BE BOOM AWARE!

A concrete pump is like no other piece of equipment All a crane operator has to do is watch the end of his boom and his load, he has now, in two glances, seen his entire danger area; it is all in front of him. Not so with the machines you operate.

An articulated boom, be it roll and fold or Z or multi-Z is, by nature of the design, more demanding of the skill and full attention of the operator. You must accept, and be proactive in this effort. Like it isn’t hard enough to push rocks through pipes and hoses; some days just this alone is harder than pushing a chain around the block. It is a wonder. Now you must also be aware of where all your boom is. Not just the end, the entire length. Some may be behind you, some above, some in front; this is where the “could have beens” are separated from those of you that are.

A professional concrete pump operator is, at all times, BOOM AWARE.

If you are operating under an overhead you must continually check for obstructions like lights, sprinklers, HVAC, electrical and joist that could be damaged or fall on your co workers. If you are booming in an opening, care must be exercised as well. This is not a part time job. It requires your forethought and expert attention. You must be BOOM AWARE from the time you leave the yard until you are off the wash rack and parked at night. You are responsible, not the foreman on the job, an oiler, or anyone else.

Your boom has awesome hydraulic power. It is capable of much destruction, yet it is fragile to outside influences. These include anything other than a reducer and a hose or two. Your boom should not come in contact with anything during the course of the day. Either the obstruction or the boom will be damaged. Your company has to pay for that damage; it comes directly off of the bottom line. It makes it just that much more difficult to buy newer equipment.

I know everyone is capable. Give it your undivided attention and be, at all times.

Written By Bob Sanderson

Published by ConcretePumping.com