Construction sites are awash with concrete. You may be so used to seeing it and working with it that you forget how dangerous it can be. Yet concrete can kill or leave you with serious injuries.
Concrete can endanger construction workers in many ways. Here are some of them:
The removal stage
Construction often begins with the destruction of the existing structures. You could be hit by falling concrete or trip on broken pavement slabs.
The preparation stage
The average sack of cement weighs 94 Ibs. If you do not have the strength or technique to lift them correctly, you could injure your back. Even if you are strong and lift correctly, doing it day after day could leave you with long-term back pain.
Mixing the ingredients is also challenging on the back if you need to shovel the ingredients manually. If you mix it with a machine or truck, there are other dangers:
- Being injured by the mixer blade when cleaning if it is not turned off properly
- Being run over by a mixer truck
- Being turned into a human statue or buried alive if the driver tips the load before you are out of the way
The ingredients of concrete are also dangerous. Cement dust can cause skin or eye irritation, asthma, lung cancer and other debilitating conditions. It is unlikely to be an issue for someone using it once at home on a DIY project, but you could suffer the consequences if you work with it every day.
If you suffer an injury or illness from working with concrete, it is crucial to understand the workers’ compensation process.
