Concrete Pumping’s dirty little secret.

Did you know that some pump companies use their Concrete Pump as a crane?  For those of you who do it and think you can get away with it just remember even cranes have accidents and if you ever get caught using your boom as a crane you can get in big trouble. OSHA your insurance company and even void your warrant on your pump.

Today I got sent picture of a Concrete Pump being used as a crane to set up  trusses and commercial air conditioners.

Be smart don’t  use your boom as a crane.

Good point, Todd.

It isn't fair to anyone, even if the boom doesn't break that day.

Six months later, when it comes crashing down, the headline reads;

"xxxxxx concrete pump boom collapses"

The manufacturer takes the rap, and the clown that overloaded the boom gets a pass.

I have witnessed a few times spiders being hoisted onto  low beds using the pump as a crane. I have pictures, I think the boss was drinking a cold one! Should I post them?

All kidding a side I am against this practice. When asked I always say NO! When they ask why I tell them it is stated in the owners manual.

Post the pic...... if you cannot see any company name. We need a good "hall of shame" pic on using the boom as a crane. ;~)

or email it to Todd and he will zap the name

I am just kidding about the pictures lol! The event was real!

Or runs schedual 40 as boom pipe,remember that one.Mum's the word.

Todd

How funny you bring this up.I was on the job today and they ask me to set a steel cage with my boom.I told them no.He got alittle upset and walked a way and did not talk to me the rest of the day.What a quiet day it was great.

Ruck

i had a guy jump on the hose after pumping a 12ft peir and ask me to lower him to the ground. i refused. he was not to happy with me. i told him as long as hanges on the hose the boom does not move

I hate to say it but im guilty of this!

I had just started in the industre i didnt have my boom ticket , When we had no work the boss used to make me setup the 28m putz so i could get a feel for the job, there was a merc truck cab sitting ontop of a 40 ft shipping container and the boss wanted to shift it to another container on the other side or the yard he got up there with the chains and told me to slew the boom over, i said to him are you shure this is ok? hes reply was "do it".. So i did! I stood as far away from the machine as i could , it was scary , the legs were lifting up as i positioned it on the other container . All i was thinking was that if it tips over im running for my car and going home i want no part of it!

Pretty stupid of me, guilty of not knowing the potential danger also guilty of being told what to do !

Since that day ive had countless people ask and tell me to lift steel , vibrators , choppers and a heap of other stuff , and like seed said no is the answer tell them its in the operation manual and if there still not happy ring the boss and ask them!

Drew AUS 

I am as guilty as the next guy. That 'using the boom as a crane' stuff used to happen a LOT. As the years go by and we get a little smarter, or witness a disaster, or both; we tend to stay within the rules and guidelines. The other thing is that the booms used to be much shorter and heavier--- still, no excuse. ;~)

when ask'd to lift any thing with my boom i always say no..when ask'd why i tell them does a crane pump concrete well then don't ask my pump to lift something..enough said.

This is a no brainier but I guess we have a few dare devils in our industry. Way back guys did this but the pros of today will always say no. Just remember you can be proud if your safe and you should feel shame for being unsafe. There is no pride in getting away with something that could hurt someone.

He is luck he did not redefine the term boom bounce.

I always say no and explain why.  My question is, is it in fact illegal? If OSHA came by and saw me lifting a trowel machine with the boom, what are the penalties? What happens?

Now think about it,the old hands.Yes i'm guilty as well,but in a day when they built booms.Todays booms are designed so much different,I got nervious hanging a 25 footer.A day when a 28m to 42m booms were rock solid.One that would try this is foolish,I wonder what osha would say today.

Hey art,that was outstanding.You brightend my evening.

It just figures. Everyone is starving and Art has a whole new business plan and leaves us all in the dust ;~)

Hi,

Good subject for safety.

One  time customer want to bring up his small vibrate  on 5^th floor for slab pour but  I was refused even vibrate  wait was very less then he was complain to my boss I did not cooperate with him but my boss well know me about my job that’s why my boss was not believe on that customer complain.

After some time very  interested thing happened with me when our concrete plant was break down  and our plant mechanic want to bring up one electric motor on the up  side of plant and that time crane was not available then my boss was order me to bring that motor by pump.

I refused by very respect and remember to my boss why I refused to customer for his vibrate because for me important is safety of pump not important the person.

If You do a lift , no concrete in the pipe and the aircuff and endhose taken off , and the thing You lift dont weigh more than a full endhose with mud , does the pump flipp over or does the boom break ?

Once a Year I lift our christmastrea up to the top of our silo.... Iám a badboy ;-)

 I'm guilty too, I've used the 2nd section to place power trowels for finishers. But like Bob said, After seeing enough things break and fail... I have'nt done it in several years.

 The outfit I started with used to have an oil barrel with 3way chains on it! (redneck man lift) I've also seen a Ford pickup lifted out of a foundation hole with the 2nd section of a 32m! I've seen guys boom'n stacks of panels and plenty of other stupid $hit!!! 

I have decorated some Christmas trees also Vasa! (lights only)

just thinking about this im not sure.....

Using your boom as a crane is illegal right ? But even if you were to do it arnt you supposed to be a dogman (dunno what they call them in the states, the guy who slings the load on a crane) .

I dont think it is illegal in Sweden , but I dont think the insurance take the damage....

I have operated knuckelbooms and towercranes , and worked on a cranecompany as a rigger so lift a cristmas tree properly is no problems , and the tree was lighter than a full end hose with concrete....and the endhose , aircuff and bend off so it was not an owerload .