IRRIGATION
and Backflow Inc., Highland, Indiana. “Tat means you also need procedures to ensure those items used are being restocked in a timely manner.” It’s essential to show up to the job site with the proper
inventory of spray nozzles and sprinkler heads, the correct sizes of pipe and pipe fittings, and the saws and replace- ment blades to cut them. “Te truck really needs every- thing,” Castanoli says. “Tere’s nothing worse than going to a call and not having a product, a tool or a part that fixes the problem and gets the client’s system up and running. Te [added] cost of leaving and returning to the [job] site is very difficult to recoup … so, it ends up costing you.”
The ultimate tool
A portable tablet, an assortment of electronic sensing devices and a well-stocked service truck are all essential to an irrigation technician’s ability to perform effectively and efficiently. However, most irrigation contractors con- sider their technicians and laborers their most valuable in-the-field tools. A physical tool or device, they say, is only as functional as the individual operating it. Tere- fore, technicians and workers must be trained as experts on the equipment they enter the field with and how to install and troubleshoot various brands of irrigation sys- tems properly.
“People are your greatest diagnostic tool,” Smith says. Te Irrigation Association has numerous resources
for education and certifications, including national and regional venues for in-person training and online classes. “I’ve never heard anyone say they were too educated or had too much education on a topic,” Newlin says. In addition to employees being your best performing
tools, they’re also your greatest assets in the field, Dzierz- bicki says. Not only do they get irrigation systems up and running and troubleshoot problems, but they also represent your company and the professional values you stand for. “From the moment the guy gets out of the truck and meets with the customer, they’re a reflection on you,” he says. “It’s how they look and speak, how they open and close the ser- vice call. Tere are so many things you need to train and teach them, in addition to [the mechanical], that makes them effective as service technicians.” Even after 22 years, Smith says he’s still learning. “Te
irrigation industry is constantly evolving, so we need to keep learning and making sure we’re staying up to date on the latest technology.”
Mike Zawacki is a Cleveland-based writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering various aspects of the green industry.
It’s a foregone conclusion that a wide assortment of screwdrivers, wrenches, multi-grip pliers, clamps, shovels and wire cutters are on every irrigation technician’s essential tool list.
COMMERCIAL GRADE. ALL DAY POWER. Commercial Grade
$
Find a Dealer at:
meangreenproducts.com
irrigationandlighting.org ENGINEERED AND BUILT USA
Assembled in the USA using domestic and foreign parts.
All Day Power
User Friendly
Planet Friendly
March 2023 Irrigation & Lighting 25
T
T
A
E
X
R
C I
E
D
I
E
L
I
B
G
L
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
