Transforming Maintenance Efficiency and Safety with KH Industries Industrial Retractable Cable Reels
Transforming Maintenance Efficiency and Safety with KH Industries Industrial Retractable Cable Reels
Optimizing Fleet Maintenance and Safety at a Municipal DPW Facility.
THE PROBLEM
Large municipal Department of Public Works (DPW) facilities faced unique challenges in managing their fleets of maintenance and emergency vehicles. At one busy municipal DPW, the maintenance bays were constantly cluttered with long extension cords for tools, battery chargers, and engine block heaters. The sprawling facility, with eight service bays and an outdoor vehicle yard, presented multiple operational and safety issues:
01
Safety Risks: Floor-laid cords created frequent trip hazards and near-miss incidents, raising concerns about OSHA compliance
02
Lost Labor Time: Mechanics spent significant minutes every shift deploying, untangling, and coiling heavy power cables before and after servicing vehicles.
03
Cable and Tool Damage: Cords were often run over by heavy vehicles, exposed to grease, oils, and weather, causing frequent replacement costs and damage to connected tools.
04
Operational Inefficiency in Winter: Engine block heaters required messy, tangled cords in the parking lot, slowing morning vehicle readiness and increasing liability.
The Solution: Strategic Installation of Industrial Retractable Cable Reels
The DPW facility implemented a facility-wide solution using several models of industrial-grade retractable cable reels and Cord Reel Power Stations from KH Industries.
Overhead Installation in Maintenance Bays: Heavy-duty, ceiling-mounted RTB Series power cable reels were installed directly above each of the eight vehicle lifts/bays. These reels provided a reliable, accessible power source (20A, 120V) that automatically retracted when the tool was disconnected, keeping all walking and working surfaces clear of cables.
Specialized Reels for Engine Heating: In the outdoor parking yard, the KH Industries Cord Reel Power Station was custom-designed just for their specific needs and brought power right out to the vehicles. These reels managed durable, power cables specifically designated for daily engine block heater connections during winter months, streamlining the morning startup procedure.
Robust, High Amperage KH Industries RTI Series Cord Reels:fabrication and welding area, high-amperage, heavy-duty cord reels were installed to manage the heavy welding cables, making the welding station more portable within its zone while protecting the expensive leads from the shop floor environment.
Results & Outcomes
The implementation of the cable reels immediately transformed the DPW's operations, leading to significant, measurable improvements in safety, efficiency, and cost savings. The introduction of industrial retractable cord reels transformed the DPW’s operations
01
Reduction in Trip Incidents:
Near-miss reports dropped to zero in the bays equipped with reels
02
Reduction in Cable Replacement Costs:
Annual spending on cords decreased significantly, saving the city thousands each year.
03
Significant Productivity Gains:
Mechanics cut setup and cleanup time per shift from ~20 minutes to just 2 minutes.
04
Full OSHA Compliance:
Safety audits noted a shift from “Areas of Concern” to “Fully Compliant” ratings.
By working closely with KH Industries’ technical team, the facility was able to implement a solution that not only improved safety and efficiency but also ensured that the system was tailored to the facility’s specific workflows and winter maintenance challenges.
The use of industrial retractable cable reels provided a simple yet highly effective MRO solution, eliminating safety hazards and streamlining workflows by ensuring power access was always available, organized, and out of the way.
