Whether you have an organized pile sitting next to your keys, or laying on the seat of your truck, there are some items that can help make working on a jobsite better every day.  Here’s a top ten list of jobsite tools that Vermeer sees when they are out visiting customers:

1. Personal protective equipment, or PPE. Your personal health and safety is a top priority every day that you’re working around utility equipment. A good pair of electrical hazard-rated boots, a safety vest, safety glasses, ear plugs and a hard hat should all be on your list of essentials. And remember, invest in quality safety gear that’s comfortable to wear. Also, if you’re going to be handling or working around bentonite powder, or in other dusty conditions, be sure to remember your respirator.
2. Operators manuals, safety briefings, and job checklists. So it’s critically important to understand the proper operation and safety procedures of the equipment and the jobsite. Make sure you understand the full operation of the equipment before you turn the key. Remember, the operators manual’s in the box on the machine. So refer to it when needed.
3. A knife or a multi-tool. Is there a day that goes by that something doesn’t need to be cut? Not likely in this line of work. A good pocket knife is excellent for cutting bags of bentonite when you’re mixing mud in the morning and a multi-tool with small pliers can come in handy for grabbing little things that you just can’t get with your fingers.
4. A compact high lumens flashlight. These powerful little lights are great for working at night, locating utilities in a pothole, or looking under the hood of a machine.
5. A good old pen and paper. This is a top pocket of a safety vest kind of job site accessory. Especially if you’re running the drill head tractor so you can jot down rod-by-rod drilling information. Of course, it’s essential to have a pen and paper to write down notes to share with the foreman or inspector also.
6. Walkie talkie or two-way radios. Communication is critical on the jobsite and to do it as efficiently as possible, everyone needs to have a way to communicate effectively with everyone else.
7. First-aid kit. Sure, you likely aren’t going to carry this in your pocket. But you better make sure you have a first-aid kit close by and well-stocked. Keeping a first-aid kit in every vehicle is a good policy to follow.
8. A utility uniform color code identification card. This one is for all the new crew members, and let’s be honest, everyone was a new person at one point or another. It’s crucial that everyone knows which flag and paint colors represent which utilities. So until you and everyone else on the crew has them all memorized, carrying a small card around in your wallet is helpful. View a copy here.
9. A drill head tool, which is different than the multi-tool we discussed earlier. This tool is used for maintaining your drill’s tooling. The Vermeer Armor® drilling system includes a lid punch, retention lid punch, cap screw tool, and a cleaning device.
10. Gloves, rags, and handkerchiefs. So keeping your hands protected and clean is essential for your safety and of course, for having clean hands at lunchtime. In all seriousness, you need to protect your hands. So anytime you’re running a shovel or working with metal or wood. Likewise, rags should be kept on-hand to wipe up anything greasy or oily that could cause someone to slip. Handkerchiefs have all kids of uses including wiping a sweaty brow or dirty face.
11. Of course we have a bonus item: your favourite Vermeer cap. After the work is done for the day and it’s time to grab dinner, you’ll want to make sure your favourite cap is handy to cover up all that hat hair and sweat left by your hard hat and a hard day’s work.

Let us know what’s on your everyday carry list over at the Vermeer Australia Facebook page.