If you are a member of ConcretePumping.com we have a test you can now take. 12 questions designed to teach as well as find out what you know and dont know. You must be a member to take the test. We give the percentage right at the end of the test with the answers and the explanations. I hope you enjoy this test. We spent more time on this than I will ever admit, so I hope you enjoy the test. Please post your feed back on the message board. We do not record your score so dont worry about that.

http://concretepumping.com/index.php?mode=quiz

if you find any inaccuracy or anything that is not within manufactures specs please let me know.

Membership is free. Sign up. We are going to have more membership services very soon.

Very fun exam and some of it was humorous . But try to use spell checker , there were a lot of typo's.(FYI)

I did find out through this test I would make a terrible pump operator . LOL

Keep up the good work Todd, this kind of thing is unique to only this website and to be honest it was fun to do this test here.

Dang, ok i will recheck the spelling. Sorry about that.

I m not a very good one either it seems, I think its rigged,lol

Its not rigged, I even put up the answers and the explanations. See any you disagree with?

the one i would disagree with is the hose going every which way. that could also be called coiling like a snake since that is how you explain the answer. because i have seen that, and it does coil like a snake and go every which way it can. but the same pressure as water? good to know...

I have gotten some fun phone calls already, lol

 Well for the one on a pump screwing up and getting it going. The first thing I always check is my electrical because, on most of the pumps I have operated, that has been the problem a majority of the times. Also that is the cheapest fix most of the time. If I see the electrical is OK, then I check E-Stops. I have had mixer drivers and other bump into them. I find that hydralic problems dont usually happen at once, unless a dump valve decides to die on you all at once, which has happened to me. But other problems usually show themselves through minor performance problems. So there actually could have been two answers for that. 

 And I thought that the largest killer of crews has been eletrocution. I got the question right but, having to take my ACPA renewal test  that was one of the most asked question on the test. 

You can take the test more than once and you can read the answers and the explanations.

A lot to know I got 8 out of 12

I really did not think anyone would get 100% We were hoping this test would shed some lite on some of the more difficult issues facing our industry. Questions that most operators might not know. We all tend to think that the way we think is always right or we would not think it. This test might make us look at some of these past ideas or thoughts in a new way. Safety is one of those concepts that should always be in our thoughts as we move forward in our jobs.

What I love about this test is that it presents issues and or problems. If your not faced with a problem than you are not going to think about it. If you are presented with a problem on a job site it is much better to have thought about such issues in the past so when you do have to deal with new issue or problem you have already had some time to think about it.

Thanks for taking the test.

Missed one. question # 9. Good stuff . Refresh the questions every month.

Wow dlee7729 thanks for the comments.

It took way too much work. I need questions, answers and explanations. I would like to thank Rob Edwards for doing all that work. He is such a pro. Than I had to write the question software to work on this site.

It was worth it but I don't know about doing one a month. Maybe Schwing, Putz, Cifa, Alliance, Zoomlion or some of the other sponsors will come up with a test for me. 

Interesting. I missed 4. Guess I know more than I thought. Thanks for putting this up Todd.

you are welcome

114 people have taken the test so far. I would like to see 1114 peolpe take it.

X2 testing of ones knowledge is a great teaching tool.

[quote from Todd]It took way too much work[unquote] Cmon brother, its not like you got anything else to do !!!! HaHa

ok you might be right but just think we spent 4 weeks getting this ready. Tons of time.

Yea I hear that Todd, but this idea is such a winner I really hope you make more industry related tests, Lets talk about repairs/inspection intervals/e-stops/safety stuff/welding repairs/manufacture specs. etc.... etc.... on the next test . I might score higher . LOL

But I do want you to know , this test was fun/informative and well put together minus the english typo's(HaHa)

So I hope you continue this type of user controlled stuff at this website, it just makes it so much more fun to come here and have things to do other than read posts ya know.

*pat on back*

 If you ever do change up the questions here's a good one...

 Q; What is one thing an operator can do to keep a boom from going down if he notices an outrigger is starting to sink?

 A; Put the pump in full volume reverse!

 True Story! I've done it and seen it work first hand. A guy that I rode with many times as a lad used to toss that question at me when I was training. "What's the first think to do if the boom starts to go over?" ... "Throw it in reverse to get the weight out of it!"

 When it happened and I saved it by doing what he'd told me I called him that evening to tell him about it and thank him again.

Very nice TooTall.

The mix design questions are good for the general knowledge that they give, but mix design is out of the realm of a concrete pump operators' responsibility. While it might be good to be able to know when it's best to fold up and go home if the mix is shit and locks up all the time, should an operator be dictating what the concrete's ingredients are? I know what my supplying RM plants would say about that. - they are a little touchy about material quality. Hell, we're always cautioned about adding water.

Pumpjockey, you need to know so if the mud won't pump it can be diagnosed as to why. Also, for me owner operator if it doesn't pump its my ass. I've had mud that wouldn't pump at all. Two were pea rock mixes where the RM guy sent a tail gate mix with 1800 lbs of rock instead of 1290. What happened? I lost $450 job and a very good customer.It made me look the fool when it was the RM plants fault. They will never admit it. Pea gravel mixes pack if you get too much rock in the mix.

It's difficult to look at the grey stuff and tell if it pump or not. If you have a large jar and take a sample,fill it 1/2 full, add water to the top, shake it well and let it settle, you can get a good idea of the gradation spits. I've pumped mud that sounds like broken glass falling through the reducer and when it hits the forms. To look at it coming down the chute, you'd say 'no way!'. I've also had it lock up when it was over-plasticized. It's very borderline. This mud is also short on 100 mesh, (a little would go a long ways) but I think the flyash compensates for it quite a bit.

Ok we fixed that bug but now you cant go back and fix your answer, lol my bad.

 Anyone notice the explanation for the correct answer to the troubleshooting question?

 The answer was "cheaper 1st, expensive last" I got it wrong and answered "electrical>hyd.>mechanical". Notice the example says a fuse was the fix instead of the new hyd pump. Since hydraulic and mechanical failures are usually pretty obvious most pump troubles I've had to shoot at have been electrical... See what I mean?   

yeah TT I missed that one also ,think its worded wrong two answers that basically meen the same thing.

and the sand question a little far out there , maybe a question about manufactured sand ? but mix design is a shaky subject due to liability issues, I make sure to only make suggestions.

the best answer was when hell freezes over...lol

 Well TT and Pudg Im glad Im not the only one that got that one wrong. It was the only one I did.

While "everybody" does it, advocating shorting outriggers in any fashion (including a quiz on a "concrete pumping webste") invites liability issues...

That was Fun! Nice idea!

elvis, here is the "official" stance on out rigger set-ups if your curious. Also follow manufacture's advice and warnings on out rigger set up. http://www.concretepumpers.com/pdfs/05002_outriggers.pdf

Nice thanks for the review Todd Did very well .

got 50% but in my defence aussie crete is not measured same.interesting about hose whipping.big fan of knowledge sharing my workplace isn't, so keen to b regular contributer.thanks 4 test and any info on shortlegging 47m scwhing. work says i can workplace/health&safety say i can't unless documents from manufacturer or engineer say i can and outline proper procedure?

Cool test Todd... in Canada we use difrent words for difrent things, so I did fail :( But I'ts allways good to lurn new stuf.

that was a great test Todd, Thanks

That test was difficult for me since i have not ever operated a boom pump before, but i tried anyways...

Not sure what's up all I get is blank screen

Sorry but the answer on question 5 is complete BS. 5x 5'' hose would fly in all kinds of unpredictale directions when you blew them out with air?? Yes if you're a complete moran of an operator that is the answer. When I do it the ball almost just rols out at the end..

Also hard for us europeans to answer the questions about quantitys.. Pounds and shit.. There is no logic in that system so its a lot of calculating to get to the answer  Funn quiz though!

Fun little test Todd 83%. Would be fun and educational to have monthly tests. Keep up the good work!

Thanks

Man did I fail!!!! Time to find a new job. Kinda reminds me of highschool

very good test thanks great site

Good test. I appreciate your invested time to make us all better!

-5. Not bad for an owner/dispatcher that has not run a pump for 5 years.