| For those in the construction and landscaping industries, worker productivity is an important consideration and skid steers are making increased productivity possible with added comforts. According to Pierre Verdon, marketing, Caterpiller, “Features such as a comfortable and quiet cab with air conditioning, air-ride seat and good visibility allow the operator to feel less tired, better focused and overall much more productive. Those options will also help contractors retain employees by making them more comfortable on the jobsite.”
Comfort Options and Packages
Skid steer manufacturers have been slow to keep up with technological advancements in terms of added comforts. However, many newer skid steers offer numerous packages and additions to increase operator comfort. Basic cab enclosures offer curved glass, sliding windows, and overhead glass to increase visibility. However, this is nothing compared to the plethora of options and packages offered on today’s typical skid steer. Another popular option, is also the enclosed cab with various heat, air conditioning, and defrost settings. For operators who work 8 to 10 hour shifts and extreme climates, this is great package to consider.
Operators can work for longer periods of time without breaks, profuse sweating in hot conditions, or freezing in colder temperatures. Gregg Zupancic of John Deere explains that nearly half the loaders his company sells purchase the cab option which typically includes heat, defrost, and air conditioning. Zupanic states this package is even more popular in larger skid steer models where contractors often have more funds to splurge. In addition, enclosed cabs protect the operator from dust and outdoor weather elements such as rain and snow. Therefore, contractors can work in extreme conditions without having to take the day off or plan around the weather to complete jobs. Enclosed cabs are merely the tip of the iceberg. Many skid steer manufacturers also offer sound-proofing packages for noise reduction, radios and MP3 players, cup holders, suspension seats, and more.
Options that Directly Increase Productivity
While many of the aforementioned enhancements add to worker comfort and indirectly increase productivity, manufactures have also produced many package options and tools to directly impact productivity. One such example is quick attach mounting systems that reduce the time necessary to switch between attachments. Some such packages make it as easy as pressing a button from inside the cab to detach the attachment. This enables the operator to stay in their climate controlled cab and quickly switch between attachments providing increased versatility and functionality.
Another popular option is ride control, which senses the amount of weight in the bucket to smooth out the ride. This is a great feature because it not only reduces work fatigue and shock from impact, but also absorbs the shock impact for the various moving parts of the skid steer. This can increase long-term durability of various skid steer parts such as the hydraulics and structure.
Choosing the Best Options/Features
While many modern skid steers offer a plethora of features and packages to choose from its important to understand which ones will benefit the buyer most. Some considerations to evaluate before hand include the materials the operator will be working with, existing equipment, weather conditions, uses and potential applications, resale value, etc. Many packages and options may be unnecessary for the particular application–so proper evaluation of current and potential future uses should be completed before finalizing your purchase decision. Lastly, keep in mind that increased worker productivity may pay for the added costs of certain features. For instance, if your operators work long shifts in extreme climate conditions, a climate control, enclosed cab may be well worth the upfront costs.
About the author: Ryan Lawson is the owner of a website that offers Skid Steers for Sale. |
