In the last few years it seem like alot of good operators or not so good operators have been pushing the limits of there machines. The ones that dont make it there incidents or accidents end up on here for the world to see and you think that being educated by photos and comments on here will help change things but it appears they are not. When I was learning to operate a pump I was lucky enough to have been taught by a safe operator here in Ontario and then 2 really good operators in western Canada so I was lucky enough to have had 3 awesome operators to teach me and with all there many years of exp I was fortunate.

The flip side to this is I would not let a customer or pump company owner tell me what or where to set up or let them say other operators have gone close to those wires or what ever games they tried to play and yes it cost me some jobs but till this day a 100% safety record. So I have a saying you never get a 2nd chance to F.... up the first time and taking a few extra minutes to set up with dunnage or reposition the pump or what ever may save you a life of regret. I have learned that a accident or near miss just does not happen if look back you will see that it was a build up of little things along a chosen path will lead to it.

I am sure 99.9% of us dont go to work and say I am going to have a accident today I had one day when I had to pump 3 walls and 12 footings and move for every one of them and I had to put dunnage out for everyone of them because the soil was terrible. Remember we are paid to pump concrete and in alot of cases baby sit the mixer guys and we are responsible for the entire work area that our booms can reach even if we are not using the whole length.

Here is one to think about I was being rushed by a forming crew anyway they are saying short rig the non pumping side and I said sorry but cant do it even though I could have easily I had all four out when my boom started to come down the wall guys were yelling the hose is to low I said it is coming down and like dear in the headlights they froze so I had to swing it away from them fast and a few seconds later the 2nd 3rd and 4th were on the ground if I would have short rigged it that 40m would have been on its side. What caused it the cylinder failed. If we all take some extra time with set ups and being more aware of what is around us I am sure over time the accidents or close calls will become less and less and the message board will not be so lively....sorry Todd

Lets face the facts we all do this because we like it or we would not be here we get paid to use some of the coolest equipment on the planet and best of all it is remote controlled. So to my fellow operators male/female take some extra time to do it right sure you might get a ear full from some customers but at the end of the day everyone goes home. 

well said mate.

Amen.. The problem with the pumping industry today is the lack of respect everyone has for the big booms and the operators. The booms keep getting bigger every year and the safety standards are not keeping up with the industry. The day will come after a serious accident: then they will treat big booms like cranes because of the new safety standards that will happen.  Mark my words.....

Now that's what i'm talk'n about.The fact is the past "helter skelter" economy boom produced some mighty strang bedfellows.As in old school truck drivers,some couldn't measure up.

Keep in mind the trainers can only do so much,they to report back to there company.The owners/management share much of the blame as well.Although your words are so very true and I agree,you can't fix stuipid.

We dont get the respect like crane operators because the owners and managers dont demand that we have a safe set up area, And now you have putzmeister selling EBC, Really, how stupid you dont see the crane guys trying to short rig to get set up. Also cranes usually dont whore themselves out for 1979 prices.  We are 20 years behind them, and we can only blame ourselves

Well said pump031.  We dont get the same respect as the crane operators becuase we do not demand it.  Ever notice when a crane pulls onsite, the operator says where he is going, and everyone agrees.  We (the pumpers) pull onsite, we are told where to set up, and everyone onsite knows our job better then we do!  I am not sure when or where it happened, I would imagine its due to companies getting into this 'billion dollar pumping industry' that shouldnt, and everyone working for free.  Contractors love it.

I don't know about you guys but with me it works like this:

The customer tells me what he wants to poor and asks me if I can stand there where they want me to stand. If it's possible I say OK. If it's not possible I say no.

If it's no than I give him the other options or solutions and together we work it out. It is not so difficult. I think it works like this with cranes to. Cranes can't shortrigg so easy as pumps because they are 'in ballance' that means if they lift something than the most pressure is on the workside outriggers. But when they don't lift the pressure is on the other side where the ballast weight is. With a pump the most pressure is always there where the boom is pointing towards. 

But a crane operator will always do that what the customer wants as long as its possible. Why say no if you know it can be done. But a mobile crane simply CAN'T shortrigg like a pump. I don't even think the computer will allow it.

But at the end of the day we never do anything we don't think is safe and might dammage our machine. So we are actualy just as much 'in charge' as our crane colleages.

wISE WORDS FROM A WISE OPERATOR. Thats the problem were in the same catogory as cranes but we have to rush even faster do to timely concrete and impatient contractors but if you ask them to rush a 200' crane, they wouldnt dare. its time people know that there is just as much risk if not more for us as is cranes or any piece of machinery. Just the other day was my first time telling a contractor NO. To close to power lines. He was mad at first until I explained to him what bacon looked like in a frying pan. Then I said I'm ballsey but not stupid.

The suspension 'trick' was to have a couple wooden blocks to stick in between the frame and the spring.

I had another "trick" than woodenblock (that always was broken after use) when I was operating a Schwing 23-4 , I had made distances of steeltube to put between the frontaxel and the frame . So it was easy to drive in buildings and reach more of the pour . My friend have extra airbags (from airsuspension) between the axel and frame , You only press a button and ready to put the boom over the cab and drive . [img]http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb169/KTM68/15SlpisExportgatan.jpg[/img]

you hit the nail on the head well said

So why can't the pumping industry get together in North America and set the proper standards for pumps. Fine the pumper & contractor that doesn't play by the rules (safety first). I have been guilty in the past of pushing the envelope just to get a job done. You know if you say no they will call someone else who will do it and you have lost all their future work. In this market it can hurt$$;  damed if you don't & not safe if you do. This economy sucks for safety!!!!