Concrete Road Construction Safety

Concrete roads are constructed using slip-form pavers or fixed-form methods to create rigid pavement structures.
Fresh concrete is highly alkaline with a pH above 12, causing severe chemical burns to skin and eyes.
Slip-form paving machines are large, heavy plant requiring exclusion zones and banksman control.
Reinforcement steel mesh and dowel bars create impalement and laceration hazards during placement.
Concrete delivery and discharge involves mixer trucks reversing on active haul routes near workers.
Joint cutting with diamond saws generates noise, vibration, and silica dust requiring strict controls.
Curing compounds applied to fresh concrete surfaces contain chemicals requiring COSHH assessment.
The work typically takes place in live highway environments with traffic management in force.
Concrete batching and mixing on site creates dust, noise, and vehicle movement hazards.
Quality control testing including slump, air content, and cube making involves handling wet concrete.

Prevent burns	Wet concrete causes severe alkaline burns to skin and eyes — immediate washing and PPE are essential.
Plant safety	Large paving machines, mixer trucks, and compaction equipment create serious struck-by and crush hazards.
Dust and noise	Joint cutting and batching operations generate silica dust and noise exceeding safe exposure limits.
Legal compliance	CDM 2015, COSHH 2002, and highway safety regulations apply to all concrete road construction activities.

Do

Don't

Wear waterproof gloves, long sleeves, and eye protection when working with fresh concrete
Establish exclusion zones around slip-form pavers and concrete delivery vehicles at all times
Use water suppression when cutting joints in cured concrete to control silica dust emissions
Ensure banksmen are in position for all reversing concrete mixer trucks on haul routes
Cap exposed rebar and dowel bars with mushroom caps to prevent impalement injuries
Complete a COSHH assessment for curing compounds and concrete additives before use
Wash skin immediately with clean water if contact with wet concrete occurs
Wear hearing protection during joint cutting and near batching plant operations
Maintain traffic management throughout all phases of the concrete road construction
Test concrete quality on delivery and record results for each load placed

DON'T kneel or stand in wet concrete without waterproof boots and protective clothing
DON'T work within the exclusion zone of a moving slip-form paver or placing machine
DON'T dry cut concrete joints — silica dust is carcinogenic and must be suppressed
DON'T leave exposed rebar or dowel bars uncapped where workers could fall onto them
DON'T ignore concrete burns — wash immediately as alkaline burns worsen with delay
DON'T spray curing compounds without RPE where VOC exposure is identified in the COSHH assessment
DON'T allow workers to walk behind reversing mixer trucks without banksman control
DON'T place concrete in sections without confirming the specification and joint positions
DON'T eat, drink, or smoke until hands and face are washed after handling wet concrete
DON'T carry out concrete paving on live highways without approved traffic management

See also: Concrete Burns Prevention | Road Construction Safety Awareness

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