Safety Tips for Working with Concrete

Safety on the job builds trust for your crew and keeps you from tangling with worker’s comp claims. In order to create an ideal work environment, safety has to be considered on all levels.

Working with concrete requires vigilance that goes beyond just a casual glance. This starts with a safety inspection of equipment during concrete form rental or purchase as well as review of the precautions required for safe concrete handling.

Here are some safety tips for working with concrete that will make sure your workers are protected and accidents are minimized.

Check Equipment Safety When Working with Concrete

Concrete packs a lot of weight, therefore your equipment has to be in top condition. Formwork and shoring equipment need to not have any chinks in their armor that would cause failure. Weakness or disrepair could result in hundreds of pounds of wet concrete falling on a worker.

To prevent this, make sure that you source your equipment from a reputable supplier. Also check the equipment before it is used for weak spots and damage.

Make Sure Workers Use Safety Gear When Working with Concrete

Cement poses a different problem when workers come in contact with it. Cement in the concrete, which makes up 7-15 percent of the total concrete volume, is caustic because of its alkalinity. Therefore, it is especially important that you enforce the wearing of safety gear. Make sure there aren’t any exposed areas of the skin that could be subject to chemical burns from cement.

All workers should wear goggles to protect against splash that could cause permanent damage. Cement dust can also cause burn problems when mixed with water or sweat. Wash buckets with diluted cement from tools can also cause reactions.

Safety gear should be water proof as well as chemical resistant. Since burns from cement happen slowly over a couple hours, it is easy for them to go unnoticed until damage has occurred.  Make sure your workers all have proper protection.

Protection from Other Concrete Safety Hazards

The nature of your jobsite can bring its own hazards. Therefore, it’s a good idea to note areas of height exposure. This is the leading cause of construction fatalities.

Areas that require scaffolding, catwalks, or elevated wall forms can all pose threats. Nozzle men face threats from concrete pumping, hydro demolition, and shotcreting. Long handled tools can be electrocution hazards near power lines.

Noting possible safety concerns ahead of time is key to reducing potential injuries.

Where Can I Find Safe Equipment for Concrete Work?

Working with concrete will always have safety hazards. In order to create a safe environment, you need to be step ahead of them. One way to do this is by renting or purchasing forms from a reputable supplier like Forming America.

Forming America supplies dependable shoring and forming equipment. We thoroughly inspect all of our forms before they are sent out. Contact us today for more information.