How to Improve Safety During Concrete Construction

Construction & Contractors Blog

There are few materials that are used at more construction job sites than concrete. Concrete is required for the construction of most buildings and may seem like a material that is not hazardous, but it can be dangerous to work with concrete in any capacity. It takes specific skill and knowledge to master concrete construction and understand how this material should be mixed and poured on any job site:

Unpredictability of Construction Site

The biggest actor to consider when emphasising safety is the unpredictability of most construction sites. When concrete is being poured, there are often other jobs being completed at the same time. This only increases the likelihood of accidents and makes dangers even more prevalent. When roads and structures are being built at at the same time, it only exacerbates the need for increased concrete construction safety.

 Concrete Can Cause Allergic Reactions

It is important to realize that concrete does have the potential to cause allergic reactions when it comes into contact with the skin in any way. This can lead to just normal redness or irritation to a more severe reaction involving the burning of the skin. It is important to remember that concrete in water form has the ability to infiltrate beyond clothing.

This means that it can cause extensive damage to eat the skin and require burn treatment. The amount of hospitalization that is required to treat burns caused by exposure to concrete ranges based on severity. There are some instances where surgery will be required.

Alkali Resistant Protective Wear

In order to increase safety on construction site when dealing with concrete, it is imperative that alkali protective gear be worn. This is the material that gloves should be made from as well as other complete clothing items. This offers an adequate layer of protection from concrete and will ensure that it can't seep past clothing barrier.

Powder Concrete and Breathing

When concrete is being mixed in powder form it can be dangerous to breathe the particles in the air. This can lead breathing problems when the particles find their way into your lungs. This means that masks should always be worn and the amount of wind should be taken into consider yon when powder concrete is mixed. High winds can lead to increased health risk. Ventilation is required when mixing concrete, but the amount of wind should be minor.

Concrete construction is a vital aspect of all job sites, but safety is something that must be maintained at all times to ensure that all workers are protected and that the construction project is completed on time.

21 July 2015