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5 Common Areas Where a Water Truck Is Used: What to Know

5 Common Areas Where a Water Truck Is Used: What to Know

water truck hire Perth

From its importance in construction to its applications in the mining industry, a water truck has a crucial part to play in the earthmoving business. If you are running a site in Australia, the chances are that your business will need to invest in one, or hire one from a reputable provider.

A water truck, which is designed with a huge tank on the back to store large volumes of water, can be used for water delivery, water haulage, landscape watering, compaction watering, and dust suppression, among others.

As it is a vehicle designed to carry a moving load (rather than solid), it has a specifically designed tank subframe and chassis. They can be built with front, side, or rear sprays and come with various pump options, hose reels, fill points and outlets.

Water is constantly required in road construction to assist with soil compaction and unsealed roads need regular spraying to prevent dust issues.

In this article, we’ll cover five common fields or areas where a water truck is usually required:

1. Construction and mining

When it comes to construction and mining, a water truck can be extremely useful. This is because it stops the dust from rising and spreading in a large-scale construction or mining operation. Not only is dust disruptive to machinery, but it can also be detrimental to the workers’ health. For this reason, a water truck is used to suppress the dust from being scattered during the construction phase.

2. Farming

A water cart is beneficial in farming where it is specifically used for irrigation. It is all the more needed during a drought when crops are dying. The truck is usually driven around the arid fields to supply the crops with water until the dry spell is over. Many farmers and farming communities have these trucks readily available for use when needed, especially during rain shortages.

3. Fire fighting

Water trucks can be a life-saver when it comes to fighting fires. With an enormous supply of water stored in the tank, the water cart can supply water to fire trucks. and help put out the fire before severe damage is done. Water Trucks are used both proactively and reactively in firefighting. It is all the more needed in rural areas where fire hydrants and water sources are not readily available.

4. Emergency water supply

The truck can also be used during an emergency situation, such as when communities are impacted with no safe water supply during a natural disaster such as a flood, storm, or earthquake. Frontline workers typically use this truck to provide water for the public to rehabilitate the community.

5. Residential usage

In some cases, bulk water delivery companies make use of this truck to carry large volumes of water to deliver to homeowners. For instance, you may contact such a company if you need to fill your swimming pool with water or if you have a large property, you may use a water truck to spray your land. This vehicle can also be used for residential areas under drought control or those domestic properties with untreated well water.

Conclusion

Whether for farming, construction, mining, firefighting, emergency water supply, or residential use, hiring a water truck could very well be crucial for your site.

Be sure to invest in a robust vehicle from a trusted and highly reliable supplier. Also, remember to set safety measures in place for running and operating the truck.

If you are looking for reliable water trucks for hire in Perth, KEE Hire is a great place to start. We’re Australia’s leading civil and mining support and equipment service provider that focuses on hiring, transport, surfacing, and fuel services. KEE Hire purchased two robust Isuzu water carts in August 2020. You’ll benefit from the powerful performance and sturdy design of Isuzu; the comfortable cab and ergonomic layout will boost productivity for your site. If you’re specifically looking for a versatile water truck for your job, get in touch with us today to see how we can help!

Using Equipment During the Pandemic – Buy it or Rent It

machinery hire Perth

During uncertain times, businesses coping with an unstable future are juggling between whether to buy or rent their equipment. With less work on, fewer employees available to conduct and oversee major tasks, and the need to diversify, hiring your equipment may be your most cost-effective option. To retain your ability to conduct business, it’s important to understand the benefits that come with renting advanced equipment instead of buying it.

The Impact of Uncertain Times

Whether amidst a pandemic, natural disaster, economic crisis, or just through factors that are out of your control, businesses will have to adjust to new conditions. Working against the pandemic has made it difficult to oversee a full staff and acquire new clients.

With less cash available, businesses need to direct their efforts towards saving should operations dry up. As such, processing major investments and getting locked into long-term payment plans over new equipment is something you should avoid.

Why You Should Consider Renting Over Buying

The most obvious advantage of renting equipment during times of crisis is the ability to stay within your budget. Here are a few reasons why you might consider renting equipment instead:

1. No Capital Investment
Purchasing a piece of equipment doesn’t only force you to commit to a large sum of money—it also hurts your savings if you’re not going to need it the following months or year. If you’re experiencing a loss of business, you may not even have the ability to shoulder a down payment in the first place.

2. No Need to Pay for Maintenance or Repairs
Without the risk of unexpected repairs or need to cover part replacements, working with a dealer who can mitigate maintenance procedures for you can help your business stay within its budget. In most cases, you won’t even have to pay technicians who are already equipped with replacement parts or allocate staff from your workforce to oversee their duties.

3. More Flexibility
To make ends meet, you may need to diversify services or work with clients you normally wouldn’t collaborate with. If you’ve invested capital in specialised equipment without the proper means to run them, it can be difficult to branch out your services.

With rental equipment, you can easily swap out machines to meet specific client demands. No longer need your road dryer? Just return it. Have no use for your heavy earth-moving machinery? Retire it.

4. Fleet Minimisation
If you’ve purchased a machine that isn’t getting regular use, you may be spending more than you need to on storage, transportation, maintenance, fuel, and disposal costs. By keeping your fleet lean, you can make good use of equipment that you may only need once or twice.

5. Better Technology
To keep up with an ever-changing environment, equipment hires outfit their machines with the latest technology and features. Instead of purchasing these costly add-ons yourself, a high-quality hire can provide it to you instead.

Conclusion

With less cash available in your business pocket, paying a hefty sum for a piece of equipment you aren’t sure you’ll need in the foreseeable future will only hurt your operations. Without the need to perform regular maintenance and repairs or find ways to store a machine, rental equipment is the way to go.

At KEE Hire, we pride ourselves on being the most reliable machinery hire company in Perth. Whatever you may need for your civil, mining, or infrastructure project, KEE Hire can provide at the drop of a hat. Included in the hire, we offer full maintenance provision and a knowledgeable coordinator at your service 24/7.

2 Considerations When Hiring a Loader for Your Construction Site

loader for hire Perth

In any construction worksite, no operation is effective without a complete set of heavy-plant equipment that is well-maintained and up-to-par with industry standards.

One of the most significant pieces of equipment to hire for any construction site is a wheel loader.

Wheel loaders (which are also known as front-end loaders) come in large, medium, and small sizes and can be used for many different jobs. Wheel loaders, which are a type of tractor, can be used for building roads, preparing job sites, digging, removing rubble, carrying and moving materials, and loading trucks. Some people may believe an excavator can do the same job, however wheel loaders have rear and front axels, enabling them to hold enormous amounts of weight, far more than an excavator.

There are many different types of loaders available. The four main types available are Integrated IT Loaders, Backhoe Loaders, Skid Steer Loaders, and a wide range of construction and mining front-end loaders.

Wheel loaders are commonly associated with the construction industry and the growing contracting market, including landscaping, building, and shires. However, larger wheel loaders are mainly used in the quarry and mining areas.

The importance of a loader in modern construction sites:

As innocuous as these machines may seem, loaders are the workhorses of any worksite because of how they elevate the overall productivity of daily operations.

Whether you’re moving earth or working on asphalt, construction-grade loaders are needed to keep operations running smoothly and productively by supplementing processes with necessary materials. Regardless if it’s a mining operation, wide-scale construction area, or a forestry project, hiring yourself a loader is a wise decision you’ll thank yourself for.

Fortunately, choosing the best loader for your site’s needs doesn’t have to mean spending a fortune on one piece of equipment. With the help of a dependable hiring company—such as Australia’s KEE Group—you can find the right option at a competitive monthly rate without having to worry about high costs of ownership and maintenance.

A few crucial factors to look for before hiring:

Perhaps the most difficult part of hiring a new construction-grade loader is narrowing all the options down. Fortunately, looking through all the possibilities in Port Hedland, Albany, and Perth doesn’t have to be complicated.

Out of all the different aspects to keep in mind when searching around for a wheel loader for your construction-related requirements, none are far more important than:

  1. Bucket load capacity
  2. Size and maneuverability of machine on site.

These two factors are a must-consider when searching for hiring a wheel-loader. If you aren’t sure of what to watch out for, then it’s advisable to work with an experienced hire co-ordinator. Our friendly team at KEE Hire will gladly help you to get familiar with the specifics of our wheel loader fleet and will be more than happy to assist with any queries.

At present, KEE Hire has the following loader options available:

  • Integrated Tool Carrier 12T
  • Integrated Tool Carrier 13.7T
  • Wheel Loader 1.5 – 2.5m3 bucket capacity
  • Wheel Loader 2.5 – 3.5m3 bucket capacity – 950
  • Wheel Loader 3.5 – 4.5m3 bucket capacity – 966G
  • Wheel Loader 4.5 – 5.5m3 bucket capacity – 980G
  • Wheel Loader 962 with forks and bucket
  • *Load rite/ Loadmaster fitted to some machines
  • *Tool carriers come with forks, jib & bucket
  • *Tool carriers also have crane lock valves fitted

Conclusion

No matter the operational nature of your construction site, the enormous amount of digging and earth moving a well-maintained loader can deliver is something you will be glad to have in your armoury. With the help of this guide, you’ll be able to find the best loader for your business’s needs in no time and ensure that your money’s headed in the right place!

Don’t spend a fortune on your loader-related needs, opt for our loaders for hire in Perth and other equipment rental services, which automatically come with real 24/7 field support and full-service provision at a competitive price. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help.

A Miner’s Guide to Water Trucks: Why They Matter and How You Can Use Them

water trucks Perth

From timeline management to the quality check procedures, to hiring the right team, the enormity of details one must consider in any mining operation is astounding. Beyond practices and logistical systems, the success of any mining operation significantly depends on the equipment that is used to make everything happen.

From mine-spec vehicles to load management equipment, there’s no denying that the capabilities of a mine and what it achieves is formed by the quality of heavy-plant equipment within it. Amongst these different moving parts, however, there’s one that plays an even bigger role in success than one may expect: the water truck.

Water trucks sometimes referred to as water carts, are a vital part of the construction, mining and civil operations. They are often used for dust control, compaction, civil and major road building and can also be used for fire prevention and controls.

KEE Hire has a wide range of water carts and trucks for hire, varying from 14,000-litre 6×4 units to Moxy Articulated Trucks which hold up to 30,000 litres. A 6 x 4 water truck’s spray can make it easier to compact into a surface, which is critical for road construction projects. Contractors use a water cart in tandem with a grader or roller to achieve a smooth and compact surface. 20,000-litre dinosaurs are often used for off-road and agricultural work. The bigger end 40,000 litre articulated dump-truck mounted units are primarily used on mine sites in a varying range of roles- from dust suppression, to haul road maintenance through to open-pit hydration work, as well as water haulage.

The importance of water trucks in your mine:

Water trucks play a crucial role in both small-scale and larger mining operations. These vehicles comprise of four crucial parts that allow them to perform specific tasks, namely:

  1. Special water tanks that are built and reinforced according to particular specifications so that they can carry up to 36,000 litres of water in a single trip.
  2. A custom chassis design that allows them to get around the rugged terrain of a mine with ease.
  3. Custom-spec pumping equipment that’s built to meet the needs of specific tasks.
  4. Mounting apparatus that make it far easier to carry out key functions.

As opposed to traditional trucks which can be used for more generic tasks, water trucks are purpose-specific. That means that they can’t be used for anything other than supplying water for specific tasks. This specialised vehicle, thanks to its functionality, helps dozens of mines all over Australia.

Where can these vehicles be used?

While many tasks on a mine call for the use of extensive amounts of water, there are a few common purposes that stand out above all else and require the use of the vehicle in question. If you’ve been meaning to invest in a water truck for your mine but are unsure of how the investment can be justified, here are a just a couple of applications where the water cart is a stand-out piece of heavy plant:

1. Road construction: As opposed to standard processes which wholly relied on unnecessary amounts of labour, water trucks make it far easier and faster to construct roads because they effectively compact any terrain into an even surface. In unison with a compaction roller or grader, the truck helps ensure that an effortlessly even and smooth finish is achieved every single time.

2. Dust suppression: What makes mines in Australia so dependent on the use of water trucks is that the country’s dusty and dry outback creates various unique challenges that need water—especially in the case of dust control. Through the help of a well-equipped truck however, you can easily manage the excessive amounts of dust because it can be used to soak the dry earth. KEE noticed the dust issues in particular when they started their branch up in Port Hedland. The amount of dust in the Pilbara can make a working environment almost unbearable, which is why at our KEE Port Hedland yard we use our water cart twice a day, just to keep the working area clean and dust-free for our mechanics.

Conclusion

Among all the different tools that you can use in a mine, a water truck presents a great significance when it comes to ensuring that everything runs smoothly in a day’s work. With the help of a dependable truck, you can ensure that you and your workers can avoid unwanted problems or inefficiencies by having a steady supply of water on standby when you need it most.

When it comes to providing your operations with the right equipment, you can get maximum success without having to spend a fortune by getting our water trucks for hire in Perth and other equipment rental services at the right price. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help!

3 Tips to Have Safer Dump Truck Driving Experiences

dump truck hire

In the past, running a mining operation was considered as a costly endeavour because of the upfront investment it entailed, especially when it came to dump trucks.

Over the years, many mine operators struggled with the high costs of keeping their operations up to spec because of how costly a new (or used) dump truck was at any point. While many considered trying to opt for cheaper alternatives, the truth is that these vehicles were, and always will be, essential for the successful operations of any mining company.

Fortunately, Australian mine managers won’t have to worry about such costs thanks to the fact that dump truck hire options are far more common today. By opting to hire or rent a truck from a dependable service provider—such as the KEE Group—many companies have been able to enter the lucrative market without shelling out for high upfront investments.

If you want to improve your operations while minimising the costs, dump truck hire is a way to go. Before you jump right into the whole process and get right to moving materials back and forth, it’s vital to ensure that you understand how you can safely operate this vehicle.

Three dump truck hire tips for safer experiences:

As intimidating as it sounds, the truth about safely working with a dump truck for mining material moving or large-scale construction is that it’s a relatively easy endeavour without many complications involved.

To ensure that you have the safest and most successful experience when hiring a dump truck for mining operations, here are three crucial tips that you should consider:

Tip #1: Inspect your truck regularly

Among the different ways to ensure the safety of every trip that you take, none are potentially more impactful or effective than inspecting your dump truck hire regularly.

The reason proper inspection is such a crucial aspect of truck operation safety, lies in the fact that it helps ensure that any avoidable and underlying pitfalls are negated before you even start rolling out. Having regular checks are vital because the immense weight that these machines carry and its effect on various parts in the assembly are massive. This is why it requires more care and consideration to ensure that accidents or breakdowns are prevented.

Tip #2: Get familiar with the intricacies of material loading

When safely operating your dump truck, the one thing that many operators may overlook, is the essential practice of material loading.

It may not seem like much at first, but the way material is loaded into your dump truck hire’s bed, impacts the way it moves and impacts the amount of stress that it’s various components experience. By taking the time to understand the weight of material loading, you can keep your truck’s centre of gravity in-line and maintain it’s overall stability by evenly distributing the load.

Tip #3: Only hire from reputable companies

A crucial tip that anyone looking to invest in a dump truck hire should keep in mind is to seek out the service from a dependable provider- this will go a long way.

Going for a top-rated rental equipment service provider is essential for safety because the hire machines do not leave the workshop without first going through meticulous and comprehensive safety checks. Through the help of a top-rated company—such as KEE Hire—which has a demonstrated record of providing hire equipment for over a decade, you will have peace of mind as you operate your dump truck up, down, and all around the mine. The knowledge of 24/7 mechanical field support will also give you confidence when hiring one of these beasts.

Conclusion

Although getting a dump truck hire is a cost-effective way to run a mine and ensure service quality and efficiency, it’s vital to approach the opportunity with attention of safety in mind. With the help of the three tips mentioned above, you can start your mining operations on the right foot and make sure that you won’t need to worry about anything else, other than making the most out of your regular haul!

If you’re looking to outfit your operations with the right equipment, you can keep everything in line without having to spend a fortune by getting our dump trucks for hire in Perth and other equipment rental services at the right price. Give us a call today to see how we can help!

7 Projects That Mini Excavators Are Perfectly Suited For

A mini excavator is classed as an excavator weighing between 1.5 to 7 Ton. These versatile pieces of equipment allow for an array of attachments for various uses and are both light and compact. Because of their lightweight and small size, these machines are suitable for use in projects in hard-to-reach places or tight spaces. Ideal for plumbers, electricians, tradesman landscapers and local shire/councils. 

Your backyard, for example, would normally be out of reach for your standard heavy equipment, but a mini excavator would be the ideal tool. For construction machinery that specialise in housing and other small-to-medium jobs, these machines could be incredibly beneficial in so many ways. Easy to transport, small excavators can fit on a trailer or small truck, making transport less of a hassle and cheaper too.

The mini excavator boasts a multitude of uses, here are just a few examples:

1. Excavation

A more obvious option, the mini excavator is perfect for small-scale projects, like excavation for trenching, digging pools, minor landscaping and building pads and foundations. Its small size makes it suitable for navigating the confined spaces in residential areas without causing too much damage or inconvenience.

One incredible feature of the mini excavator is its ability to rotate 360 degrees, making the management of excavated soil or debris easy. 

2. Irrigation

The mini excavator could be used in creating irrigated trenches for farmland, as its small and precise attachments and reduced swing create tight and precise lines for any farm. 

3. Utility line installation or repair

A mini excavator has been designed for more precise jobs than its larger cousins, and it can be used to dig precisely-measured trenches, perfect for the instalment of utility lines. 

4. Tree stump removal

Tree stumps can spread decay and invite unwanted pests, such as termites, beetles, and ants to a home. The deep roots of a stump make it difficult to remove without heavy machinery and the mini excavator would be a perfect tool to use. It can dig around the stump to make it easier to rip out and then the thumb attachment can be used to finally finish the job. 

5. Boundary installation

The mini excavator can dig with exceptional precision, making it a great choice for creating walls and fences. They are also good for digging holes for fence posts.

6. Demolition 

Removing a small structure, like concrete patios, is a perfect job for the mini excavator. The machine can be equipped with a hydraulic thumb to clamp down on and tear out debris, which can then be dropped and piled in to a waste truck.

Other tools that can be attached are hydraulic hammers and breakers, which could be used to break up rocks and concrete. 

7. Drilling holes

Attaching the right implement to the auger of the mini excavator can make it suitable for drilling. Its maneuverability and small size make it perfect for drilling in odd places, making it a great candidate for electrical and architectural projects. 

Conclusion

There are really no limits to the versatility of the mini excavator. With the right attachments and enough imagination, it could be used in nearly any construction situation that requires a softer and more precise hand.

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