A. Discing 1. General: Weed/vegetation abatement by discing shall be accomplished by discing with a double throw disc at sufficient depth to place all weeds under soil surface. parkway cleaning shall be part of the hand labor operation. Discing shall be performed in such a manner as to eliminate all standing weeds. Where the nature of the soil is such that it is not receptive to the cutting edge of the discs, the area shall be cross-disced to reduce the magnitude of any exposed combustibles. Wherever practical and unless otherwise specified, discing is to be considered the primary method of abating weeds. NOTE: in special circumstances, mowing will be acceptable instead of discing for the same unit price as discing 2. Special Discing Conditions: Where the nature of the soil is such that it is not receptive to the cutting edge of the disc being used and where the cross discing fails to meet the standards of the agricultural commissioner, it shall be the responsibility of the contractor to provide the proper equipment to accomplish the approved cleaning. any such work as determined by the commissioner to be necessary, within a two-week period from the date of the initial discing work, shall be considered as part of the initial work and no additional compensation will be allowed. 3. Equipment: Tractors And Disc: The tractor used for pulling a disc shall be of a track layer type of the size and horsepower capable of pulling a double throw disc on slopes up to 35%. Tractor must be a minimum of 90 horsepower at the flywheel. certification of horsepower shall be provided upon request. In addition, a rubber tire tractor for pulling a double throw, hydraulically actuated wheeled disc shall be provided for use in gentle terrain where frequent loading and unloading proves impractical. tractor must be a minimum of 50 horsepower at the flywheel. Certification of horsepower shall be provided upon request. The county reserves the right to suspend cleaning operations or the use of equipment that could, under specific conditions such as low relative humidity and winds, cause a fire (i.e., “red flag” conditions). 4. Tractor Operation: All tractors and equipment must be in good mechanical condition and are subject to inspection and approval by the county before acceptance. all equipment shall be maintained by the contractor on his own time and at his own expense. Contractor shall be required to maintain a regular maintenance schedule which shall be available for county inspection. All tractors and equipment will be operated by a qualified contractor experienced in weed/vegetation abatement work of the type required by the contract. Operators must speak and understand the English language. spare replacement parts that commonly fail or are lost will be stocked by the equipment operator. tractor operator shall be equipped with a minimum of small tools for making minor repairs in the field. Unless otherwise specified by the county, tractors shall not be equipped with a dozer blade while doing weed/vegetation abatement cleaning for the county. Unless otherwise approved by the county, the disc used shall be hydraulically controlled with rubber tires for moving and loading of the equipment. it shall be able to turn easily and maneuver in small areas. It shall be heavy duty and capable of accomplishing a thorough mixing of soil and weeds. The disc must be in good mechanical condition. 5. Transport Truck: The truck (transport) for hauling the tractor and disc shall be of suitable size and horsepower to easily maneuver and negotiate all terrain traveled to reach the job sites. Transports will have a tilt type trailer or ramp for easy loading and unloading. All equipment must meet California motor vehicle and safety regulations and all other applicable codes required for use on highways in the state of California. Trucks shall be in good mechanical condition and shall be operated and maintained at the expense of the contractor and at a time before or after working hours.
