Concrete buckets are some of the most effective pieces of equipment available on the market when you’re working with large amounts of concrete. There are several types of buckets you can use to get the job done quickly and efficiently, all of which are relatively easy to understand and utilise. However, regardless of the scale and dynamics of your project, safety should always be a top priority when you’re working with concrete.
There are a few guidelines you and your employees should always keep in mind when using concrete buckets. Even though nothing replaces thorough training on concrete bucket safety, it always helps to have a little something you can refer back to if your workers need clarity on something. To help you along, we present to you our complete mini-guide to concrete bucket safety – we hope this helps!
Concrete bucket safety 101: things you should always consider
Make sure your concrete bucket is in good condition
+ Before using a concrete bucket, you should check the equipment thoroughly (more than once if necessary) for any cracks, breaks or defects that would affect its performance. We recommend that you pay special attention to the bail (the part where the hoisting equipment attaches to the bucket). As the bucket is lowered, you need to make sure that your fingers and any other body parts are clear of the bail so that you don’t get pinched.
+ We recommend that you task this safety inspection to two or more people to ensure that nothing slips through the cracks and that no defect or damage goes unnoticed.
Consider your concrete bucket’s rigging
+ Inspect the wire slings as well as the shackles used to lift the bucket prior to every pour. If your concrete bucket gets around using custom wheels, be sure to check that the wheels are in good condition, Likewise, you should do the same things for the skids on a bucket that relies on a forklift to get around.
+ Make sure that your components are properly sized and tested for the weight you intend to exert on your bucket.
+ If applicable to your bucket, we recommend that you wire the screw pin to the shackle body to keep it from ‘backing out’.
Be careful regarding the transportation and placing of your concrete
+NEVER drill, weld or tweak the bail of your bucket in any way without the manufacturer’s approval.
+ Keep the bucket as spotless as possible on the inside and out to make your inspection efforts easier and more efficient.
Beware of overfilling
+ Make sure that the person tendering to the bucket, as well as the mixer truck driver, are properly trained to avoid overfilling the bucket.
+ If overfilled, the spillage of concrete can cause damage to the bucket and may harm your employees when the bucket is being moved.
Handle the bucket with care
+ Always ensure that the load of the bucket does not exceed the load capacity of its mode of transport.
+ Keep your eyes on the crane operator/forklift driver as well as the bucket at all times to give you a better chance of reacting on time to any situation that may arise.
+ Install handles on your concrete bucket for easier handling. Don’t forget to test them as well!
+ Keep your hands away from the bail and other pinch points.
+ If you’re using a crane, task only one person with ushering the signals to avoid confusion.
And there you have it, the basics of concrete bucket safety. Now that you have a better idea of how to safely use concrete buckets, your next logical step is to get a bucket! Check out our catalogue and contact us if you like what you see – we can’t wait to hear from you!