Tag: slip

CONCRETE PAVING & BID-WELL SAFETY

Posted on by Jim Wood

When working around Bid-Well, Gomaco or other types of concrete slip form pavers, workers need to follow basic safety measures to prevent injuries.

EMERGENCY STOP BUTTON

  • Workers must be familiar with the location of the emergency stop button.
  • Most emergency stop buttons are magnetic.
  • Test emergency stop buttons daily prior to use and position them near the hazard/point of operation.

DAILY INSPECTION

A competent person must inspect the equipment daily before use to ensure it’s in good operating condition and all safety mechanisms are functioning properly.

SLIPS, TRIPS AND FALLS

  • Workers must be aware of slip, trip and fall hazards during concrete paving.
  • Watch for tools, materials and string lines that can cause trip hazards.
  • Walking on rebar mats with boots covered in wet concrete can create a slip and fall hazard. Watch your foot placement and avoid openings in the rebar mats. Walk where the rebar is joined or tied together.

CHEMICAL BURNS

  • Wet concrete can cause chemical burns.
  • Wear gloves and boots when working around wet concrete.
  • If your skin comes into contact with wet concrete, wash it as soon as possible.

360 AWARENESS

  • Maintain constant awareness of all moving equipment in the work area.
  • Be aware of incoming and outgoing dump trucks, concrete trucks and other vehicles.
  • Train operators and other employees to recognize the hazards of the concrete paving process.

CAUGHT IN AND CAUGHT BETWEEN – ROTATING AUGERS

  • Properly guard all moving and rotating parts. Inspect equipment before use to ensure guards are in place and undamaged.
  • Workers should not wear loose clothing, jewelry or PPE that could be entangled in a rotating auger.
  • Walk around. Do not cross under a concrete paver when it’s in operation.
  • Stop the equipment and shut off the auger(s) during any cleaning operations.

Download a printable PDF and recording form here.

Members can download the audio version of this toolbox talk here.

Mud Safety — Part 1

Posted on by admin_ici

April is the month for rain showers — and mud. Mud is a major contributor to many safety issues that lead to severe work-site accidents and injuries. All mud is slippery; the higher the clay content of the soil, the slipperier the mud. It sticks to the bottom of boots and tires and transforms any surface it touches into a potential slip hazard. Every year, dozens of falls occur because workers slip off of ladder rungs, equipment and walk surfaces as they attempt to climb or walk while wearing muddy boots. Driving accidents occur when muddy boots slip off the brake or accelerator pedals, causing the driver to lose control.

Mud is impossible to eliminate; however, if you follow the guidelines below, your work environments will be cleaner and safer during the rainy season.

  • Lay down gravel or geo cloth to protect walkways and keep mud from forming.
  • Use boot brushes or other means to clean off your boots before walking on smooth surfaces where you might slip.
  • Maintain drainage on job sites and roads, so water doesn’t pool in low areas, forming mud puddles.
  • Always clean mud from your boots before you climb on anything.
  • Clean tool handles prior to storage.
  • Keep material staging areas well drained, and stack material using cribbage so that it is up off the ground.
  • Position portable toilets on higher, well-drained ground, so workers don’t have to walk through pools of mud to reach them.
  • Provide sufficient dunnage for cranes and other equipment, so they are working on stable surfaces.