Prep a Rained-on Surface for a Successful Repair

With spring rains and other weather events reported as I prepare this toolbox tip, I’m reminded that crews don’t always have a choice when it comes to the timing of pavement repairs. If a recent weather event put a giant birdbath in the middle of Main Street, you may be called on to make pavement repairs under less-than-ideal conditions.

The key to success is preparing the surface before you begin.

During today’s pre-shift toolbox talk, remind crewmembers that preparing the surface for a simple repair is vital. If the existing area is speckled with mud, leaves or pools of rain, what’s going to stick to that surface? Not a lot. You’ll be back in the summer to refill potholes or reseal cracks if you don’t train crew members to clean these areas prior to repairing them today.

In the online training course we’ve prepared with industry consultant John Ball, we stress the back-to-basics principles that take more time on Day 1 of your project. They’re the best practices that can pay dividends in reduced call-backs, increased customer referrals and the like, when your crew members watch the videos and take them to heart.

Then when your team gets to any pavement repair job, have them take the time to prepare the surface.

The cleaning step may be your most time-intensive step in a pavement maintenance treatment, but that will reduce the chances of your crew returning to that project for “free” later this summer.