Project planning can be stressful if you’re not organized or don’t have a clear understanding of the end goal. The pressures and struggles that we encounter along the way can be frustrating and overwhelming.

Here are five important factors to consider when it comes to project planning to make your life easier:

SAFETY

First and foremost, safety should be the number one priority throughout any part of the project planning and implementation stage. When considering how a task or project is going to get done, first consider, how it will safely get done. Risking safety for a quicker completion time is never a good idea.

Some important factors to consider when it comes to safety are:

• Training and Certifications – ensure that each team member is up-to-date on safety training and that those handling equipment, are certified to do so.
• Protocols & Procedures – make sure you have safety procedures and protocols in place for tool use, material handling, visitors, working alone and demolition.
• Culture – promote a culture of safety within your company. When safety is the top priority, fewer incidents will be recorded. Recognize and award safety compliance and celebrate when safety milestones are achieved.
• 3rd Party Values – when looking at contractors or rental companies, inquire about safety protocols and training on the proper use of their equipment. Do their values and commitment to safety align with yours? Ask them about their safety record – it usually tells you more than what’s on the surface.

UNDERSTAND THE PROJECT’S NEEDS

It sounds simple enough, but there have been far too many examples throughout the course of history of people not understanding project needs. For example, in 2016 a new overpass was built in Montreal. A year later it was found to not be in accordance with a redesign of the road access to the nearby Champlain Bridge and had to be demolished.

Carefully understanding the project’s needs from the point of view of your stakeholders, partners or contractors. Paying attention to every detail can help to mitigate errors. Create a checklist of your own needs to ensure that nothing is missed or overlooked in the busy bustle of project implementation. Some things to include in your checklist:

• Understand any government or industry regulations and restrictions regarding your project – for example, are there any special permits that you need for what you are building?
• Understand expectations from stakeholders – when are your stakeholders expecting updates and what kind of information are they expecting from you along the way?
• Understand the scope of contractors – are there any limitations from your contractors that you’ll have to account for?

TIMELINES

Time is money in any project-driven industry and consideration of timelines is critical to consider early on.

Equipment downtime for example, is every project manager’s nightmare. In order to ensure your schedule isn’t thrown off by malfunctioning machines,  it’s essential to rent or purchase equipment from a company that offers zero downtime. In the event that your equipment breaks down, they may offer safeguard solutions to ensure you have equipment replacements or support, when and wherever you need it.  Here are a few project management timeline hacks:

• Have a backup plan in place – if something is stalling your deadline, what can your crew or team do in the meantime to contribute productively to the project
• Get any required permits well ahead of time so you can begin your work immediately
• Build in time in your schedule to meet with appropriate managers and review your project to ensure it’s on track. If there are any issues, early mitigation is key to remaining on schedule.

EQUIPMENT RENTAL & COORDINATION WITH THIRD PARTIES

It’s no secret that summer seasons are an exceptionally busy time for construction and industrial projects. Properly mapping out your project’s requirements and booking your equipment well in advance will save you from paying rush premiums or wasting time searching for equipment last minute. Some industrial equipment suppliers even offer early bird or bundle discounts to encourage bigger orders and longer rentals.

If you’re unsure of your exact equipment needs or are unfamiliar with booking logistics, industrial equipment experts can help you in both these areas.

RISK MANAGEMENT

Thinking critically about any roadblocks and having policies and procedures set up in place can make the project run more smoothly. Here are some things to consider having in place:

• Safety procedures and policies
• Have a central database of all information for quick accessibility (good for “big picture” views where risks can be identified and mitigated)
• Management communication – how are issues reported up the chain of command?

Project management considers a high level of organization to be successful. By considering these five factors and contracting an equipment company with a zero downtime promise like Axiom Equipment Group, your project can live out its full potential with minimal headaches.

AXIOM PROMISE

Axiom Equipment Group believes in zero downtime so much that we stand behind it with a unique iron clad promise that combines the industry’s most reliable equipment fleet with a rapid response program, around-the-clock availability, expert service and a financing option to fit every budget. With our large fleet of new, reliable, well-maintained site equipment, we can meet large project demands quickly and supply quality equipment for smaller projects cost-effectively.