Striping Equipment

Striping operations usually occur as part of a moving or mobile work zone and as such, safety of the workers and the motoring public should be of utmost importance. The equipment associated with the striping operation must therefore be inspected prior to striping to ensure that the materials can be placed on the roadway in a safe and efficient manner. When inspecting striping equipment, inspect both safety items and production items as follows.
Safety Items.
 Inspect the following safety items:
Table 3-2. Inspection of Safety Items
Item
Make Sure...
Lighting on equipment (strobe lights on vehicles, flashing arrow panels, etc.)
they are proper and working.
Truck-mounted attenuators (TMAs)
they are undamaged.
Conspicuity sheeting on TMA
it meets specification.
Two-way radios
they are working properly.
Production Items.
 Inspect the following production items:
Table 3-3. Inspection of Production Items
Item
Make Sure...
Spray nozzles on striping truck
truck has 3 spray nozzles for the yellow material and 2 spray nozzles for white material.
Vehicles
they are not leaking fluids and appear to be in generally good working condition.
Vehicles
they have valid licensing and inspections.
Work-zone signs
they are in good condition and meet specifications.
Gauges on striping truck (oil, kettle, thermometer, etc.)
they are operational.
Bead gun
it is working properly
Hoses
they have proper insulation and are free of abnormalities.
Agitator on kettle or melter (thermoplastic only)
it is functional.
Melting kettles
they are thoroughly cleaned prior to changing colors.
Drip-pan
contractor has one on-site to collect material when flushing out the guns.
In addition to the preceding equipment inspection items, TxDOT Specification Item
666.3:
describes minimum production capabilities for striping equipment, which also must be a part of the inspection process.