What law applies
In order to understand the workplace health and safety requirements for concrete pumping safety, and your obligations under the law, you must consider and understand relevant legislation and codes of practice.
Specific regulations for concrete pumping
Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (PDF, 1.42 MB) (WHS Act), those responsible for concrete pumping must protect workers and the public from risks of death, injury or illness caused by concrete pumping activities.
Legal responsibilities are covered in Part 1 of the WHS Act.
People considered responsible for plant and equipment such as concrete pumping include:
- employers, self-employed persons and/or business owners, principal contractors, owners of high risk plant and those in control of fixtures, fittings and plant such as concrete pumping and workers who operate concrete pumps
- designers, manufacturers, suppliers and those who install or erect plant and equipment such as concrete pumps.
Under the WHS Act, you must follow any regulation or code of practice which have been developed to help you meet your workplace health and safety obligations.
If there is a regulation about a risk, you must do what the regulation says.
Specific codes of practice for concrete pumping
Practical advice about reducing risks is provided by the:
The Concrete Pumping Code of Practice 2005 explains how you can meet your duties under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011. However you may adopt another way if you think it is more suited to your business or work activity. If you adopt another way, it must give the same or a greater level of protection against risk as if you followed the Code.
It is very important to reduce the risks of injury when pumping concrete.
The Concrete Pumping Code of Practice 2005 has identified factors which need to be considered with care by employers, contractors and workers when concrete is pumped. The Code also provides good advice about what to do in situations and the best way of avoiding problems.
Section 3 of the Code looks at the important steps of planning and preparing the site before concrete pumping begins; and then outlines the particular risks from:
- plant and equipment - such as concrete placement booms, pipelines, delivery hose, gauges, clamps, brackets, pipe movements, receiving hopper and other parts
- the placement of concrete pumping plant and equipment close to traffic, members of the public, powerlines, trenches and ground stability
- major tasks such as concrete delivery line cleaning, pump and boom operation, concrete pouring, pump cleaning and road travel
- by-products of concrete pumping including fumes and noise.
Check the dictionary of terms in Appendix 1 of the Concrete Pumping Code of Practice 2005.
To find out about and carry out your legal obligations, you must refer to the full text of the Concrete Pumping Code of Practice 2005.
Practical advice about how to develop ways of controlling the hazards of concrete pumping is provided in the How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks Code of Practice 2011.
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