TRD/Mechanical/TBT-TRD-016

Kerb Layer Safety

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Kerb Layer Safety

Toolbox Talk Record

Ref: TBT-TRD-016  |  Issue: 1  |  Date: March 2026
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What?

  • Kerb laying involves handling heavy precast concrete units and working in close proximity to live traffic.
  • Standard concrete kerbs weigh between 40 and 80 kg each, exceeding safe manual handling limits.
  • Mechanical aids such as kerb lifters, vacuum lifters, and mini cranes should be used wherever practicable.
  • Kerb layers frequently work at road level adjacent to moving vehicles, requiring high-visibility clothing and TTM.
  • Cutting kerbs to size with disc cutters generates silica dust and noise requiring RPE and hearing protection.
  • Manual handling injuries to the back, hands, and fingers are the most common injuries among kerb layers.
  • Buried services beneath footways and carriageway edges are at risk of damage during kerb bedding excavation.
  • Cement mortar and concrete used for bedding and haunching cause skin burns and dermatitis.
  • The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 require employers to reduce manual handling risks.
  • Work often takes place in all weather conditions, adding wet, cold, and slippery surface hazards.

Why?

Prevent musculoskeletal injuryKerbs are heavy and repetitive handling causes back injuries, hernias, and hand crushing — mechanical aids reduce risk.
Traffic strike riskWorking at road level next to live traffic puts kerb layers at constant risk of being struck by vehicles.
Dust and chemical exposureCutting kerbs produces silica dust and cement contact causes burns — both require specific protection measures.
Do Don't
  • Use mechanical handling aids such as kerb grabs or vacuum lifters for heavy kerbs
  • Wear high-visibility clothing to EN ISO 20471 Class 3 when working near live traffic
  • Ensure traffic management is in place before starting any kerb laying on highways
  • Use water suppression or on-tool extraction when cutting kerbs with a disc cutter
  • Wear gloves to protect hands from cement burns and crushing when handling kerbs
  • Carry out a manual handling risk assessment and brief the team before each task
  • Use team lifts as a minimum where mechanical aids are not available for heavy units
  • Wear RPE when cutting kerbs to protect against respirable crystalline silica dust
  • Check for buried services before excavating bedding trenches along kerb lines
  • Keep the work area clean and free from trip hazards including excess mortar and offcuts
  • DON'T manually lift kerbs over 25 kg alone — use mechanical aids or team lifts
  • DON'T work next to live traffic without signed and guarded traffic management in place
  • DON'T dry cut kerbs with a disc cutter — silica dust is carcinogenic without suppression
  • DON'T handle wet cement mortar with bare hands — it causes serious chemical burns
  • DON'T leave kerb offcuts and tripping hazards in pedestrian or vehicle routes
  • DON'T kneel on hard surfaces for prolonged periods without knee pads or protection
  • DON'T ignore back pain or hand injuries — report symptoms early to prevent worsening
  • DON'T excavate bedding trenches without checking for buried services beneath the line
  • DON'T stack kerbs too high on pallets where they could topple onto workers nearby
  • DON'T work in wet conditions without slip-resistant footwear and appropriate wet weather PPE

See also: Manual Handling Awareness | Handling Kerbs and Paving
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