{"id":100400,"date":"2017-06-27T06:44:54","date_gmt":"2017-06-27T10:44:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sjcivil.com\/?p=100400"},"modified":"2024-03-27T07:12:03","modified_gmt":"2024-03-27T11:12:03","slug":"small-tools-tracking-software-get","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sjcivil.com\/small-tools-tracking-software-get\/","title":{"rendered":"Small Tools Tracking Software \u2013 Get It!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Executive Summary<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Estimates vary on the financial loss suffered by contractors due to lost or stolen tools. Pick any number you want, it\u2019s certainly worth a discussion at any value. The direct cost loss is most obvious, but consider also the inefficiencies suffered by crews not having the tools they need to operate efficiently.<\/p>\n

How are you tracking small tools?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I was helping a contractor last Wednesday when the subject of small tools management came up. I asked him how he tracked his small tools and he took his pointer finger of his right hand and raised it to make contact with his right temple: \u201cI keep track of it up here, in my head.\u201d<\/p>\n

He and I both smiled at each other because he knew it was not the right way to do it, and I recall always having done it that way myself.<\/p>\n

Beyond the bionic memory recall (cue the emoji wink) of this particular gentleman, I often find that using spreadsheets is a very common way of asset tracking.<\/p>\n

Neither work better than software readily available on the market.<\/p>\n

Is there enough value in my small tools to justify the expense?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Consider a quick rundown of what you can see in your heavy\/civil foreman\u2019s truck, on his job site, and available to him in your shop:<\/p>\n

One Utility Foreman\u2019s Small Tool Inventory<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Item<\/td>\nApproximate Cost<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Small Tools \u2013 wrenches, socket sets, hammers, screwdrivers, tape measure, pea gun, drills, chainsaw, and batteries\/charges for some of these tools<\/strong><\/td>\n$2000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rigging \u2013 slings, come-a-longs, shackles, chains<\/strong><\/td>\n$3000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Safety \u2013 sniffer, harnesses, confined entry tripod, knee pads, water coolers, safety glasses, ear plugs, hi-vis vests<\/strong><\/td>\n$2500<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Survey \u2013 dumpy level, plane laser, pipe laser, rod, lath, tape, tripods<\/strong><\/td>\n$4000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Welding & Power \u2013 welding machine, gas tanks, leads, rod, small handheld generators, trailer-mounted generators<\/strong><\/td>\n$15000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pumps \u2013 \u00bd hp maintenance pumps, 1,200 gpm submersibles, trailer-mounted larger pumps, pump cans, suction\/discharge hosing, and test pumps<\/strong><\/td>\n$5000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Electronics \u2013 phone, laptop, tablet, two-way radios<\/strong><\/td>\n$2500<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Shoring \u2013 trench boxes, hydraulic pistons\/shields, dunnage\/steel beams, ladder<\/strong><\/td>\n$9500<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Other \u2013 finishing tools, spare hitches, air compressors, cement mixers<\/strong><\/td>\n$7500<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
TOTAL<\/td>\n$51000<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

This is for one foreman! If you have five foremen, it\u2019s over $250,000! Isn\u2019t this an asset collection worth tracking? If this were five backhoes at $50,000\/each, you\u2019d be tracking the five backhoes, wouldn\u2019t you?<\/p>\n

Cost of Inefficiency \/ Downtime<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Consider a standard utility crew of six members and associated excavation equipment. Let\u2019s say the cost of the crew is $7,000 per day \u2013 that\u2019s $7,000 \/ 8-hour day = $875\/hour = $15\/minute = $0.25\/second.<\/p>\n

If you can\u2019t find that torque wrench to finish bolting up that fitting, or the sniffer was borrowed by another crew on another job so now you can\u2019t get in the manhole, or the plane laser was permanently \u201cborrowed\u201d and you\u2019re down for three minutes it\u2019s almost $50; if you\u2019re down for two hours it\u2019s $1,750. Your crews being without their tools unquestionably erodes the bottom line.<\/p>\n

Kinds of Asset Tracking<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There are several types of products on the market:<\/p>\n