5 Safety Tips to Follow When Working With Concrete

Working with concrete can be dangerous. Many constructions workers are required to mix and spread concrete. The construction industry, of course, has one of the highest rates of fatal injuries. If your job requires you to work with concrete, you should follow these safety tips to lower your risk of injury. Taking some basic safety precautions can keep you safe from injury.

#1) Choose the Right Gloves

Gloves are an essential form of personal protective equipment (PPE) when working with concrete. They can protect your hands from lacerations caused by dry concrete, and they can protect your hands from burns and irritation caused by wet concrete. For maximum protection, though, you should choose gloves made of an alkali-resistant material. Alkali-resistant materials are able to protect against the acidic compounds in wet concrete.

#2) Lift Bags With Your Legs

You'll probably need to lift bags of concrete before mixing it. Concrete bags, of course, are oftentimes heavy. They can weigh anywhere from 20 to 100 pounds. To lower your risk of back injury, lift with your legs. You can lift bags of concrete by bending your knees while keeping your back and spine straight. Bending your knees will essentially allow you to lift with your legs rather than your back.

#3) Avoid Contact With Dry Concrete

Try to avoid direct contact with dry concrete. Dry concrete is a skin irritant.  If it lands on your skin, it may cause itching, burning or general discomfort. The easiest way to prevent contact with dry concrete is to wear long-sleeve pants and a long-shirt top. But if you happen to get any dry concrete on your skin, you can rinse it off with cool water.

#4) Wear Eye Protection

In addition to gloves, you should wear eye protection when working with concrete. Concrete doesn't just irritate the skin; it can irritate the eyes. If you get dry concrete in your eyes, in fact, it may cause an eye injury. Dry concrete is abrasive, and it can damage the delicate tissue of the eyes. Fortunately, eye protection is available to prevent this from happening. You can choose impact-resistant safety glasses to shield your eyes from concrete.

#5) Beware of Air Pollution

Concrete particles are a form of air pollution. They can fill the air with particulate matter while placing you at risk for respiratory distress. If there's a risk of concrete-related air pollution, you should wear the proper respiratory protection as well.