Where to place plant and equipment

Risks with setting-up concrete pumping equipment include concrete pumping booms tipping over and workers being crushed or run over by the mobile pump or concrete truck.

When setting up a concrete pump, the area should be level, capable of supporting the load and free of obstructions by:

not placing the pump over or near back-filled ground, holes, excavations or trenches, cellars, basements or pits or soft ground
setting the pump up as level as possible and checking the manufacturer¿s instructions if the pump is placed on an angle or incline

If outriggers are required

supply adequate sole plates to pack the outrigger pads
outriggers pads must be clear of excavations, soft ground or other obstacles which could prevent the safe operation of the machine
the sole plate material must be of sufficient bearing area to support the machine and the outriggers must be regularly checked to prevent subsiding

If the ground is not firm or is close to an excavation the principal contractor should consider a more stable location:

care should be taken if the concrete pump is used near an excavation since the weight of the pump and load can cause slippage and accidents
the concrete pumping exclusion zone should be clearly signed, require people working in the area to wear high visibility vests and prevent access to unauthorised people

For additional information on placement of plant on site, check Section 4.2.1 of the Concrete Pumping Code of Practice 2005.

Once the site has been selected and set-up, basic safety requirements are:

clearly defined entry and exit points and good lighting at the site if night operations are required
post a sign stating 'Danger. Concrete Pump Area. Authorised persons only' and keep other traffic from the site