How to Prevent Hose Whip During Concrete Pumping
Posted on: 29 June 2017
Some property owners may be worried that "hose whip" will injure employees in an accident during concrete pumping. Such people may not know the measures that experienced concrete pump operators take to prevent such accidents from happening. This article discusses some of the steps that can be taken to prevent the delivery hose from moving uncontrollably (hose whip) during a concrete pour.
Careful Selection of Concrete
Operators make sure that the concrete that they are going to pump is still in a fluid state. Concrete that is solidifying can form clogs that may trigger a hose whip event. Great care is therefore taken to only pump concrete that is listed as acceptable in the specifications sheet of the concrete pump that is being used at the site.
Slow Starts
Experienced operators also start the concrete pour at a slow pace as the delivery lines get filled with concrete. This slow start can prevent the empty sections of the hose from whipping around as concrete rushes through the delivery system from the pump. The delivery speed can then be gradually increased until the maximum delivery speed is reached.
Use of Long Hoses
Some hose whip events are triggered when workers try to stretch a hose in order to make that short hose to deliver concrete to a distant pour site. Experienced concrete pump operators ensure that no hose is stretched in a bid to reach all pour sites. This averts any hose whip event that would have resulted if the stretched hose suddenly lost tension and started whipping around.
Adequate Housekeeping
Another simple technique that is used to prevent hose whip is making sure that the pour site is free from any tripping hazards, such as packaging materials. How does housekeeping prevent hose whip? Cluttered spaces can cause the person holding the end of the delivery hose to trip and fall over the litter. When that happens, the hose will start moving uncontrollably under the force of the concrete that is flowing through it. Good housekeeping therefore forestalls some hose whip events.
Other risks, such as pump gauge risks, exist during the concrete pumping process. It is therefore prudent to let professionals handle the entire concrete pumping process at your site. Those experts will take the necessary steps to ensure that no preventable accident occurs during your project. You will then be able to enjoy the benefits (such as timely completion of concrete pours) that a concrete pump can bestow.
Talk to companies like Hunter Concrete Pump Hire for more information about how to prevent hose whip.
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