How to pump concrete safely ?Managing hose whip

Hosewhipping isatermreferringtotherapid ,uncontrolledmovementoftherubberhoseattachedtotheendofaconcreteplacementboomorconcretedeliveryline.


AuthoritiessignificantlyincreasedemphasisontheneedtomanagehosewhipwhenaworkerinQueenslandwaskilledafterbeingknockedoverbyawhippinghoseonamobileconcreteplacementboom.Theworkertriedtoholdthehoseinahorizontalposition,howeverthewhippingofthehosecausedhimtostrikehishead,resultinginthefatalinjury.


Understandingwhyhosewhipoccursandmeasurestopreventinjurywillensureasaferworkplaceandmayevensavealife.


Let us listentosomeprofessional suggestionsfromA&SMachinerywhicharespecialinconcretepumpparts.


1.Howdoesithappen?

Thehosemaybecomeuncontrollableduringconcretepumpingorwhenthelineisbeingcleanedout.Aircanenterthehoseandbecomepressurisedthroughtheprocessofpumping.Personscanbeinjuredbyeitherbeingstruckdirectlyorknockedoverbythewhippinghose.

2.Howcanitbeprevented?

Hosewhipcanbeeliminatedorreducedbyimplementinganumberofpreventativemeasures,andadoptingsafeworksystemsaroundconcretepumpingactivities:

3.Choosetherightconcretemix:Notallconcreteissuitableforpumping,soensureyouonlypumpconcretemixthatissuitableforpumping.Concretemixesthatarenotsuitableforpumpingcanblockthelineandcausehosewhip.


4.Keepconcreteinitsplasticstatepriortopumping:Ifconcreteisleftintheline,itcanpartiallysolidify,resultinginblockagesandhosewhip.Thisiswhyitiscriticaltoalwaysensureconcreteremainsinitsplasticstatebeforepumpingcommences.

5.Foldhoseoverwhenpumpingiscomplete:Whenpumpingisfinished,ensurethehoseisfoldedover.Thiswillpreventconcretedroppingoutofthehose,whichcanallowairtoenterthesystem.Usewaterinsteadofairtocleanthepumphose,andwhentherearenootheroptionsbuttocleanthepumplineoutwithair,securetheendofthesteellineandhaveanexclusionzone.Allreducersandtherubberhosemustberemovedfromtheendofthedeliveryline.

6.Ensureonlyqualifiedpeopleoperatethepump:Onlypeoplewithadequatetrainingandcompetenceshouldoperatetheconcretepump,followingprecautionssuchasstartingthepumpslowlytoreducethelikelihoodofhosewhip.Anyonenotinvolvedinthepumpingofconcreteshouldstayawayfromtheconcretepumpingarea.

7.Ensurehardhatsarewornbyallinvolvedinpumping:Workersinvolvedinthepumpingprocessshouldalwayswearthenecessarysafetyequipment,includinghardhats.

8.Donotattachmetalfittingstofreeendofhose:Metalfittingsshouldneverbeattachedtothefreeendoftherubberdeliveryhose,asthiscancauseseriousinjuryordamageonimpact.
9.Neverstretchthehose:Iftheboomisnotlongenoughtoreachtheconcretepourarea,alargerboomshouldbeusedortheconcretepumpshouldbemovedclosertotheworkarea.

10.Keepworkareatidy:Lastly,ensuretheworkareaiskepttidyingeneraltoreduceriskoftripping,slippingorobstructingthehose.

11.Findgoodqualitysupplier:A&SMachineryCo.,Ltd.,withyearsexperienceinthesectorofconcretemachineryparts,strivestoprovideconcretemachinerypartsforconcretepump,concretepumptruck,truckmixer,concretebatchingplant,etc.


ConcretePumpingCodeofPractice2005