How often to service? Operating hours, calendar and season

Arbeidstilsynet (the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority) writes that manufacturers must produce operating manuals that cover maintenance, but that the employer is always responsible for maintenance routines suited to how the equipment is used. The intervals are stated in different ways: in operating hours, in days, weeks and months, or by use and season, and some manuals use both hours and calendar time.

Hours, calendar or both

Bucher states the service interval in operating hours for several of the road sweepers, and Rotabroach divides the maintenance of the Commando 40 into tasks before each job, every week and every month. Swepac, Husqvarna and Jun-Air use both hours and calendar intervals for some models. Ficon links the maintenance of the spreaders to use and season, but specifies lubrication by operating hours on the FC 750-2500, and Zaugg offers a summer overhaul of snow blowers.

Several manufacturers also write that the interval depends on the use or on the environment the machine works in. The figures only apply to the models mentioned.

Bucher road sweepers: operating hours

Bucher states the interval in operating hours, and for the CityCat V20 and V20e it differs between diesel and electric: 500 hours on the diesel V20 and 1000 hours on the electric V20e. The figures for the C202 and MaxPowa are in Servicing a road sweeper.

Swepac: power trowel, hand screed and poker vibrator

Swepac's Norwegian operating manual for the TR 600P, TR 750P and TR 950P power trowels tells you to check the oil level and for leaks every day, and the air filter at least once every working week, or daily in dusty conditions.

For the petrol-engined vibrating hand screeds (FBP, FBP-H and FBP-HP), Swepac gives both calendar and hour intervals: daily (8 hours), weekly (50 hours), monthly (200 hours) and every 250 hours.

For the PVEL poker vibrator, both are in the same sentence: “Every 12 months or every 500 operating hours it is recommended to lubricate the bearings in the poker vibrator, depending on use.” For the PVE, PVEL and PVD2000, Swepac also recommends an inspection by an authorised dealer every 12 months or more often, depending on use. Read more in the guides on power trowels, vibrating hand screeds and poker vibrators.

Husqvarna PG 680, PG 820 and DC 6000: calendar and hours

The maintenance schedule for the Husqvarna PG 680 and PG 820 has the columns daily, weekly, every 6 months and after 12–36 months. A major service with replacement of the belt and bearings in the drive system for the grinding heads typically comes after 12–36 months of operation, and Husqvarna writes that demanding applications affect how long the machine can run before this service is needed.

The schedule for the Husqvarna DC 6000 dust extractor runs from daily items to a filter change every 6 months or every 1000 hours. Husqvarna writes that the intervals are based on daily use, and that they change when the machine is not used daily. Read more in floor grinder maintenance and dust extractors for floor grinders.

Jun-Air: week, month and year

The operating manual for Jun-Air's oil-lubricated compressors has a preventive maintenance schedule with the columns weekly, monthly and annually, and tells you to drain the moisture from the pressure vessel at least once a week. For the oil-free system 87R-4P, Jun-Air lists tasks every month and every year, and an overhaul of the compressor after 8 000 hours.

Gast: after the first 500 operating hours

Gast specifies what is to be done after the first 500 operating hours on the Regenair blowers and the oil-free piston pumps:

• Standard Regenair blowers with motor: the filter elements and the foam in the silencers are checked, the motor and blower are cleaned, and the filter elements are replaced. You decide how often the silencers should be checked from then on.
• Oil-free piston pumps: the inlet and outlet filters are checked and cleaned, and you decide how often the filters should be checked.

If the piston pumps run at full load in a reasonably clean environment at 18–24 °C and 35% relative humidity, the first inspection and maintenance come after 4 000 operating hours. Other environments may require maintenance sooner.

The lubrication interval for the motor bearings on Regenair blowers with grease nipples varies with operation: from every third year at 5 000 operating hours a year to every 6 months with continuous operation at high ambient temperature or in dirty or damp environments. Read more in Jun-Air compressor maintenance and Gast vacuum pumps and blowers.

Ficon spreaders and Zaugg snow blowers: use, season and hours

Ficon's operating manuals for the FC 380SS and FC 600-1000TR have three levels:

• After each use: the spreader should be emptied and cleaned.
• Every week in the high season: run through a periodic checklist.
• Annually: run through an annual checklist, for example before or after the spreader is put into storage.

On the FC 750-2500 you should grease the lubrication points approximately every 20 operating hours, and the operating manual also tells you to grease them with a good-quality multi-purpose grease after each use.

For snow blowers, Zaugg offers a summer overhaul and asks customers to plan the overhaul early to avoid unplanned and unnecessary downtime in the winter season. Read more in spreader maintenance and snow blowers before winter.

Commando 40: before each job, weekly and monthly

Rotabroach's maintenance schedule for the Commando 40 has three columns: every time the machine is used, every week and every month. The carbon brushes should be checked at least once a week with frequent use, the armature and gearbox grease every month, and the grease should be changed at least once a year. Read more in magnetic drilling machine maintenance.

Checks you do yourself, and service in a workshop

Several operating manuals distinguish between the checks the operator does and work that belongs in a workshop. Swepac includes the workshop in the interval list for the petrol-engined vibrating hand screeds: the screed must be sent to an authorised workshop for service every 12 months, or more often depending on how much it is used. For the PG 680 and PG 820, Husqvarna writes that the user should only carry out the maintenance and servicing described in the operating manual, and that more extensive work must be done by an authorised service workshop.

Section 12-2 of the Regulations concerning the performance of work states that installation, inspection, maintenance and repair of work equipment may only be carried out by persons who have received the necessary training, practice and instruction for this work.

The regulations and the annual inspection

In the commentary on section 12-4 of the Regulations concerning the performance of work, Arbeidstilsynet writes that manufacturers of all types of work equipment must produce operating manuals covering maintenance, inspection and repair. It is nevertheless always the employer's responsibility to put in place suitable maintenance routines for the use in question. What you should clarify before a fixed agreement on scheduled maintenance is covered in Service agreements for your machines.

The annual inspection is a separate requirement, in addition to the employer's own regular inspection. It applies to specific types of work equipment, which under section 13-2 must, among other things, have expert inspection every 12 months. The equipment concerned is listed in Annual inspection of work equipment.

How to book a service

Book using the form on Workshop and service: choose the type of job, for example Service, Annual inspection or Service agreement, enter the machine and the serial number from the rating plate, and describe the service required. The workshop will contact you to arrange a time. You can also call the workshop on +47 969 13 856 during the day.

Whether the job should be done in the workshop or at your site is covered in Service in the workshop or at your site.