I agree completely, i worked for an unnamed company for posting reasons, had a company that I worked for take a mixer driver trained him to run a 36m and after 3 weeks moved him up to a 52m. First day out he raised his boom up to washout and did so forget to lower the boom and got on a freeway and hit an overpass.....OOOooopppppssss

Training and experience count!

I do not know about the level of training or experience that YOU have had. One thing that I do see happening is, as stupid as it sounds, they forget where they are in the \"process\"

Safety is about concentrating on the job at hand. A momentary lapse is all that it takes for a disaster to happen. It is essential that you stay focused on what you are doing now and the effect that action has on the overall job. (If this then? what) A routine is one way of maintaining that focus; an edge in the successful job done well. When you are out of sync you loose one tool; and sometimes your focus is lost as well. Every one of us knows that you can not stow the outriggers with the boom still up. That is not the issue. Yes, that is the reason the pump fell over. That is not the lesson to take away from this event, you know that. Just think about all the pictures you have seen of pumps \'tire side up\'. A large majority of them have the outriggers stowed. All of the operators of these machines knew that they would fall over with no outriggers. What they did not know (at that time) was that they had ceased to be aware of where they were at that time. That is the issue here as I see it; just a momentary loss of focus, a lapse in your situational awareness. The better you are at your job the less likely you are to loose your situational awareness, your focus. We have all seen operators that NEVER really \"get it\" they never have a handle on \'where\' in the routine they are. Their brain never does make the connection ... If this-- then (reaction). I used to work for a guy, (Tom). His observation was that \"The guy moves like a professional\". = he knows where he is. Watch a really good, focused operator move around his machine. It is like a dance where he knows the steps. He is focused; his situational awareness is set on high at all times. If the music stops or changes he still knows where he is and what is next. I write often about the routine. The routine is not and end to its self; it is a tool. Like any tool it makes your job easier to do well. The tool is not the answer, it is a way to simplify or make finding the answer easier and more assured. It is an edge or aid in the battle for a job well done. It is your job to maintain situational awareness at all times. There are many activities vying for your attention; cell phones, friends, strange noises that don’t fit into the situation, truck horns, two signal men, calcium chloride in the middle of summer… the list is endless. Sometimes it is just too much to deal with and you get short with people or over react to a situation. The dispatcher wants you on another job, your wife would like you to be home early, the mud has been slow all day, the drivers want to yack with each other, the back end of your pump has two yards on it, the contractor wants you to move to the other side of the job to do one column; being the ring master in the circus and staying focused on your primary job is tough. A rookie needs to watch the box and the boom and that is ok because that is who he is. He knows that he doesn’t have the “tools” to operate on auto pilot. The other end of the spectrum is the guy that can back in the mixer truck, move the boom, think about the next set up, tell the driver discharging that he is getting ready to turn off the pump, tell the dispatcher when he will be done, glance at his outriggers and NEVER forget where he is or not know the foreseeable reaction of his actions. 99.5% of all operators are somewhere in between these two extremes.

How do you get from rookie to auto pilot?

Practice Remember what works Develop learning tools Learn the art of being able to focus Create your system Practice Remember where you are Study the reactions to your actions Practice Mentally develop a list of what doesn’t work Refine your system Practice Think before you act Practice Know where you are Practice Become situationally aware Practice Practice makes perfect

Bob,you are so right.

Responsibility + consitration = a good operator.The last thing I always did was a walk around before leaving a job,set pump up by the numbers.

We once had an operator get into a heated discussion with his wife on cell phone.He always raised the boom for wash out (42m) only this time he was caught off guard,forgetting to lower boom.As you can imagine yes he hit the bridge at 50+mph.

I just can\'t stress enough the importance of setting up by the numbers,walk arounds when ready to leave a job,understanding your machine and the dangers involved.

Said it before, companies do not train people anymore, they show them how to run a remote box and wham they are pump operators. These companies who do this need to be held liable for their actions but it wont happen until the worse happens and someone is killed.

MidnightRider

I wish that there was more and better training too. If by whatever means the prices were higher perhaps the \"boss\" could see it in his heart to train better; I don\'t know. What I do know is that however that individual got the position of operator on that machine he is operating; he needs to pay attention to:

the condition of his outriggers - the hazards around his machine - and the lives of his co-workers.

That is a full time job even for a fully trained operator.

Anyone ever fly a plane? I know pilots have a checklist they go through each and every time. Someone should make one for running a pump. From the time you leave the yard till the time you get back.  It could even be one of the safety stickers on the pumps to refer to each and every day that way things aren\'t forgotten.

please feel free to use or expand

1. Arrive at yard – rested

      a. Pre-trip inspection   DOT

      b. Walk around – (YOUR COMPANY NAME HERE)

            1. Back end buttoned-up

            2. Outriggers locked

            3. Remote

            4. Sponge 

      c. System check

            1. Safety straps (ONE) for each hanging item

            2. Pipes, hoses, clamps and special items

      d. PPE

            1. Hard hat

            2. Safety glasses

            3. Fall protection

             4. Safety Vest

      e. Documentation

            1. Registration

            2. Over weight permit

            3. Insurance card

            4. Job ticket (explain terms and conditions on reverse side)

            5. Correct drivers license for equipment

      f. Clean windows & mirrors

      g. Wear seat belt

      h. Lights on for safety

2. Driving    

      a. Alert (no distractions) most accidents happen on road

      b. Follow the rules of the road

      c. Following distance – differs for road conditions and truck size

      d. Lane changes signal and plan well in advance

      e. Be aware of traffic conditions

3. Arrive at job site (check with superintendent or foreman FIRST)

      a. Ground conditions

            1. Soil

            2. Underground hazards

      b. Set-up

            1. 3 deg’ level

            2. Dunnage (sufficient to transfer download to soil within ACPA specs)

            3. Overhead obstructions – cranes (communicate!)

            4. Power lines – NEVER operate closer than 17 feet

            5. Mixer access

            6. Other craft traffic

            7. Reach

            8. Job site safety hazards

c. Prime out

            1. Warning to crew – Keep safe distance until prime complete

            a. Hose whip

            b. Hose kinking

            c. Concrete splatter

            d. Line pressure

            e. Proximity to boom & system

d. Prime agent    

1. Type

2. Amount

c. Sequence

4. Pumping

      a. Plan the pour  

            1. Communicate with hose man

      b. Anticipate the move (do not play catch up)

      c. Hose hugging

      d. RM truck safe backing

      e. Crew aware of hose movement

      f. Things we will not do (why)

            1. Boom closer than 17’ to high voltage line

            2. Boom over power line NEVER!!!

            3. Boom over occupied house * sign ticket

            4. Boom thru unsecured joist

            5. Boom over moving traffic   * sign ticket

5. Moving Location on Job-site

      a. All considerations of original set up

      b. Hose whip – Keep boom safe distance from crew

      c. Concrete batch time

            1. Temperature of concrete

            2. Admixtures

            3. Slump

            4. Ambient temperature

      d. Re-stow boom & outriggers

6. Cleaning boom

      a. Sponge – suction

            1. Retrieve speed

            2. Hopper blow back

      b. Water pressure

            1. Water in hopper

            2. Washout plug & water pump

c. Air pressure DANGER!!! REQUIRES TWO PROPERLY TRAINED PEOPLE

            1. Proper blow out cap

            2. Catch basket

            3. Danger

            4. Use as a method of last resort

7. Cleaning hopper and valve

      a. Grate – closed

      b. Eye protection

      c. Hands never in valve

      d. Water rationing

8. Moving off site

      a. Rear end buttoned up

      B. All gear retrieved

      c. Ticket signed

      d. Walk around

            1. Dunnage – pads secure

            2. System secure

            3. Outriggers all locked

            4. Remote in cab

            5. Call dispatch

9. Return to yard

      a. Complete all required DOT post trip

      b. Turn in all tickets & log

      c. Notify shop of problems

      d. Check clipboard

      e. Clear out with dispatch

10. Drive home safely -

I like it Bob, one question though. You mention signing a ticket for booming over a occupied house. Isn\'t getting something signed that involves safety an admission of guilt? If it ever came to an accident happening.

I should have put a note there.

I can not conceive of anyone staying in a house after the operator explains the reality of the boom falling on it. They will \"watch\" from out in the yard.

sorry my \'puter went crazy

Bottom line, you can\'t boom over an occupied house. (according to my insurance rep) But if the general contractor wants to accept liability; you may boom over moving traffic.

super boom operators booms 60m and larger should be well seasoned like my steak! they should run 40m for a while, then 50m class then 60m class. they should be your most experienced ,your safest, your smartest,they should attend regular safety meetings, and if you are lucky everything will be o.k. it is not just a investment in a pump it is a investment in a good operator. 

Like we discussed before Bob, FOCUS 101. Most important for any and all operators. If no one within your organization has not taught you yet, you never move a machine until your boom is in transport position, there is no excuse. Every jobsite is different, and sometimes times you have to go around your machine a few times to stow your outriggers based on conditions, but that takes focus, but you never do so until your boom is folded and in the cradle.

This one step has cost more accidents than I have fingers and toes

Yup!

Between short-rigging; and forgetting that you can not boom to the short side and just plain stowing the outriggers before the boom is in the cradle and risky set-ups or not checking periodically on your set up; most of our job-site accidents are accounted for. Everyone that has put in one week on a 28m knows this; and yet guys with years of experience still do it.

Perhaps FOCUS-101 isn\'t enough; I just don\'t know.

Being a calm focused person is the only way in this industry.

There is also a lot to be said about not doing crack. random drug testing should be done by all companies.  If you have a problem with that, then you are one of the offenders.

I kow the guy you are talking about. His reg pump he ran was 42m unit 73. He also ran the 55m and 58m when they needed to be relieved. (especialy when a certian operator had heart issues)He has pumped for around 20yrs. I also heard he had 11 six by sixes under the rigger that went down.I understand it did not flip the rigger sunk and the tip hit the rebar for the wall thus it got bent. He picked up the boom and swung it over to the other side and the pump settled back down. he also re set the pump up and finished the pour. Down time was less than an hr. Pics were taken and an ivestigation was done. It was determined the ground gave way on his 3rd pass. It was I think 6 feet of sugar sand on top of swamp. 95% of the site was compacted except where he was instructed to set up. From what I understand the grading co and the general contractors took the blame for this one. Sounds like he was very expeirenced and got the pour done. This is the entire story.