Seems like reducing hoses are the safer way to go these days. For 25 years we have always had a hose with a metal end on it, and I am fortunate to say we are accident free though I know it can happen at any time.  What are all of your thoughts on these new hoses? I know they are a few hundred dollars more for starters. What about when you add line to the system? Just have to switch it out for a double ended hose? What about it jamming up with a rock that made it through the 5" system? You have to take it off the get it out the other way? Please share your opinions.

I have to say mixed emotions.I remember we got 5-4 tip hoses (test) and after field reports not bad.However the flip side,plugs.When a foriegn object makes it way through the boom the hose swells,compounding the problem.We all know with a full crew there how the heat is turned up.I know carry a spare 5-4 and tip hose,beat it out later.Truely a catch 22

I agree with many, but their is a danger with these tiphoses (reduced) Magine yourself pumping a basement wall the guy is stadging on 4 inches and no fall protection, you get a small chuck of debris in your hose, the flow WILL stop suddenley and if you DON'T turn the pump off it COULD blow through resulting in air pressure of epic proportions. End result is a guy on his ass HOPEFULLY unharmed. But what does ACPA have to say about these basement walls that we all have done still do for years with guys with no fall protection at all? Will the industry wait for someone to get killed like they usually do or will a pump company come up with a solution before that? I have suggested to my company of having him tied off to the boom, liability to high? Well i would rather have to pay a guy a few thousand rather than tell his familey i killed their daddy. Bob what do you think about this? Todd?

We only run reducing hoses. But...we also run double grates. We make a extra grate out of 3/8" rebar to run cross ways against the pump grate. Separate the cross rungs 3". Anything bigger than 3" will not go through and if something is able to go through it will probably make it through the hose. The extra grate uses 3-20ft sticks of steel. Not very expensive and saves alot of trouble. I can't remember the last time I plugged due to a chunk.

I have a 5" to 3" reducing hose.  I like it especially for icf.  It is made out of a softer rubber than the standard hoses.  If you do get some fin chunks they will plug the hose and you will have to take it off and push it out the top.  I did have it whip  on me once but this hose is softer than a standard hose so I believe it would do less damage if it hit something.  With a good slump and a slow speed the concrete comes out of the hose as a steady stream great for icf.  If there is a problem with the concrete coming out to fast the end of the hose is light enough and flexible enough that the hose man can tilt it up and slow it down some and direct it at an angle.

I do not think they make a 5 to 3 hose with 2 ends on it so yes you will have to change hose.

Midnight,

According to OSHA regs anyone above 6'  should have some form of fall protection.

(1) Nets: these are a joke at this elevation

(2) Walkway with proper handrails, mid rails and toe boards is what, by law, should be there

(3) Personal Protective Equipment [PPE] that is to say a safety harness with shock absorbing lanyard.......... well where would he tie off? Your boom?

Yup, that falls right into the NO GOOD DEED GOES UN-PUNISHED school of reality. Yes, that would probably be a good idea IF when something did happen you and your company were not punished for trying to do the right thing. And trust me, if something did happen you and your company would most definitely pay a price for trying to do the right thing. So, as much as you may want to, do not allow anyone to tie off to your boom. Sorry. Good idea, wrong outcome.

Bob Sanderson

www.ConcretePumpingSafety.com

Having someone tie off to your boom is a very, very, very, bad idea !!!!!

Reducing hoses under pressure with concrete in them are...well lets say hard as concrete. I don't think they are that much softer. They can't make reducing hoses with 2 metal ends. Reducing hoses are made with nylon cords, they will not stand the pressure in replacing the steel reducer.

well as far as the basement walls go i know the law, but my question is why do companies not reconize this and say hey we arent going to do that? GREED something happens and as bob said sooner or later it WILL the operator will be throwen under the bus for doing the job like always but he was taught thats how you do those walls. As far as tyeing off to the boom, that was a suggestion to a worse case sanerio.

The decision to make a pour is ALWAYS made by the operator. You can not avoid that truth. That being said, I have made pours in situations that I knew to be unsafe. I was younger, hungrier and dumber. But I also knew that the reason I was making the pour was my decision.

You don't need a regulation to tell you not to wrestle a bear; you just know better. So knowing that the choice is yours, make it.

The last place I worked the operators would, at times, make some less than intelligent decisions about whether or not to make a pour. They thought that the manager and owner wanted them to pour it out no matter what. When they bothered to ask, and not assume, they found that the people paying the bills wanted the same thing the operators did. A safe, smart, low risk, live happily ever after job. No undue risk, and no accidents or incidents.

Try calling in for guidance on some of those jobs and see who it is you work for. Chances are they will surprise you. You may find out that you are the risk taker, not your pump owner.

Can't hurt to ask.   ;~)

Mr Mike,

CF Ruff Neck reducer hoses are not reinforced with textile ("fabric") they are actually steel reinforced.  In order to be used on a boom, they must meet the CPMA required 1233 PSI (85 bar) working pressure.  The liner of the hose is actully run long & rolled over the wires on the small end so they aren't visible when you look at it...but trust me, they're in there.  Speaking of the liner, ours is also 40% thicker than our standard concrete pumping hoses are also!

Tom J

Ok. the reason I said that was I got a chunk of concrete int the hose one day that I could not beat out. I took off the hose and still couldn't beat it out, I got one of the contractors concrete saws and cut off the jam. Now I have a 5 to 3 1/2 hose :) Anyway I did not see any steel in there thats why I said that.

Here are some pics of the that double grate I've been talking about: http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa24/mrmike36z/IMG_2803.jpg http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa24/mrmike36z/IMG_2802.jpg http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa24/mrmike36z/IMG_2801.jpg

Thanks for all the feedback, I think we'll stick to the same rountine we've had for 25 years.

Mike,

That is how all of the grates used to look. It was harder to accept some of the dry concrete but it did a WAY better job of keeping out the oversize material.

Looks good   ;~)

I have found that anything under a 4" slump doesn't seem to want to go through even with the vibrator on so I don't use it with slumps under 4". Unless someone has a bad ass vibrator they know of. Sounds like another topic.

I got this info from Bob,

http://www.olivibrator.com/index.html

this vibrator really does a great job.....