Good backpack blower technique can reduce time, money and accidents
by Bre Bravo, A.V. Center Maintenance"As a 112 lb. woman, I really had to prove myself to my male coworkers. Here are some of the techniques I've learned to make backpack blower operation quicker and safer. Give them a try and I think you'll agree."
 Bre Bravo |
- When leaves are heavy on the parking lot, blow them into central piles, then park the sweeper with the sweeping head raised, above or close to the pile with the auxiliary motor at 1800 rpm. Then, with the backpack blower, circle the truck while blowing the leaves into the head. This also works for heavy trash and debris, but with the head raised only half way.
- When you're blowing the sidewalks next to an entrance door that is perpendicular to the storefront, here's how to avoid blowing debris under the doors and into the store: Stay about eight feet back, facing the doors. Using about half throttle, aim at the inside corner about one foot up the door—not at the debris itself—and make a sideways sweeping motion towards the parking lot. Then step into the corner, facing the lot, and blow the debris out as usual.
- When blowing sidewalks and approaching any type of inside corners where the building protrudes toward the parking lot, anywhere up to 12 feet or less away, here's what to do: At the inside corner, aim where the building meets the sidewalk and blow out toward the lot with a sweeping motion. You'll find you can do the job without stopping or slowing down at all.
- When you come to a corner where a lot of debris has accumulated, aim the blower at the wall behind the debris just above the sidewalk. Everything will blow away from the wall. Then, turn 180 degrees and continue blowing debris off the sidewalk.
Thanks to Bre for her tips on backpack blower usage. If you have an idea that would be helpful to others in the industry? Please let us know what it is.
