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The concrete conveyor is a great innovation that has brought improved efficiency to the job site. Like any piece of equipment, potential dangers can emerge from incorrect use or a disregard for basic safety rules. This article outlines a few key considerations for safe operation of a concrete conveyor.

The Importance of Concrete Conveyors to Today's Contractors

Conveyors of all types are used heavily in the aggregate and mining industries. In the construction industry, conveyors are used for everything from concrete to aggregates to asphalt. As the Construction Safety Association of Ontario (CSAO) states:

"...concrete forming machines, such as curb machines and pavers, use conveyors to transport concrete from the delivery truck up into hoppers or placers on the equipment. Similarly, aggregate delivery trucks are often equipped with conveyors to place stone in basements or hard-to-reach locations. Asphalt paving and road milling equipment also uses conveyors extensively."

Conveyors are versatile tools that bring a lot to the construction site. In the case of concrete alone, conveyors allow ready-mix companies to realize increased efficiencies. Trucks can be parked in one location, with the concrete conveyor transporting concrete to various pouring sites. Because conveyors can reach long distances and negotiate obstacles, the truck can stay well back of the pouring site, which increases safety. With a concrete conveyor, there is less reason to move the ready-mix truck, which also increases safety on the job site - fewer vehicles moving means reduced chances for accidents.

But conveyors do present some hazards. Those hazards, and the steps to avoid them, are discussed below.

Using Concrete Conveyors Safely

According to the CSAO, the main danger posed by a conveyor is the moving belt. Body parts can get caught, leading to entanglement and crushing. Most accidents occur when workers try to repair, install or clean the conveyor while it is active.

The first safety recommendation from the CSAO is lockout of the concrete conveyor. If the machine is not locked out, workers trying to repair, adjust or clean the belt can be hurt (or even killed) if the belt is inadvertently activated.

Lockout involves "determining the equipment or components to be worked on, turning off and isolating all energy sources, drawing off stored energy or potentially dangerous product, and installing tags and locks." Proper lockout procedures should be communicated to all workers and should be followed even for small repairs.

Machine guarding is also required when using a concrete or any other kind of conveyor. The CSAO states that guards on moving conveyor parts are often absent, inadequate, or positioned incorrectly. The CSAO recommends that contractors ensure the guards are there and paint them in a contrasting colour so their absence, if they get lost, is more noticeable.

Other regulations, summarized on the CSAO website, include:

- emergency stop pull cords

- start-up warning device (audible/visible)

- guards on head, tail, drive, deflection, and tension pulleys

- guards on accessible pinch points

- guards protecting workers from overhead material

- means of safely applying belt dressing and lubrication to a moving conveyor

- fire suppression system

- guardrails

- access equipment (walkways, ramps, stairs, platforms, etc.)

- noise control.The news come from http://www.bossgoo.com