XT1600EXCAVATOR-TOOL CARRIERS

stopimg title="keepCool_img1" style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px solid; BORDER-LEFT: 0px solid; WIDTH: 260px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; HEIGHT: 195px; BORDER-TOP: 0px solid; align: left" alt="keepCool_img1" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/1_KeepCool_260x195(1).jpg" border="0" />Catastrophic tornadoes and floods have grabbed recent headlines, but each year one weather phenomenon kills more people than tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and lightning combined: heat.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an average of more than 1,500 people in the U.S. die each year from excessive heat—yet it is the most preventable of weather-related deaths.

If you work in construction, summer is one of your busiest times of the year because it’s typically the driest season and offers the most hours of daylight. But the sun providing all that productive daylight can be the biggest jobsite hazard you face all year. No matter how tough you are or how used to the heat you think you are, excessive heat can bring down anyone who doesn’t take the necessary precautions.

The following information applies to anyone who is employed in an outdoor profession—construction workers in particular—but also applies to those who work in hot factories and anyone who spends time outdoors exercising, gardening, or laboring in any capacity during the summer months. (This is general information. More specific information can be found in the sources cited below.)

Know Your Chemistry

Our bodies dissipate heat by varying the rate and depth of blood circulation, and by expelling water through the skin and sweat glands. When we reach the danger zone, when our blood is heated above 98.6 degrees, we begin to pant—we’re literally “working like a dog.”

Sweating alone does little to cool the body, unless the sweat is removed by evaporation. But high relative humidity inhibits evaporation. When you’re checking the forecast for tomorrow, pay close attention to the heat index: the combination of relative humidity and air temperature. For example, if the air temperature is 96° F and the relative humidity is 65 percent, the heat index is 121° F. This is the heat your body really feels.

Heat disorders involve a reduction or collapse of our bodies’ ability to shed heat by circulatory changes and sweating, or a chemical (salt) imbalance caused by too much sweating. When heat gain exceeds the level the body can remove, or when the body cannot compensate for fluids and salt lost through perspiration, the temperature of the body's inner core begins to rise, bringing on various degrees of heat-related illnesses.

stopimg title="keepCool_img2" style="padding-left: 20px;" align="right" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px solid; BORDER-LEFT: 0px solid; WIDTH: 260px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; HEIGHT: 195px; BORDER-TOP: 0px solid; align: right" alt="keepCool_img2" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/2_KeepCool_260x195.jpg" border="0" />Ranking Heat Disorders

The severity of heat disorders is relative to a person’s age, weight, fitness, medical condition, and degree of acclimatization to the heat. For example, heat cramps in a 17-year-old may translate as heat exhaustion in someone who is 40, and heat stroke in a person over 60. Common heat disorders include:

• Sunburn. Along with being painful and irritating, sunburn can significantly retard the skin’s ability to shed excess heat. The best solution for sunburn is prevention, by applying sunscreen throughout the day.
• Heat cramps. Symptoms are painful spasms, usually in the muscles of the legs and abdomen, often preceded by profuse sweating.
• Heat rash. Also known as prickly heat, heat rash can occur in hot, humid environments where sweat is not easily removed from the surface of the skin by evaporation. Serious heat rash can be so uncomfortable that it inhibits sleep and impedes a worker’s performance.
• Heat exhaustion. Symptoms include heavy sweating, weakness, headache, fainting, vomiting, and skin that is cold, pale and clammy. It is possible to have a normal temperature with heat exhaustion.
• Heat stroke or sunstroke. This is the most serious health problem for workers in hot environments. Heat stroke occurs when sweating stops and the body can no longer rid itself of excess heat. Symptoms include an excessively high body temperature (106° F or higher); mental confusion or delirium; convulsions; hot, dry skin; strong and rapid pulse; and possible unconsciousness. Make no mistake: heat stroke can be fatal, and victims need immediate medical attention.

Prevention: The Best Solution

The number one method of avoiding heat disorders: avoiding heat. But for construction workers in the summer, this is simply not possible. So, here are some tips for staying cool and staying alive, beginning with the most obvious:

• Drink plenty of fluids. Your body needs water to keep cool. Drink water even if you don't feel thirsty. Proper hydration actually begins the day before a long, strenuous day in the sun. Before increasing your fluid consumption, consult a physician if you (1) have epilepsy or heart, kidney, or liver disease; (2) are on a fluid-restrictive diet; or (3) have a problem with fluid retention.
• Do not drink alcoholic beverages. Alcohol dehydrates your body. Enough said.
• Limit caffeine intake.
• Do not take salt tablets unless specified by a physician.
• Put less fuel on your inner fires. Foods that are heavy in protein increase metabolic heat production and also increase water loss.
• Dress as lightly as possible. You need protective clothing, of course, but consider light-colored fabrics, such as cotton, that breathe.
• When possible, take longer breaks than normal in a cool, shaded area. A rested worker is a more productive worker.
• Know the symptoms of heat illnesses. Use a buddy system to keep tabs on your fellow workers.
• Acclimate yourself to the heat. You can “get used to” the heat, to some degree. Workers, especially those who follow the advice above, can eventually develop some degree of tolerance. However, new employees and workers returning from an absence of two weeks or more should have a five-day period of acclimatization: 50 percent of the normal workload and time exposure the first day, gradually building up to 100 percent on the fifth day.

stopimg title="keepCool_img3" style="padding-left: 20px;" align="right" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px solid; BORDER-LEFT: 0px solid; WIDTH: 260px; PADDING-LEFT: 10px; HEIGHT: 195px; BORDER-TOP: 0px solid; align: left" alt="keepCool_img3" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/3_KeepCool_260x195.jpg" border="0" />Supervisor Obligations

There are precautions every employer should take when temperatures are high and the job involves physical work.

• Understand the signs of heat stress and permit workers to interrupt their work if they are extremely uncomfortable.
• Provide training about the hazards leading to heat stress and how to prevent them.
• If possible, schedule the heaviest workload for the coolest part of the day: early morning or late evening, when the sun is less intense.
• Make sure your workers have easy access to cool water—a minimum of one quart of water per hour, per worker.
• Schedule frequent rest periods with water breaks in shaded or air- conditioned areas.
• Routinely check on workers who are at risk of heat stress due to protective clothing and high temperature. Pay close attention to those who are at risk because of age and physical condition (including obesity and diabetes).

When A Fellow Worker Is Ill From The Heat

• Call a supervisor for help. If the supervisor is not available, call 911.
• Have someone stay with the worker until help arrives.
• Move the worker to a cooler/shaded area.
• Remove outer clothing.
• Fan and mist the worker with water; apply ice (ice bags or ice towels).
• Provide cool drinking water, if the worker is able to drink.

For more information about preventing and treating heat-related illness, consult these articles:

• “Heat Wave: A Major Summer Killer,” [http://www.noaawatch.gov/themes/heat.php] by the NOAA
• “Protecting Workers From Heat Stress,” [http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3154.pdf] by OSHA
• “Protecting Workers In Hot Environments,” [http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=FACT_SHEETS&p_id=167] by OSHA

Sources for this article:

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (noaawatch.gov)
• Occupational and Safety Health Administration (osha.gov)

stopimg title="19a" style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" alt="19a" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/19astopimg4Take the time to winterize your equipment this year. A few minutes spent could save you time and money in the months to come. The amount of winter care your equipment needs depends both on the climate and how it is used. Check your service manual guidelines, and keep the following tips in mind:

1. Check coolant. Provide protection by using the recommended antifreeze/water mixture for the lowest temperature expected during operations.

2. Change the oil and filter before cold weather arrives. In addition, use lubricants recommended for low temperature applications.

3. Maintain the battery. Remove cables, clean cable ends and posts, and clean and tighten terminals on the cranking motor. And remember never to charge a frozen battery.

4. Check tire inflation. Tires inflated in a warm shop will be under-inflated when used in cold temperatures.

5. Give hydraulic components time to warm up before beginning work. If you’re running diesel equipment, be sure to idle the engine a few minutes before shutting down to properly lubricate internal components. Your local Ditch Witch^® service technicians can help you make the most of your cold-weather equipment productivity, and can suggest winterizing techniques that are perfectly suited to your operation.

stopimg title="xt850_1" style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" alt="xt850_1" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/xt850_1stopimg4Serving most of Northern Illinois (except Chicago), Nicor Gas is one of the nation's largest gas-distribution companies, supplying natural gas to more than two million customers in 643 communities.

Nicor Gas customers are connected to the company's 34,000-mile distribution system that interconnects with Nicor's storage facilities. Maintaining this distribution system is vital to providing safe natural gas year-round for Nicor's residential and commercial customers. Proper maintenance requires trained construction and maintenance crews and a variety of equipment, much of it highly specialized.

Any time construction or maintenance is performed, the goal is always to safely limit disruption of normal activities and minimize the risk of damaging surface improvements made by property owners. But in many residential areas, work is made more complicated when it must be done in areas with limited access.

In such conditions, Nicor commonly uses compact, walk-along vibratory plows with a small backhoe attachment, according to Arnold Hartley, fleet management supervisor for Nicor Gas. Vibratory plowing permits direct burial of small-diameter pipe without trenching and can reduce the amount of restoration necessary. The small backhoe can be used for a variety of excavation tasks at the meter and also at the main if requirements are within the range of the backhoe's depth capabilities.

stopimg title="xt850_2" style="padding-left: 20px;" align="right" alt="xt850_2" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/xt850_2stopimg4Two years ago, Nicor Gas decided to try a new type of machine that had just been introduced: the "excavator-tool carrier", a compact, track-mounted machine with a backhoe on the rear. Dual attachment arms on the front of the excavator-tool carrier can accommodate more than 70 specialized attachments. The operator's station provides a clear view of all front work operations, and the seat pivots to the rear for backhoe work.

What sets excavator-tool carrier equipment apart from other equipment is a dual-pivot design that enables the backhoe to make offset excavations along a drive or walk, building, or fence—a task that is impossible for a conventional backhoe or the small backhoe attachments on the compact walk-along machines previously used by the company. The boom has one pivot point at the front of the machine where the boom is connected to the tractor. A second pivot near the center of the machine and beneath the floor of the operator's station rotates the boom assembly, including the boom swing pivot, while the cab remains stationary.

To offset dig, the assembly is rotated in one direction by the center pivot, and the boom is swung at the front pivot point in the opposite direction. The maximum excavator range from side to side is 260 degrees.

stopimg title="xt850_3" style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" alt="xt850_3" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/xt850_3stopimg4"The design of the machine and the variety of changeable attachments available were definitely the two main factors in the decision to try it," says Hartley. "As far as we know, these are the only machines with these features. Since purchasing the first unit—a Ditch Witch XT850—we have added 15 more to our fleet. We also recently purchased a larger one, the XT1600."

Hartley said the machines are primarily used to install service lines of half-inch-diameter HDPE pipe. The compact size is important, he adds, because machines must go through gates to work in fenced back yards and in courtyards of multiunit housing.

"The [excavator-tool carriers] give us far more versatility than a machine with limited functions," he says. "The primary attachments we use are a trencher unit, vibratory plow, and hydraulic breaker. With one basic machine we can dig a trench, load dirt, do vibratory plowing, and connect a hydraulic breaker for concrete, asphalt, or frozen ground. Attachments for the XT850 do not fit both models. The XT1600 utilizes a common industry standard mount that most skid-steer-type attachments fit."

The excavator-tool carriers have changed the makeup of the Nicor Gas equipment fleet.

"The XTs," Hartley continues, "have predominantly replaced the walk-behind machines and, in some cases, enabled us to downsize from large, 90-horsepower, rubber-tire trenchers, allowing us to reduce fuel and replacement costs, and to use smaller trucks and trailers to transport them."

Each machine is transported on a special trailer with special mounts to hold attachments and accessories, so the crew has everything needed for a job.

Another benefit of the XTs has been extending the work season.

stopimg title="xt850_4" style="padding-left: 20px;" align="right" alt="xt850_4" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/xt850_4stopimg4"The walk-behind models were considered nine-month-a-year machines," says Hartley. "During the winter months they couldn't be used. We first thought of the new machines in the same way, but we've discovered that even though we can't trench or plow in deep frost, we are able to work more in the colder months of the year and use the breaker attachment to cut through frost for tap holes and other types of gas line maintenance."

Based in Naperville, Ill., Nicor Gas is owned by Nicor Inc. (NYSE: GAS), a holding company. Nicor Gas has provided safe and reliable natural gas services for more than 50 years.

Basic Specifications of XT850 and XT1600
XT850
Weight    3,980 pounds
Overall length (excavator stowed)    120 inches
Width    50 inches
Power    24.5 net hp liquid-cooled diesel engine
Ground drive speed    4.2 mph
      
XT1600
Weight    9,420 pounds
Overall length (excavator stowed)    179 inches
Width    69 inches
Power    53 net hp liquid-cooled diesel engine
Ground drive speed - 2 speeds    3.5 mph & 6.8 mph

If your machine's hydraulic system isn't working, neither are you. Here are some common causes of hydraulic system breakdown and steps you can take to avoid them.

stopimg title="SK650_1" style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" alt="SK650_1" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/SK650_1stopimg4Contamination

An estimated 75 percent of all hydraulic system failure is due to contamination, so change filters regularly. If filters become dirty too frequently, examine them. Metal shavings can indicate that a pump, motor, or other upstream component may be failing. Resin or sludge—type material usually means oxidation of the fluid, often caused by low fluid levels or damaged seals.

Use clean tools and equipment, and always thoroughly clean hydraulic components before you remove, repair, or reinstall them. When you disconnect a hydraulic line, cap the end to keep contamination out while you're servicing the system. When you put the system back together, always install a new filter.

stopimg title="SK650_2" style="padding-left: 20px;" align="right" alt="SK650_2" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/SK650_2stopimg4Low or Dirty Fluid

Low fluid levels can cause everything from sluggish cylinder operation to catastrophic pump cavitation, so check the fluid regularly (with the engine off and the fluid cool) and maintain the proper level. Always use the right fuel for your system.

Murky or cloudy fluid usually indicates water or air in the system. Water can come from condensation, and excess air can be a result of low fluid levels, a damaged seal, or a crack in a suction hose.

Other System Components

Sometimes the obvious causes of hydraulic system trouble get overlooked. Try these preliminary checks:stopimg title="SK650_3" style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" alt="SK650_3" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/SK650_3stopimg4

•  Check the hydraulic fluid level with the engine off and the fluid cool.
•  With the engine stopped, check for leaks around seals, castings, and hydraulic connections.    
•  Check for kinks in hydraulic lines.
•  Check for a plugged or damaged fluid cooler or fluid filter.
•  Check the electrical connections to solenoid valves. The problem may not be hydraulic after all.

When in doubt, you can always find factory—trained technicians at your Ditch Witch dealership, professionals whose only business is keeping Ditch Witch equipment healthy.

THE 420SX VIBRATORY PLOW CAN PLOW IN PRODUCT FASTER THAN ANY OTHER UNIT IN ITS CLASS.

stopimg title="49a" style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" alt="49a" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/49astopimg4The new Ditch Witch 420sx vibratory plow expands the company’s popular compact vibratory plow product offering and adds riding capability, greater horsepower (41 hp/30.5 kW), and several features that other vibratory plows in its class do not have.

The machine’s exclusive dual-speed attachment drive enables the operator to quickly adapt to changing ground conditions. The patent-pending plow design of the 420sx allows it to closely follow the contour of the ground, which helps the plow maintain a constant cover depth on uneven terrain. Besides a standard vibratory plow, the 420sx can also run a Roto Witch drilling attachment and a trencher.

“We’ve designed the head shaft of the trencher attachment to incorporate a large, heavy-duty auger,” says Brent Bolay, product manager for the 420sx. “The productivity and spoils handling of this attachment make the 420sx a true production trencher.”

As with other Ditch Witch products, the 420sx was designed with comfort and safety in mind. It is designed so the operator’s console moves with the operator when the machine’s frame articulates; the articulating joint is positioned under the floor of the operator’s station. The 420sx also minimizes vibration transmitted to the operator’s station, so the operator can work longer with greater comfort. The plow’s skid shoes keep plow pins and other components off the ground, which also saves wear and tear on the machine.

Another exclusive feature of the 420sx is the fold-down ROPS (roll-over protective structure), which enables the unit to operate under tree limbs, eaves, and other low-hanging obstacles. The fold-down ROPS reduces the unit’s overall height by 20 inches. This feature makes the 420sx highly maneuverable in and around jobsites.

PIERCE AIRROW II PIERCING TOOLS CAN TAKE A POUNDING—AND ARE, POUND FOR POUND, THE BEST OVERALL VALUE.

stopimg title="49c" style="padding-left: 20px;" align="right" alt="49c" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/49cstopimg4New from the Ditch Witch organization are seven pneumatic piercing tools designed to perform short- to medium-range compaction boring projects, pipe ramming and pushing, and pipe pulling. The models range from 2.25" to 4.25" (57-108 mm) outside diameter, with or without threaded heads.

Strength and simplicity are the main characteristics that make Ditch Witch piercing tools so productive. Their bodies are made of single-piece, aircraft-quality steel, which contains high amounts of nickel and is heat-treated to be extremely durable. With fewer moving parts than the competition, Pierce Airrow II piercing tools are very low-maintenance units that promise years of reliable service.

Everything about these tools is designed for outstanding efficiency. Their unique striker design enables the tools to continue operation when they encounter a buried obstacle, so you can avoid costly downtime. The highly machined tool does not require wear rings that would require the tool to be disassembled more often for maintenance. These and other design features help Pierce Airrow II piercing tools give you more blows per minute than the competition—in some cases, as many as 100 more blows—so you can work faster and get more accomplished.

Utility companies, utility contractors, and municipalities will want to take advantage of the many benefits of these tools. Pierce Airrow II piercing tools are also ideal for Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) contractors looking for a fast, low-cost, trenchless solution.

THE NEW DITCH WITCH HT220 TRENCHER IS BIG ON SIZE AND ROCK-DIGGING POWER.

stopimg title="49b" style="padding-right: 20px;" align="left" alt="49b" src="/uploadedImages/Left_Nav/Press_Room/Job_Related_List/49bstopimg4The Ditch Witch line of trenchers just got bigger—a lot bigger. The HT220 is not the typical compact machine you’re used to seeing come out of the Ditch Witch factory in Perry, Oklahoma. But it still typifies everything you’ve come to expect from the Ditch Witch organization: quality, productivity, and extreme durability.

Optimized for digging in rock but also extremely effective in dirt, the HT220 is a hydrostatic trencher with 220 horsepower (164 kW). Designed for large installations—12 to 24 inches (305 - 610 mm) wide and 4 to 8 feet (1.2 - 2.4 m) deep—this machine has an exclusive flywheel gearbox that’s designed to deliver a tremendous amount of horsepower to the attachment—on demand—while protecting the hydraulic system and other components from shock loads. Plus, the operator vibration is further minimized by trencher stabilizers, standard on the machine, that isolate vibration when digging in rock.

Working in harsh conditions demands equipment that is extraordinarily durable and sturdy, and the HT220 does not disappoint. From the rugged undercarriage to the reliable analog controls to the forged, heat-treated, high-alloy steel head shafts that are guaranteed for life, everything on this machine is designed to endure the particularly rugged conditions of rock-laden jobsites.

Gas and oil, wind farms, rural water districts, and housing development contractors are just a few of the markets that will benefit from the HT220.

Published in the Spring 2007 issue of The Underground.