Dear Members,

The American Concrete Pumping Association (ACPA) is announcing it will adopt a new safety rule regarding safety near power lines. The new rule requires concrete pumps must maintain a 20-foot (6 meters) minimum distance from power lines, or 50 feet (15 meters) from power lines carrying voltages of 350kV or higher while in operation (there are different minimum distances for driving). This change conforms to the new OSHA crane regulation regarding power line safety distances which takes effect on November 08, 2010.

The number one cause of fatal accidents with concrete pumps is electrocution. Although they were specifically excluded from the regulation, the hazards for cranes and pumps are similar, including booming into power lines; therefore, adoption of the rule constitutes simplicity throughout the construction industry.

Because there is no danger to pumpers who maintain the 17-foot rule, reprinting of ACPA safety materials will reflect the change as materials are replenished.

Further details may be found on the ACPA website www.concretepumpers.com

Christi Collins

Executive Director

American Concrete Pumping Association

Ph 614.431.5618  Fax 614.431.6944

christi@concretepumpers.com

www.concretepumpers.com

You have to print new stickers

interesting when sometimes you can park up on the side of the road and the powerlines can be within 10ft of the top of the truck.

You can't tell them that. But I guess we are all getting older and blinder, pff 20ft eeks. We are still 10ft in Canada. We would have to all go line pump if 20 was the rule,here. Be safe. Hhehe this looks worse than it was, probably an easy 17ft clearance.

Sorry seedless you are so wrong who ever said that to you is full of BS the rule has been 7 meters you just have to know who to ask or where to look if I can find the info again I will post it.

oh I forgot but in the last 6 weeks or so 4 booms hit lines here in Ontario one company from what was told had 2 in one week.

Murf raises an interesting point. In Melbourne, the tram network is operated by electrical lines 1.5 KV. Most times we drive under them with 0.5M clearance.

Heres a realtime vid of electic shock, not for faint hearted.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=8da_1255213832

So Ontario is different from BC. Our rule is 10ft BC. Higher voltages of course get up to 20.

if you would of put your main lower and your third higher you could of been father from the lines then you could of rolled tip and 3 your why not get as far asyoucan from lines.  ive done that sam setup 100s of times. b safe.

Yeah, really the dirt piles should have been moved to get you further from the danger zone. Pumps are nice on a jobsite, often you don't have to move the dirt, but this is one case that the dirt should have been moved.

yes dirt piles are a concern in most residential. With 150 pumps out of work in our area alone, we try to make it work,#1 there is room to be safe, remember 10ft rule, I mentioned I was 17ft.At the closest.You may be right though I could have been 20+ but this machine is smooth in all aspects in this configuration,And operator was quite comfortable with the situation. Now you will have to talk to our sales team to talk to the digger and contractor on moving piles, I saw no reason, though tight non the less. We try to educate contractors, to no avail. So the picture was taken on purpose to show how busy the sky was and traffic conditions. I have been running machines for 39 years, and have just learned to keep eyes on the fries. Always a better way indeed. We never stop learning do we.