With spring rain and random weather events taking place 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 tornado put a giant birdbath in the middle of Main Street, you gotta do what you gotta do. But you must prepare the area first.
During today’s pre-shift tailgate 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, not a lot will stick to it. You’ll be back in the summer to refill potholes or reseal cracks if you don’t train crewmembers to clean areas prior to repairing them today.
In the online training course we’ve prepared with paving 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 crewmembers watch the videos and take them to heart.
Then when your team gets to any pavement repair job, have them take the time to clean, dry, prep and tack. The cleaning step may be your most time-intensive step, but that will reduce the chances of your crew returning to that project for “free” later this summer.
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