, compact excavators equipped with the right attachments and implements can provide support in times of need. When working to clean up a site, compact excavators, equipped with thumbs or a variety of buckets, can pick up and place heavier materials, helping to clear a space efficiently and safely.

When a tilt rotator is implemented on a compact excavator, this versatile tool can be paired with a bucket to dig at an angle or carefully place dirt and rock, while the integrated grab is great for placing larger items precisely. In areas with limited access, or where the excavator’s tail swing can create limitations, the ability to reposition the work tool instead of turning the cab or tracking the machine drives greater efficiency and precision. If a compact excavator is being used to support disaster cleanup, as with the loader, it’s highly recommended to add polycarbonate doors to not only protect windshield glass and screens but create a barrier to help keep the operator safe.

Skid steers from John Deere tackling the snow. (Photo: John Deere)

Attachment Support

Selecting the right attachments to support cleanup efforts can significantly increase capability and productivity. Landscapers are encouraged to equip their fleets with a variety of attachment styles to meet the applications of natural disaster cleanup. Compact construction attachments can not only help move debris and wreckage, break up fallen objects and branches, and lift and place large materials, but they can also help maximize uptime when timely cleanup is crucial.

When there is a lot of debris to manage, including building wreckage and natural material waste like trees and branches, grapple buckets, multi-purpose buckets, and root rakes are ideal attachments to move large quantities of materials. Grapple and multi-purpose buckets can efficiently pick-up and move objects from a cleanup site, while root rakes can help collect and rake up debris from the ground to move and place it elsewhere.

Hydraulic hammers are also incredibly useful to help break up concrete and pieces of heavy solid debris. Once an item is broken into smaller pieces, it can then be scooped into a bucket and removed from the site. Similarly, mulching attachments added to skid steer loaders and compact track loaders as well as mulching drums added to compact excavators can help to clean up brush and remove fallen trees. Once the debris has been broken into smaller quantities, brooms can help collect all remaining material.

When flooding occurs, post-flood debris management can be incredibly demanding, but the usage of attachments can help simplify the job at hand. Utility and grapple buckets, especially those with larger capacity, are incredibly useful for collecting sandbags in flooding environments. Once a sandbag is exposed to flooding, it then becomes classified as hazardous waste. Therefore, compact construction equipment models such as skid steer loaders and compact track loaders equipped with buckets can successfully manage hazardous waste, removing it from the jobsite. Once the flooding has cleared, angled brooms and pickup brooms can be used to help support sediment cleanup, fully removing all debris.

When there is a lot of debris to manage, such as trees and branches, a grapple bucket is a great attachment to use. (Photo: John Deere)

Winter Weather Management

If a landscape contractor offers snow management, there are a variety of considerations that come into play. First, a contractor must identify the type of Winter precipitation they will be working in to best determine which equipment and attachments are best suited for the job. This also stands true for machine management in cold months. When configuring compact machines for Winter, contractors should swap out the machine’s hydraulic fluid for cold weather hydraulic fluid for optimal performance.

When a contractor needs to clear large quantities of snow, skid steer loaders, compact wheel loaders and compact tracks loaders are the ideal machines to choose. Wheeled machines tend to have better traction in snow, making skid steer loaders and compact wheel loaders popular choices. Compact wheel loaders can travel faster, so they can cover more ground quickly when large areas need to be cleared, or the snow needs to be carried farther to be properly removed. If clearing with a compact track loader, track choice and track pattern can play a role in machine mobility. Notably, zig-zag pattern track styles yield the most traction in Winter conditions, however, snow and ice tracks are also available and highly encouraged.

In terms of attachments, an angle broom can quickly clear snow-covered sidewalks and pathways with lots of foot traffic. For jobs where there is deeper snow, or the snow needs to be moved and placed, snowblower attachments help the operator place snow while avoiding fences, bushes, and other covered obstacles. While a snowblower attachment is considered a hard surface tool, contractors should still be cautious when clearing on concrete or brick to ensure there is no surface damage. When using a snowblower, operators must avoid gravel roads and driveways at all costs to avoid unnecessary flying objects. In addition, high-flow hydraulics may be necessary to run a high-flow snowblower.

Lastly, full cab climate control can help keep the operator more comfortable in harsh Winter conditions, making them more likely to work for longer, more productive windows of time.

Operator Advice

Supporting natural disaster cleanup can be stressful given the high-stakes environments and outcomes needed. Landscape contractors should come to the jobsite properly protected and prepared to take on demanding and dangerous work. One way operators can prepare is to ensure the compact machines on-site have their original safety structures installed. It’s fundamental that the integrity of the machine is in place before beginning work. Operators should also be fully aware of their surroundings, as there will likely be a lot of people aiding in cleanup and new or unexpected obstacles.

Related to this, optimal lighting is essential when working in storm cleanup. Contractors can greatly benefit from incorporating deluxe lighting or LED packages, which can extend hours of operation and provide enhanced visibility to an operator’s surroundings. This is especially crucial when working 24/7 to clear a road or provide access to an area where rescue operations may be necessary. Safety beacons and warning lights are also imperative when working in such situations.

Focusing on personal safety, everyone on the site should come fully equipped with the proper personal protective equipment (PPE). Gloves, hats, glasses, and the proper outerwear and footwear are critical to keeping operators safe on the job, especially when there is an increased level of debris and damage, or extreme weather conditions. (See Get Equipped: Workwear, Gear & PPE.)

Performing daily walkarounds is an important way to ensure the machine stays ready for the tasks at hand. When examining compact construction equipment, operators should check all compartments are latched properly, the air pressure of tires is within normal levels, tracks have no major damage, and the machine has the proper amount of oil. Also, always make sure engine air filters and HVAC are not clogged or frozen from debris or snow. This quick walk around can help ensure everything is ready for the next day so employees can come to the jobsite prepared to be productive.

Pagura is product marketing manager, Compact Construction Equipment, at John Deere. Pagura connects customers with the right equipment and solutions for the jobsite while supporting compact construction marketing efforts for the material handling, agriculture, and landscaping markets.

Ruhl is a John Deere Product Consultant who offers expert insights on Compact Construction Equipment to customers, operators, and dealers around the world. Ruhl shares compact equipment knowledge and experience to maximize productivity,  working conditions and customer satisfaction on the jobsite.

For more information, visit Deere.com.

Do you have a comment? Share your thoughts in the Comments section below, or send an e-mail to the Editor at jessica@groupc.com.