Day to day construction is incomplete without the ease and comfort of mixing concrete provided by reliable concrete mixers. It saves a lot of time and speeds up the construction progress offering best in class mobility and easy handling at the same time. You might want to know a bit more about concrete mixer and how it can be used safely at construction sites? Let’s take a look here –
A concrete mixer is a device that can be used for homogeneously combining cement, sand or gravel and water to form the concrete. Nowadays, concrete experts require such type of concrete that takes less time while mixing the concrete ingredients. Concrete mixer amalgamates the concrete ingredients quickly as compared to the traditional methods of manual mixing.
According to ‘Mr. Jawahar Kapasi’, MD of Safari equipments and a winner of the “Indian Industrial Excellence Award” for excellence in the construction machinery and equipment manufacturing, An automated concrete mixer – 800 is simple to use and can result in reduction of the 90% of the workforce, hence lowering your expenses and labour dependency. This in turn directly lowers your project costing and helps you meet deadlines effectively.
A concrete mixer uses the revolving drum to mix the concrete components together. Portable Concrete mixers are used when smaller concrete volume is required in the construction work and it can be done at the construction site easily. The concrete mixers help to achieve uniform thickness in the mix and it discharges the concrete mix without disturbing the quality of concrete.
Generally, concrete is used to construct the framed structure in which concrete mixer plays an important role for small work. Unguarded machinery used in the manufacturing of concrete can lead to worker injuries. Concrete mixers may be driven by electric motors or by diesel engines depending on the location or type of the structure under construction process. Different types of concrete mixer machines are available in the market. Concrete mixers may be tilting or non-tilting type.
Safety Tips while using Concrete Mixer at Construction Site
Although one needs to be careful while operating any machinery during construction purpose, one needs to follow some strict guidelines where a concrete mixer is being used for construction.
- Always test the mixer by running it empty prior to the application. Frequently check the loose nuts or bolts of concrete mixer and make sure, they are tightened very well.
- After concreting, workers place their tools like ghamelas, trowel, etc. in the drum of concrete mixer. Make sure all equipment and tools are removed from the concrete or mortar mixer prior to turning it on the next time.
- Workers or operators have to keep their hands, clothing and tools away from the moving part of concrete mixer.
- Never leave the running mixer unattended. Keep concrete mixer in good condition as loose or damaged parts of machine may cause accident.
- Never overload mixer to produce concrete in lesser time. It could damage the mixer.
- For electrically driven mixers, the wire connecting the mixers should be in good and sound condition, and the circuit-breaker should be well maintained. Earthing of electric motor should be done as per specifications and rules and also with the instruction of engineer in-charge.
- In case of concrete mixer that operates on a diesel-based engine, if the exhaust gases (smoke) of a diesel engine is inhaled for longer period, it may cause diseases. Hence, the smoke should be directed away from the operator or concrete workers.
- Nobody should be allowed to go near to the hopper of mixer machine. All gears and moving parts of concrete mixture should be well guarded.
- Disconnect the power or shut off the engine from the concrete mixer, before servicing, adjusting, installing accessories or attachments.
- Accidents normally occur during the cleaning of mixing drum. Care should be taken to display the notice, “Under Repairs” while cleaning the drum.
- Wire ropes operating the drum and clutches should be inspected regularly.
- Do not move the cement mixer during operation. The mixer could tip over or the motor could become damaged.
- In case of concrete mixer operated by electricity, always check the direction of rotation of the drum/cylinder with respected to the arrow marked on the drum/cylinder. Sometimes, the direction of rotation or time interval of rotation are changed due to the wrong cable connection to the electrical motor that often causes poor mixing of concrete ingredients together and results in the form of poor concrete.
- Keep working area clean and dry to prevent tripping and slipping.
- Always make sure that electrical outlets and tools are properly grounded and are using proper lighting for the job at moving or rotating parts.
- Do not allow children to play on or around the concrete mixer. It might lead to injuries.
- Turn off the motors and wait for all the moving parts to stop before servicing, maintaining or cleaning.
Final Words:
As per the OSHA Pocket Guide “Worker Safety Series Concrete Manufacturing”, published in 2004 by Occupational Safety and Health Administration, more than 250,000 people work in the concrete manufacturing industry.
Among these, around ten percent (28,000) experienced some or the other form of job-related injury or illness and 42 of these people died within a timespan of just one year.
Construction machinery like concrete mixer machines have always been a possible vehicle for minor accidents. A body part may get caught between the rotating mixing drum or axels of the machine. Electrical power can also be hazardous sometimes. Hence it is necessary to follow aforementioned practices when you carry out concrete mixing work with portable concrete mixer machine.