WORKING SAFELY WITH CONCRETE

Wet (plastic) concrete is caustic, a product of its alkaline chemical composition.  Prolonged contact between fresh concrete and skin surfaces, eyes, and clothing may result in severe – often third-degree burns.

Hardened concrete is safe for everyday use.  But caution is needed when drilling, sawing, or grinding hardened concrete. Dust created by sawing, grinding, or drilling hardened concrete can irritate the nose and throat and cause choking and difficult breathing.  Dust can contain high levels of crystalline silica.  Repeated exposure to crystalline silica dust can lead to silicosis, a disabling, often fatal, lung disease.

The U.S. Consumer Safety Commission, in conjunction with the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, developed the following warning for construction professionals working with wet concrete.

Warning: Wet Concrete is Caustic

Contact with wet (unhardened) concrete, mortar, cement, or cement mixtures can cause SKIN IRRITATION, SEVERE CHEMICAL BURNS (THIRD-DEGREE), or SERIOUS EYE DAMAGE.  Frequent exposure may be associated with irritant and/or allergic contact dermatitis.  Avoid contact with eyes and skin.

Common sense precautions when working with wet (plastic) ready-mixed concrete include:

• Begin each day by wearing clean clothing and conclude the day with a bath or shower.
• Wear waterproof gloves, a long-sleeved shirt, full-length trousers, and proper eye protection (goggles or safety glasses with side shields).
• If you have to stand in wet concrete, use waterproof boots that are high enough to keep concrete from flowing into them.
• If you are finishing concrete, wear waterproof pads to protect your knees and elbows.
• Provide clean water at the job site and wash wet concrete, mortar, cement, or cement mixtures from your skin immediately. The best way to avoid skin irritation is to wash frequently with a pH neutral soap and clean water.
• Should concrete get in your eyes, immediately after contact flush your eyes for 15-minutes with clean water.  Then consult with a physician.
• Promptly rinse out wet concrete, mortar, cement, or cement mixtures from clothing, to prevent continued contact with skin surfaces.  Indirect contact with wet concrete, transmitted from saturated clothing, can cause serious skin irritation and chemical burns.
• Seek immediate medical attention if contact with wet cement causes persistent or severe discomfort.

Dry (Hardened) Concrete Precautions …

When sawing, drilling, or grinding concrete hardened concrete, wet down the work to keep dust out of the air and use power tools with functioning High Efficiency Particulate Arrestance (HEPA) filters.

Avoid dry sweeping: Use a special HEPA vacuum to clean up concrete dust.  In prolonged exposures to concrete dust, wear a respirator equipped with HEPA cartridges.

Other Precautions …

Carelessness and misuse of tools and construction equipment can create potential job site hazards.  Homeowners and construction professionals who work with ready-mixed concrete should take precautions to protect themselves.  Remaining alert and using proper safety equipment are keys to working safely on any construction site.  Concrete workers should wear head protection when working around chutes, cranes, concrete pumps, or material conveyors and be alert when working near bullfloats, concrete rakes, and other tools with long handles.

A cubic foot of ready-mixed concrete weighs about 150-pounds.  When possible, use truck chutes or other mechanical equipment to place the ready-mixed concrete as close to the final position as possible. To move concrete within a slab or pavement form, use a short-handled, square-ended shovel or a concrete rake.  Long-handled shovels and long-handled garden rakes do not move concrete well, can cause back injury, and promote mix segregation.

When lifting or working with heavy materials on the job site, keep your back straight, bend your legs, and maintain the weight between your legs as close to your body as possible.  Do not twist at the waist while using a wheelbarrow, lifting, or carrying construction materials or supplies.  Avoid straining your back from lifting overly-heavy loads.  Instead, make two trips or get help.

Using equipment and tools incorrectly can cause injury … even death.  Concrete sawing equipment, vibratory screeds, and power trowels can be dangerous when used by a novice.  Sharp-edged tools can cause injury to the user or his/her co-workers.

Remember to wear hearing protection when using power equipment for prolonged periods.

Falls …

The leading cause of construction-related injuries and fatalities is attributed to falls from height.  Training, equipment, and caution help protect concrete workers using scaffolding, ladders, catwalks, wall forms, and elevated floors.

Site Conditions …

Confined projects or sections of a project can affect job site safety. Projects exposed to traffic, utility wires, excavations, or hazardous materials can produce unsafe conditions. Even weather can result in injury or illness, or combine with other safety risks to inflict injury to people working with ready-mixed concrete.  Job site housekeeping can reduce or eliminate trip hazards for concrete workers.

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