The housing market here in ole Hotlanta has come off of rapid boil......... finally. Work is still brisk, but not insane, like it had been. No one knows what will happen after the election. I hope for the best.

Every time that work slows down the price for pumping follows. Just when there is less work and owners need to keep making payments on the new pumps they purchased, the prices go down. It happens every time. It never fails. The salesmen that exist on commision checks get nervous and try and retain their customers; just like always.

The ACPA has, in its mission statement, "to promote expand and improve" ........................ the pumping industry.

I have an idea of how to IMPROVE our industry, and at the same time maybe clear out some of the 'pretenders'. The people that are dedicated to this industry want it to be better, safer and profitable. If the 'fly-by-night' pumpers were not bidding (buying) the work, the real companies could maintain better pricing for jobs.

Here is one idea.

Have the ACPA, both the headquarters and the membership, make our customer base aware that an "UN-certified" boom pump is a potential hazard that they do not need on their job site. If a pump showed up for a pour without a current inspection certificate and decal; well, it couldn't make the pour.

When the operator jumped out of his cab in his wife beater shirt with out a hard hat or safety glasses and no current inspection sticker he would just have to crawl his sorry, unsafe ass back in his pile of scrap and drive it back to his oilsoaked yard and park it.

It would not take more than one of these happenings to eliminate that outfit from the list of pumpers that could bid work for that contractor.

What is the downside to this? NOTHING!!! There isn't one. The worst thing that could happen is the sorry-ass pumper would be forced to inspect, and repair his machine. And that is not a bad thing. The cost of the repairs and the inspection might make this owner reevaluate the real COST of operating his pumps.

Whatcha think???

Bob, your right.  It's the fly by night pump operations(who are only in business because some manufacturer financed or signed recourse to gain market share) that give the industry a black eye.  Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against "the little guy", I've been the little guy myself, but we did things right.  Having a pumping business means that you are a businessman.  A real pumping businessman maintains his equipment by performing the scheduled inspections and required repairs, he demands that his employees follow the rules regarding the safe operation of equipment as per the manufacturers guidelines, hours of service rules are followed, daily write ups and maintenance records are stored, drug testing (pre-employment and random) and back ground checks are performed, the proper insurance is carried, etc.  A real businessman tracks both revenues and expenses; so he knows how much it costs to operate a unit per hour and per yard.  A real businessman doesn't buy his work, he earns it with integity, dedication to service and commitment to safety!  A business is a direct reflection of the owner; solid business, solid owner; poor business...you get the picture.

As far as a mandated powerline alarm system, I don't see the need.  Follow the rules, CPMA says 17 Feet, I say 17 Feet, the company that employs me says 17 Feet.  Zero Tolerance, Zero Exceptions!  No need for a warning system, especialy a mandated one that would only drive up costs in this extremely marginal business which we choose to dedicate our lives.  

I am trying to use an existing, mandated program (boom inspection) to either narrow the feild or bring those out of compliance - in. With proper education of our customer base we can have the people that pay for our service demand that the boom pumps that operate on their job sites have a current inspection. And you are correct that it is not the "little" guy" that is the problem. It is not the size of the company but rather the mind set of the owner that is in question.

As for the proximity alarm systems.

On a pure personal level I am all for them. I am sure that they could/would save accidents from happening. That industry has yet to field an alarm system that works well with articulated booms, and is 99.9% effective. I understand that Lance @ Sig Alarms has a new product under development. I wish him well. I also think that SOME DAY we will have to be equipped with some type of proximity alarm. It is part of the natural evolution of things. When the technology is ready then maybe the industry will be ready as well.

But for now; No inspection decal, no job works for me.

ps

I am as always talking about an inspection and any subsequent repair being performed by a professional company. I don't feel like most of the clowns inspecting boom pumps today have a real handle on what they are doing. EXAMPLE:

I saw one of these fools unfold the boom and 'wiggle' the joints, and call it good. I have crawled around with more than one professional inspector and three hours later there was an inspected boom pump. It is not a 45 min' process.

Dreamland - some of the biggest "promoters" et el of the ACPA and its Safety Program are the biggest violators.  No need to name names since everyone in the industry knows who they are.  It is a dog and pony show for the insurance people and the courts.   You are living in a dreamland if you expect the movers and shakers to sink their own leaky boat.   Another great idea that just won't work.

I am not sure what part of the country you live or work in or how many of the "movers and shakers" you have had contact with, but the ones I know take safety very seriously.  In fact the safety of their employees and their coworkers are priority.  Not because it's the law but because they care.  When there is an accident and it goes to litigation, that is up to the lawyers and we all agree that the good ones are completely unethical with no emotions whatsoever.

But the question that is brought up here is having the manufactures required inspections and repairs performed by a qualified professional.  This is neccesary in order for our industry to maintain a professional image and to provide a safe work enviroment for everyone involved with concrete pumping.

I think that all operators should have at least 6 months of training be for they get to run a boom bye there self I think that ½ of them do not know what they are doing or what kind of danger that they put others and them self in and I think all pump owners should have to have older pump inspected ever month or ever two months I see a lot of pumps out there that could not even be driving on the roads with all the kids out there one more thing BOB I think I know you I worked with you   

dangerous stuff..

 i heard of two guys already losing a hand and one a arm on a line pump this year..