Vince Lombardi, the famous football coach, once allegedly defined teamwork as the commitment of individuals to the success of a group effort. J.C. Penney opined that the best teamwork was the result of people who worked independently but in unison toward the same goal. Teamwork may be important in sports, business, the military or an operating room, but it is just as important when installing asphalt pavement. Every crew member on the site plays a critical role in delivering a successful asphalt paving project. Asphalt Paving Requires Teamwork!
Asphalt Paving Requires Teamwork – Truck Driver
There is much more to this job than merely driving between the asphalt plant and the job site. The driver must know and maintain the delivery schedule to avoid costly delays. He or she loads the truck, using three or more placements so that the mix is homogenous. Upon arriving at the site, the driver aligns the truck with the paver. As the paver moves forward, the truck driver begins to dump the mix from the truck’s tailgate, inching his truck forward so that it remains synchronized with the paver. Once the last of the load has been dumped, the driver moves away and removes any residue from the truck before heading back to the asphalt plant to pick up the next load.
Asphalt Paving Requires Teamwork – Dump Person
The dump person watches for overhead power lines and other safety hazards or obstructions. He or she directs the truck driver into the correct position for discharging the mix, tells the driver when it is time to change the position of the bed, advises on the discharge rate and lets the driver know that it is time to pull away. When the mix is unloaded into the paver instead of on a windrow, the dump person ensures that the hopper remains at the appropriate level. The dump person may also use an infrared thermometer to verify the uniformity of the mix temperature.
Asphalt Paving Requires Teamwork – Paver Operator
The paver operator must maintain a steady speed and avoid lengthy stops. He or she makes sure to follow the reference line while steering the paver smoothly. To accomplish these tasks, the paver operator will communicate with the dump person, the screed operator and the truck driver.
Asphalt Paving Requires Teamwork – Screed Operator
The screed operator is required to fully understand the operation and functionality of the screed that he or she is operating. Screed operators must know the characteristics of the mix and how these characteristics affect the paving process. They remain in continuous contact with the paver operator so that the material is spread to the required tolerance. They monitor the texture of the mix as it is placed, and they are responsible for making any necessary adjustments to the screed.
Asphalt Paving Requires Teamwork – Breakdown Compactor Operator
The breakdown compactor follows the paver. The operator rolls the mix while it is at the correct temperature to reduce air voids without damaging the aggregate. Breakdown compactor operators follow previously designed patterns for the proper number of passes so that the pavement density is uniform and marks are removed from the pavement’s surface.
Asphalt Paving Requires Teamwork – Finish Compactor Operator
The finish compactor operator is responsible for ensuring that surface blemishes or marks that may have been created during breakdown or intermediate compacting are eradicated. Finish rolling may also need to be performed if earlier efforts failed to provide the target density.
Asphalt Paving Requires Teamwork – Ground Crew
The size of the ground crew varies, but they are always attentive, communicate well and help make the work area a safer place. Their primary tools are shovels, lutes and rakes. They clean up mix that may have been spilled between the paver and the truck, help get equipment ready and usually clean the equipment after work is complete. They pay close attention to the pavement so that they can remove any foreign material or chunks of mix. If there are areas that are inaccessible to the screed, the ground crew will perform the necessary hand work.
Alpha Paving is a paving contractor in Austin, TX, and we make sure that all members of our crew are properly trained before they arrive at the customer’s site. Our crew members understand the importance of teamwork, job safety and craftsmanship. They are an integral part of our success as a full-service paving company. We provide asphalt paving and asphalt overlay, road construction, asphalt repairs, concrete work, street maintenance, parking lot striping, sealcoating and many other services to customers throughout Central Texas. Our customers include churches and religious institutions, health care providers and facilities, municipalities and counties, airports, educational institutions, manufacturing facilities, hotels, subdivisions, apartment complexes, office parks, HOAs and retailers. If you would like to request a free, no-obligation quote, call our office at (512) 677-9001 or use the online form to submit your information.
Alpha Paving Industries is an industry leader has been rated as one of the top asphalt paving companies in Texas!