SAFETY

It’s not expensive…it’s priceless!

COVID-19 Best Practices

H & S Guidelines for Employees in the Construction Industry

Concrete BC has compiled some of the recommendations that health and safety organizations and concrete companies are implementing where the construction sector continues to operate, with the objective of mitigating or minimizing the risk of transmission of the virus to industry personnel.

General Best Practices

Delivering Concrete

Social Distance Sign

Case On-site Procedures

2020 COVID-19 Poster

Moving Forward

Concrete Pump Operator Competency Certification in BC

The BC Construction Safety Alliance (BCCSA) and Concrete BC are seeking to enhance safety in concrete pump operations in the province by putting in place a concrete pump operator competence framework. The goal of the framework is to create a set of concrete pump operator competence standards that can guide better practice, training and evaluation of concrete pump operators in British Columbia.

The plan is to deliver an industry-adoptive program for a comprehensive safety standard that goes beyond what is currently available. The program will be a voluntary, safety and competency certification for concrete pump operators throughout the province of BC. All industry stakeholders agree that it is essential to form a consensus on the competency and safety standards. To this end, a collection of industry subject-matter experts have been identified and are primary reviewers of the first iteration of the standards. Consultation meetings will be held throughout the province and on-line that will provide program insight to industry. These meetings will also be a forum to collect additional commentary and feedback to be included in honing the standards.

Journal of Commerce Article by WorkSafeBC on working safely around Concrete Pumps

Concrete Pump Operators who currently hold valid safety training

List of Concrete Pump Operators
With Current Safety Training from Concrete BC

Ian Cadiz – January 2023 training expires
Baldeep Singh November 2023 training expires
Tony Sutherland – December 2024 training expires
Corey Brown – January 2025 training expires
Justin Luis Miller – January 2025 training expires
David Pemble – January 2025 training expires

Ryan Gido – October 2021 training expires
Dustin Gardecki – May 2022 training expires
Eduardo Grosso – May 2022 training expires
Felipe Flores – May 2022 training expires
Jeff Melo – May 2022 training expires
Peter Ferreira – January 2023 training expires
Eduardo Marques – January 2023 training expires
Kaileb Diggs – November 2023 training expires
Brandon Soto – November 2023 training expires

Jeff Hughes – September 2022 training expires
Brett Thomas – September 2022 training expires

Elroy Verigin – October 2021 training expires
Andrew Daniel – January 2023 training expires
Chris Long – January 2023 training expires

Luke Churchill – January 2025 training expires
John Dobranski – January 2025 training expires
Jamal Khan – January 2025 training expires
Peter Lonsdale – January 2025 training expires

Brian Cramp – January 2024 training expires
Shea Armstrong – January 2024 training expires
Garth Belsham – June 2024 training expires
James Templeton – June 2024 training expires

Will Seulzle – October 2021 training expires
Dana Fox – January 2023 training expires
Trevor Miller – January 2023 training expires

Manider Sahota – April 2023 training expires

Jared Brotzel – March 2022 training expires
Cliff Brotzel – March 2022 training expires

Darshpreet Singh – January 2023 training expires
Parminder Khinda – January 2023 training expires

Bill Richardson – October 2021 training expires
Jerry Harder – October 2021 training expires
Chris Franko – October 2021 training expires
Rick Dallas – October 2021 training expires
Travis Gallagher – October 2021 training expires
Donald Dunn – October 2021 training expires
Cam Paradis – October 2021 training expires
Adrian Debest – March 2022 training expires
Francisco Bobadilla – January 2023 training expires
Dustin Whitman – January 2025 training expires

Peter Daly – April 2023 training expires

Kevin Armstrong – September 2022 training expires
Thomas Carroll – September 2022 training expires
Dave Goodall – September 2022 training expires
Clayton Kristiansen – September 2022 training expires
Brian Demelo – September 2022 training expires
Tony Huizenga – September 2022 training expires

Rod Tatton – September 2022 training expires

Daniel Sousa – October 2021 training expires
Jose Vasconcelo – October 2021 training expires
Ivo Ferreira – October 2021 training expires

Dylan Quist – September 2022 training expires
Mike Gust – September 2022 training expires

Jerry Dahl – CCPO certified
Brian Dawson – CCPO certified
Malcolm Friesen – CCPO certified
Mark Horyshen – CCPO certified
Ryan Vandorp – CCPO certified
Graham Pocock – Safety Trained, expires March 2024
Gavin Grey – March 2022 training expires
Devonne Coward – November 2023 training expires
John Sparks – January 2025 training expires
Anthony Van Wijk – January 2025 training expires

Jeff Craig – January 2023 training expires
Jesse Hale – January 2023 training expires
Travis Turner – January 2023 training expires

Marcel Jittler – October 2023 training expires
Dustin Johnson – March 2022 training expires
George Willis – October 2023 training expires
Jorge Ramirez – October 2023 training expires
Alejandro Moreno Campos – October 2023 training expires
Scott Inker – June 2023 training expires

Lou Metcalf – January 2025 training expires

Cody Anderson – April 2023 training expires

Dieter Saide – March 2022 training expires
Joseph Glenn – November 2023 training expires
Alexander Van Saane – November 2023 training expires
Sheldon DenBoer – March 2022 training expires
Yan Shouirnard – March 2022 training expires
Travis Kelly – March 2022 training expires
Seth Ross – March 2022 training expires
Josh Cooper – March 2022 training expires
Jemes Van Den Brink – March 2022 training expires
Blake Jackson – January 2023 training expires
Will McDermott – January 2023 training expires
Davin Skogman – January 2023 training expires
Brad Lucken – January 2023 training expires

Mac Wilson – April 2023 training expires
Steve Carter – April 2023 training expires

Dan Burube- April 2023 training expires
Troy Wilson- April 2023 training expires

Paul Virdi – November 2023 training expires

Patric Crespo – March 2022 training expires
Isaiah Sterling – March 2022 training expires
Ryan Pyatt – March 2022 training expires
Chad Jensen – March 2022 training expires
Travis Grice – January 2025 training expires
Curtis Machtaler – January 2025 training expires

Roy Wheeldon – October 2023 training expires
Ryan Symonds – October 2023 training expires
Wade Stromstren – October 2023 training expires
Jordan Moores – October 2023 training expires
Allan Garner – October 2023 training expires

Carson Reid – January 2022 training expires
Morrison Yanke – January 2023 training expires
Aaron Tom – November 2023 training expires

Charles Salmon – April 2023 training expires

Sam Bowden – January 2025 training expires

Karin Clark – April 2023 training expires

Safety Training Manual

For Concrete Pump Operators

Produced by Concrete BC, this manual, published in the spring of 2009, and updated in January 2016, sets a basic safety training standard for concrete pump operators in British Columbia. This manual is the foundation for the pump operator safety training workshops delivered by Concrete BC, and a student copy is included for the Pump Operator Safety Training workshop.

The manual sells for $100.00 + tax

For Concrete BC Members: Order your copy of this manual by contacting the Concrete BC office at concrete@concretebc.ca or 604-626-4141.

For Non-Members: the manual is only available with the Concrete Pump Operator Safety Training Online Course.  Please go to http://bconcrete.co/pump to sign up.

Injury Management

Handbook

This handbook contains information that will help supervisors familiarize themselves with key responsibilities within injury management and understand why such involvement is important. Practical tools are also contained in the handbook to assist supervisors in executing their responsibilities.

If you have any questions or would like to obtain hard copies of this publication, please contact Alicia Brady, Communications Program Coordinator, Construction Safety Network, at 604-636-3679.


Inclement Weather Guidelines

Safety Awareness

The purpose of these guidelines is to ensure that lightning safety awareness is a priority for employees in all outdoor activities. There is no location outdoors that is 100% safe from lightning strikes, however, being aware of and following proven lightning risk reduction guidelines can lower the risk of injury or death.

Weather conditions should be monitored continuously. Lightning may strike several kilometres away from the parent cloud and precautions should be taken even if the thunderstorm is not directly overhead. Lightning can reach you even if the storm is 16 km away and there’s a clear sky above you.

To judge how close lightning is, count the seconds between the flash and the thunder clap. Each second represents about 300 metres. If you can count less than 30 seconds between the lightning strike and the thunder, the storm is less than 10 km away and there is an 80 percent chance the next strike will happen within that 10 km. If you count less than 30 seconds, take shelter, preferably in a building or all-metal automobile (not a convertible top) or in a low-lying area.

  • Take appropriate shelter when you can count 30 seconds or less between lightning and thunder
  • Remain sheltered for 30 minutes after the last thunder
  • Fully enclosed all metal vehicles
  • Permanent, substantial buildings
  • Don’t go outside unless absolutely necessary
  • Keep away from doors, windows, fireplaces and anything that will conduct electricity such as radiators, stoves, sinks, and metal pipes
  • Keep as many walls as possible between you and the outside
  • Don’t handle electrical equipment or telephones. Use battery operated devices instead.
  • Keep a safe distance from tall objects such as trees, hilltops and telephone poles
  • Avoid projecting above the surrounding landscape. Seek shelter in low-lying areas such as valleys, ditches and depressions but be aware of flooding
  • Stay away from water. Land as quickly as possible if you are on the water and a storm is approaching. Lightning can strike the water and travel some distance from its point of contact.
  • Stay away from objects that conduct electricity such as power poles, fences and gates, metal machinery, electrical equipment, hauling machinery and radio equipment
  • You are safe inside an enclosed rubber-tired vehicle but don’t park near or under trees or other tall objects
  • If you are in a group in the open, spread out, keeping people several meters apart
  • If caught in a level field far from shelter and you feel your hair stand on end, lightning may be about to hit you. Kneel on the ground immediately, with feet together, place your hands on your knees and bend forward. Do not lie flat.

Persons who have been struck by lightning receive an electrical shock but do not carry an electrical charge and can be safely handled. Victims may be suffering from burns or shock and should receive medical attention immediately. If breathing has stopped, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation should be administered. If breathing and pulse are absent, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation is required.


Warm or Hot Weather

Working Conditions

As we approach the summer months, working in warm or hot weather must be addressed for all workers.

  1. Your body is always generating heat and passing it to the environment.
  2. The harder your body is working, the more heat it has to lose.
  3. When the environment is hot or humid or has a source of radiant heat (for example, a furnace or the sun),your body must work harder to get rid of its heat.
  4. If the air is moving (for example, from fans) and it is cooler than your body, it is easier for your body to pass heat to the environment.

Heat Stress

  • Heat stress occurs when the body temperature rises to above 38.5C and cannot cool off
  • High temperature, high humidity, heat generated from equipment, and body heat may contribute to heat stress
  • Heat stress can cause disorders ranging from heat cramps to heat stroke
  • Heat stroke is very serious, as it can be fatal

Symptoms

  • Irrational behaviour
  • Hot, dry skin (with no sweating)
  • Loss of consciousness and collapse
  • Co-workers who do not know of the symptoms may think the victim is upset, intoxicated or acting strangely

The following procedures should be considered to prevent heat stress:

  1. Have drinking water available to all workers. Workers should fill water bottles for use when working in the field. Workers should drink approximately one cup of water every 20 minutes.
  2. Workers should salt food well to replenish salts lost through perspiration (check with your doctor if you are on a low salt diet).
  3. Wear clothing that is loose fitting, tightly woven, and light in colour to reflect the sunlight.
  4. Do not consume excessive amounts of alcohol within 24 hours before working in a hot environment.
  5. In extremely hot conditions, workers should take time out of direct sunlight or heat source more often such as sitting in their vehicle, working in the shade, taking break/lunch periods inside.
  6. Workers on medication should check with their doctor before working in extreme temperatures.