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Concrete Safety

By: Arthurr Vitale

You can help minimize the dangers of working with concrete by adhering to a few simple concrete safety guidelines. Most of the injuries that occur as a result of contact with concrete occur because people do not know how the properties of concrete can affect them, or even when they are at risk.

Since most of the construction workers or other employees on site will be working with concrete at one point or another, educating everybody about concrete safety is very important. Concrete is not exactly poisonous, but it is highly alkaline. It should be treated as if it were a strong acid, and all care should be taken to ensure that concrete does not come in contact with anyone’s skin. Prolonged exposure to concrete can even result in third-degree chemical burns, skin irritation, or allergic contact dermatitis. Waterproof boots and gloves should be worn at all times when dealing with concrete.

Concrete dust is a known eye irritant, and can cause temporary blindness and long-term vision depreciation if your eyes are regularly or constantly exposed to concrete. Safety eyewear should be provided for every person working on site if concrete is being mixed, poured, or finished on any given day. Safety glasses are inexpensive and do not affect your ability to work; they might, however, very well save your vision if you use them every day. Concrete dust can also be a lung irritant, so if dust is a problem at your site, then wearing face masks and using ventilators are essential.

One of the properties of concrete that most people who work on site may not be aware of is that it is hygroscopic—in other words, it draws in water. Most people who have worked with concrete will know that you add water to concrete to make it harden. What they don’t know is that concrete will absorb water from anything it is next to. If this is human skin, it can result in some serious problems and skin reactions. Always ensure that any part of the body coming into contact with concrete (even nearly dry concrete) is protected by waterproof pads.

Concrete safety is everybody’s responsibility, as everybody on site needs to work with it at some point. Making sure that everybody is educated about the effects of concrete is one way to ensure concrete safety. Hard hats are required by law on any building site, with no exceptions. This is to prevent blunt trauma to the head, and although it probably won’t save you from a cinderblock falling from the third floor, it might just save your face or even your life if any loose rubble falls from higher up.

If concrete comes into contact with your skin for an extended period of time, wash with warm water and pH neutral soap to remove any particles and residue, and to bring the alkalinity of the skin that came into contact with concrete back under control.

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