Concrete pumping audits underway
If you are a concrete pump operator or a principal contractor with concrete pumping on your site, Workplace Health and Safety Queensland inspectors are coming to audit your operations.
A new concrete pumping code of practice was released in 2019 and inspectors visited workplaces to check it was being followed. They found the key area of non-compliance was what should be routine maintenance of the concrete pump plant.
Throughout 2020 and 2021, there were several more incidents involving concrete pumps that put the lives of workers at risk.
- The end fitting on a concrete pump delivery line failed;
- a 37-metre mobile concrete placing boom became unstable while the operator was unfolding the boom;
- a worker suffered serious burns when a mobile concrete placing boom contacted an 11kV overhead powerline at a residential construction site; and
- an outrigger on a mobile concrete placing boom failed when it sheared at the leg box.
Most recently, a concrete pump boom collapsed after snapping at the knuckle. Fortunately, in this case no one was injured, but a worker was killed in a similar incident in Victoria last year.
Inspectors this year will focus on:
- concrete placing booms near overhead electric lines
- traffic management
- warning and operational signs and labels on the equipment
- retaining clips
- short-legging
- hopper grates
- first aid kits
- documentation (logbooks, instruction manuals, operator’s manual, registration, licences, safe work method statements)
- all associated worker training.
In addition to routine maintenance of all concrete pump equipment, concrete placing booms, pumps and associated equipment must undergo annual inspections. A major inspection of concrete placing booms is required every six years. The Concrete Pumping Code of Practice 2019 (PDF, 1.04 MB) includes a comprehensive list of what must be included in these inspections. Inspectors will be checking these inspections have been done in accordance with the code.
Further information
Don’t become another story or another statistic. Make sure your concrete pumping equipment and systems of work will pass an audit. Read more about safe concrete pumping.