Concrete Safety Tips for Do - It - Yourselfers
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Concrete is easy to work with, versatile, durable, and economical. By observing a few basic precautions, it is also safe - one of the safest building materials known. Over the years, relatively few people involved in mixing, handling, and finishing concrete have experienced injury. Outlined in this pamphlet are some simple suggestions - protection, prevention, common sense precautions - useful to anyone working with Portland cement and concrete. Protect Your Head Construction equipment and tools represent constant potential hazards to busy construction personnel. That’s why hard hats are required on construction projects. It is therefore recommended that some sort of head protection, such as a hardhat or safety hat, be worn when working on any construction job, large or small. Protect Your Eyes Proper eye protection is essential when working with cement or concrete. Eyes are particularly vulnerable to blowing dust, splattering concrete, and other foreign objects. On some jobs it may be advisable to wear full-cover goggles or safety glasses with side shields. Remember that sight is precious. Wise construction workers protect both head and eyes and remain alert at all times. Protect Your Back All materials used to make concrete - Portland cement, coarse aggregate, sand, and water - can be quite heavy even in small quantities. A bag of cement can weigh up to 94 pounds. When lifting these materials, your back should be straight, legs bent, and the weight between your legs as close to the body as possible. Do not twist at the waist while lifting or carrying these items. Rather than straining your back with a heavy load, get help. Remember to use your head, not your back. Let mechanical equipment work to your advantage by placing concrete as close as possible to its final position. After the concrete is deposited in the desired area by the chute, pump, or wheelbarrow, it should be pushed - not lifted - into final position with a shovel or come-a-long. Excessive horizontal movement of the concrete requires not only extra effort, but may also lead to segregation of the concrete ingredients. Protect Your Skin When working with fresh concrete, care should be taken to avoid skin irritation or chemical burns. Prolonged contact between fresh concrete and skin surfaces, eyes, and clothing may result in burns that are quite severe. If irritation persists consult a physician. For deep burns or large affected skin areas, seek medical attention immediately. It’s as easy as A-B-C-D to remember how fresh concrete irritates skin: | |
| Abrasive | Sand and coarse aggregate contained in fresh concrete is abrasive to bare skin. |
| Basic & Caustic | Portland cement is alkaline in nature, so wet concrete and other cement mixtures are strongly basic. Strong bases - like strong acids - are harmful or caustic to the skin. |
| Drying | Portland cement is hygroscopic in nature: it absorbs water. In fact, Portland cement needs water to harden, it will draw it away from any materials it contacts - including skin - and as such is very drying. |
Clothing worn as protection from fresh concrete should be allowed to become saturated with moisture from fresh concrete because saturated clothing can transmit alkaline or hygroscopic effects to the skin. Waterproof gloves, a long-sleeved shirt, and long pants should be worn. If you must stand in fresh concrete while it is being placed, screeded, or floated, wear rubber boots high enough to prevent concrete from flowing into them. | |
Placing and Finishing Waterproof pads should be used between fresh concrete surfaces and knees, elbows, hands, etc. to protect the body during finishing operations. Eyes and skin that come in contact with fresh concrete should be flushed thoroughly with clean water. Clothing that becomes saturated from contact with fresh concrete should be rinsed out promptly with clear water to prevent continued contact with skin surfaces. Applying a lanolin cream to the irritated area after washing can relieve mild irritation of the skin areas. Persistent or severe discomfort should be attended to by a physician. When working with fresh concrete, begin each day by wearing clean clothing, and conclude the day with a bath or shower. CAUTION: Contact with wet (unhardened) concrete, mortar, cement, or cement mixtures can cause SKIN IRRITATION, SEVERE CHEMICAL BURNS, or SERIOUS EYE DAMAGE. Portland Cement Association Skokie, Illinois (MS276.02T) |