Safety precautions when working with concrete include wearing protective equipment, using the right tools, and being aware of the chemical properties of concrete.
Cement Dust
Hazard: Exposure to cement dust can irritate eyes, nose, throat and the upper respiratory system. Skin contact may result in moderate irritation to thickening/cracking of skin to severe skin damage from chemical burns. Silica exposure can lead to lung injuries including silicosis and lung cancer.
Solutions:
- Rinse eyes with water if they come into contact with cement dust and consult a physician.
- Use soap and water to wash off dust to avoid skin damage.
- Wear a P-, N- or R-95 respirator to minimize inhalation of cement dust.
- Eat and drink only in dust-free areas to avoid ingesting cement dust.
Wet Concrete
Hazard: Exposure to wet concrete can result in skin irritation or even first-, second- or third-degree chemical burns. Compounds such as hexavalent chromium may also be harmful.
Solutions:
- Wear alkali-resistant gloves, coveralls with long sleeves and full-length pants, waterproof boots and eye protection.
- Wash contaminated skin areas with cold, running water as soon as possible.
- Rinse eyes splashed with wet concrete with water for at least 15 minutes and then go to the hospital for further treatment.
Machine Guarding
Hazard: Unguarded machinery used in the manufacturing process can lead to worker injuries.
Solutions:
- Maintain conveyor belt systems to avoid jamming and use care in clearing jams.
- Ensure that guards are in place to protect workers using mixers, block makers, cubers and metalworking machinery such as rebar benders, cutters and cage rollers.
- Establish and follow effective lockout/tagout procedures when servicing equipment.
- Be sure appropriate guards are in place on power tools before using them.
Falling Objects
Hazard: Workers may be hit by falling objects from conveyor belt systems, elevators or concrete block stacking equipment.
Solutions:
- Avoid working beneath cuber elevators, conveyor belts and stacker/destacker machinery.
- Stack and store materials properly to limit the risk of falling objects.
- Wear eye protection when chipping and cleaning forms, products or mixers.
Poor Ergonomics
Hazard: Improper lifting, awkward postures and repetitive motions can lead to sprains, strains and other musculoskeletal disorders.
Solutions:
- Use hand trucks or forklifts when possible.
- Lift properly and get a coworker to help if a product is too heavy.
- Avoid twisting while carrying a load. Shift your feet and take small steps in the direction you want to turn.
- Keep floors clear to avoid slipping and tripping hazards.
- Avoid working in awkward postures.
Confined Spaces
Hazard: Mixers and ready-mix trucks have confined spaces that pose safety risks for workers.
Solutions:
- Follow established procedures for confined space entry and work to assure safety.
- Guard against heat stress when cleaning truck mixer drums.
- Wear appropriate protective equipment to avoid silica exposure when removing concrete residues from inside truck mixer drums.
Vehicles
Hazard: Poorly maintained or improperly handled vehicles can lead to crushing injuries at the plant site or other injuries for truck drivers.
Solutions:
- Make sure back-up alarms on all vehicles are functioning.
- Avoid overloading cranes and hoists.
- Use care with the load out chute on concrete mixers to avoid injuries to hands and fingers.
- Beware of hot surfaces on equipment and truck components.
- Guard eyes against splashes of aggregate materials during loading and unloading.
- Use hearing protection if needed to guard against excessive noise exposure during cement loading/unloading and while using pneumatic chippers inside truck mixer drums.
General Precautions
- Be sure you understand how to perform all your tasks and how to use tools and equipment safely.
- Follow confined space procedures when cleaning and working in mixer drums, hoppers, tanks and other places with potentially serious mechanical hazards, such as blades or sloping sides which may entrap employees, or atmospheric hazards, such as oxygen deficiency.
- Wear appropriate personal protective equipment to avoid being injured by flying or falling objects.
Vehicle Safety
- Be sure that trucks and other vehicles are in good working order, including audible back-up warning signals, before operating them.
- Avoid overloading hoists, cranes and forklifts.
Machine Safety
- Use lockout/tagout procedures to de-energize conveyors and other machinery before attempting to free any jams.
- Secure chutes and hatches to reduce injuries from swinging parts.
- Make sure guards are in place to protect you from moving parts of machinery and tools before you operate the equipment.
Overhead Hazards
- Be sure that form work, casting and stressing operations are adequately braced and chocked to avoid sudden release of materials.
- Make certain that rigging is in place to protect against falling objects and materials during hoisting and stacking procedures.
- Do not walk or work under overhead loads.
A concrete plant can be a great asset in a construction site in ensuring that we get fresh and high quality concrete. However, you need to make sure you follow the correct safety precautions
The following are potential hazards:-
- Cement dust- which may cause eye, skin and respiratory tract irritation
- Poor ergonomic – over exertion and awkward posture of lifting items may cause back pains and bending.
- Wet concrete may cause chemical burns and also skin irritations
- Machines guarding – safety guards should be placed in the equipment
- Noise exposure
- Floor and wall opening