If there’s one thing that will remain fairly consistent — and certainly not fall dramatically in the near future — it’s heavy equipment sales. Heavy equipment powers much of American industry — whether we’re talking about cars, construction, manufacturing, or even the military. But heavy equipment sales are not just about selling big pieces like tractors and cranes — in fact, often people do not buy machinery of that level but instead choose to rent it. Heavy equipment parts are often sold individually, or for that matter rented out. The market is much more complicated than it at first might seem. For one thing, heavy equipment sales not only cover a number of different industries but a number of different pieces of machinery. For another, heavy equipment remains somewhat controversial. While it is often necessary and unavoidable, it can be dangerous if used incorrectly. This is why it’s important that, in the heavy equipment sales arena, both buyers and sellers remain aware of the dangers surrounding certain pieces. Educating potential buyers about what they’re buying not only prevents injury, but can also prevent potential legal woes for the seller. With that being said, let’s look into the world of heavy equipment — because the more we know about it, the more safely we can approach it.
Who Operates Heavy Equipment Today?
Where once heavy equipment was confined to big factories and farmlands, now it can be found almost everywhere — including big cities. This is because of our technological reliance on such equipment, among other things. The construction industry — which can be found almost anywhere, with big urban projects being as common or even more common than those in the “country — is extremely reliant on heavily equipment. Owning about 10% of the market share, the American construction industry is the second largest in the world. It’s estimated to employ about 7.8 million production works, with most of them working with heavy equipment on a daily basis. The global construction equipment market alone is estimated to be worth $145.5 billion. When it comes to manufacturing this kind of equipment, the market is actually very concentrated — it’s estimated that the top 50 companies bring up 90% of the market’s revenue. It’s competitive — but nonetheless, extreme care has to be taken when manufacturing heavy equipment. All too easily, something can go wrong and injure or even kill a person.
What Are The Safety Issues Surrounding Heavy Equipment?
The safety issues surrounding heavy equipment are myriad, and with good reason. Heavy equipment failure can be due to an operator error — after all, this is major machinery we’re talking about — but it can also be due to a poorly manufactured piece of equipment, or damage that has gone unnoticed and caused the equipment to malfunction. It’s estimated that 35% of on the job injuries in one year were machine related, as well as 14% work-related deaths. One of the main areas in which injury is common is during the act of mounting and dismounting vehicles. There’s a three-point system that people can follow, luckily. Each operator mounting or dismounting a vehicle should maintain contact through two feet and one hand or two hands and one foot until safely in the cab or on the ground. OSHA, of course, has several tips and guidelines as well. For example, when operating heavy machinery, OSHA stipulates that a worker must maintain a distance of at least 10 feet from the nearest overhead line.
What Is The Future Of Heavy Equipment?
Despite these concerns, heavy equipment sales are going strong, in part due to the construction industry. A recent Construction Outlook report indicated that the industry would experience 6% growth, with the value of construction starts hitting an estimated $712 billion. When it comes to residential homes, single family construction is expected to see a 20% increase, with multifamily constructions seeing a 7% gain. No matter why heavy equipment is being used, one thing is certain: it is here to stay.