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                                                                                                                        THE DANGERS WITH CONCRETE
                                                                                                                                    By Richard Wolfe

      A lot of us get calls about overturned mixer trucks but there are many dangers lurking around this kind of recovery. You will have leaking hydraulic fluid, diesel fuel, antifreeze and engine oil to contend with. But you are faced with another kind of hazard, and it can hurt you and cause lots of pain. I am talking about from the concrete when it is wet. It cause burns to parts of the body that come in contact with the unhardened concrete.

     We had a recovery where a mixer was attempting to cross a dirt bridge over a creek when the side of the roadway dropped out. It caused the right rear of the mixer to slide off the road. End result, mixer in the creek in about two feet of water, passenger side down.
     We approached this recovery like we do on all of them. We looked it over, talked to the head mechanic who was on scene. Discussed the plan with him, (he ordered a 60 ton crane before we got there). And we checked on hazards to us. None were told to us, and if you try looking at the material in the ERG (emergency response guide) you will not find it. It is not a hazardous material, according to the D.O.T, so we figured we were OK to proceed.
     When we tied the barrel to the chassis for stability and control of the mixer, we had to work in the water and concrete mixture. The other driver on the call was on the barrel top side passing the chains and straps through to me. We were walking around in the mixture for the 40 minutes. We finished and proceeded to hook the rest of the truck for the recovery. We did this and took a break while the crane set up to help. We did not have much room to work, and we were in soft dirt on the side of the road, so we were going to use the crane. After all, they ordered it and were paying for it.

     After about an hour, the other driver started to complain that his feet were hurting him. He took off his boots and socks and dried off his feet, wrung out his socks, let them air dry, and tried to dry out his boots. The driver of the mixer and the head mechanic was him doing this and still did not say anything.
We finished the recovery and hooked the truck for towing back to the company’s shop. No one told us anything at that time either, so we left and completed the call. About an hour later our drivers were so red and burned that he would up with 2nd and 3rd degree burns to his feet and ankles. He took the next four days off under doctor’s orders keep his feet uncovered, and to apply the ointment that was prescribed to cure the burns.

     This call could have been much worse in regard to the possibility of more severe burns over a larger part of the body.
Precautions must be observed because cement burns occur with little warning – little heat is sensed.
The recommended protection is to use barrier creams, rubber gloves and boots to protect your body. I have some of the rubber farm boots, and they were in the truck, but then I did not get into the unhardened concrete. After the notification by our driver of the hazard and workman’s comp claim, I started to research the hazards of concrete, and I finally got a MSDS for it. I was amazed at the results. Most of all, I could not believe that someone who works with it did not bother to tell us there was a hazard to contend with.

     I hope that everyone who is faced with this kind fo recovery doesn’t take the risk and is prepared for it. I know I will be ready next time I have a mixer recovery, I included the MSDS in my price book for an information alert. If anyone would like to get a MSDS for concrete, contract your local concrete company.

(article was printed in the December 1999 issue of Phootnotes Towing news, and reprinted with authorization)