I have 6 employees and 2 student helpers. We do framing, drywall, painting, tilework trimwork and on small renos. electric and plumbing. With two cargo/tool trailers it is always a challenge to keep track of tools as on occaision workers need to take some to jobs where trailers are not on site. I am looking for organization tips for my 10′ and 12′ trailers.
Thanks in advance
GordLawson
Replies
Main Kits, Mini Kits, and a check out/in process that makes people accountable for the kits coming back fully tooled
If someone is going to do electrical, you create 1 or more Main electrical box/cart for them to take, organized in a way that you can open it and see if everything is there or not. You also create a "mini kit" with the basics (enough to fix a cut wire on a drywall job for instance) so you don't have to steal out of your main kit for a quick fix tool set. Do the same for drywall, plumbing, etc.
I think part of it is to have a way of just looking at the tools to see what's there and what's missing, so everything can be accounted for at the end of the day. Instead of loose tools in a box, put in exactly the right tools and cut a piece of foam so they stay in one spot during transport. Then when your sets go out, the person can open it up and take a quick look - the "Yep" that indicates the set is complete - then they sign it out. Someone needs a tool out of that box "for a sec" needs to borrow it from the person checking out the box. That person is still responsible for the COMPLETE tool set, so they make sure the tool comes back to the box before it gets checked back in.