OSHA 3221-12N 2004
WORKER SAFETY SERIES CONCRETE MANUFACTURING 11

Concrete Manufacturing

• More than 250,000 people work in concrete

manufacturing.

• Over 10 percent of those workers — 28,000 —

experienced a job-related injury or illness and

42 died in just one year.

• Potential hazards for workers in concrete

manufacturing:

■ Eye, skin and respiratory tract irritation 

from exposure to cement dust;

■ Inadequate safety guards on equipment;

■ Inadequate lockout/tagout systems on 

machinery;

■ Overexertion and awkward postures;

■ Slips, trips and falls; and

■ Chemical burns from wet concrete.

Hazards & Solutions

Manufacturing concrete can pose

health and safety risks for the worker.

For concrete manufacturing, the 10

OSHA standards most frequently

included in the agency’s citations

were: 

1. Hazard communication 

2. Lockout/tagout 

3. Confined spaces 

4. Respiratory protection 

5. Guarding floor & wall openings 

and holes 

6. Electrical wiring methods 

7. Noise exposure

8. Forklifts 

9. Electrical systems design 

10. Machine guarding

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Cement Dust

Hazard: Exposure to cement dust can irritate

eyes, nose, throat and the upper respiratory

system. Skin contact may result in moderate

irritation to thickening/cracking of skin to

severe skin damage from chemical burns.

Silica exposure can lead to lung injuries

including silicosis and lung cancer.

Solutions:

• Rinse eyes with water if they come into

contact with cement dust and consult a

physician.

• Use soap and water to wash off dust to

avoid skin damage. 

• Wear a P-, N- or R-95 respirator to minimize

inhalation of cement dust.

• Eat and drink only in dust-free areas to

avoid ingesting cement dust.

Wet Concrete

Hazard: Exposure to wet concrete can result

in skin irritation or even first-, second- or

third-degree chemical burns. Compounds

such as hexavalent chromium may also be

harmful.

Solutions:

• Wear alkali-resistant gloves, coveralls with

long sleeves and full-length pants, waterproof boots and eye protection.

• Wash contaminated skin areas with cold,

running water as soon as possible.

• Rinse eyes splashed with wet concrete with

water for at least 15 minutes and then go to

the hospital for further treatment.

2 WORKER SAFETY SERIES CONCRETE MANUFACTURING 3
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

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Machine Guarding

Hazard: Unguarded machinery used in the

manufacturing process can lead to worker

injuries.

Solutions:

• Maintain conveyor belt systems to avoid

jamming and use care in clearing jams.

• Ensure that guards are in place to protect

workers using mixers, block makers, cubers

and metalworking machinery such as rebar

benders, cutters and cage rollers.

• Establish and follow effective lockout/tagout

procedures when servicing equipment.

• Be sure appropriate guards are in place on

power tools before using them.

Falling Objects

Hazard: Workers may be hit by falling

objects from conveyor belt systems, elevators or concrete block stacking equipment.

Solutions:

• Avoid working beneath cuber elevators,

conveyor belts and stacker/destacker

machinery.

• Stack and store materials properly to limit

the risk of falling objects.

• Wear eye protection when chipping and

cleaning forms, products or mixers.

Poor Ergonomics

Hazard: Improper lifting, awkward postures

and repetitive motions can lead to sprains,

strains and other musculoskeletal disorders.

Solutions: 

• Use handtrucks or forklifts when possible. 

• Lift properly and get a coworker to help if a

product is too heavy.

• Avoid twisting while carrying a load. Shift

your feet and take small steps in the direction you want to turn.

• Keep floors clear to avoid slipping and tripping hazards.

• Avoid working in awkward postures.

4 WORKER SAFETY SERIES CONCRETE MANUFACTURING 5
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Confined Spaces

Hazard: Mixers and ready-mix trucks have

confined spaces that pose safety risks for

workers.

Solutions:

• Follow established procedures for confined

space entry and work to assure safety. 

• Guard against heat stress when cleaning

truck mixer drums.

• Wear appropriate protective equipment to

avoid silica exposure when removing concrete residues from inside truck mixer

drums.

Vehicles

Hazard: Poorly maintained or improperly

handled vehicles can lead to crushing injuries

at the plant site or other injuries for truck 

drivers.

Solutions:

• Make sure back-up alarms on all vehicles

are functioning.

• Avoid overloading cranes and hoists.

• Use care with the load out chute on concrete mixers to avoid injuries to hands and

fingers.

• Beware of hot surfaces on equipment and

truck components.

• Guard eyes against splashes of aggregate

materials during loading and unloading.

• Use hearing protection if needed to guard

against excessive noise exposure during

cement loading/unloading and while using

pneumatic chippers inside truck mixer

drums.

6 WORKER SAFETY SERIES CONCRETE MANUFACTURING 7
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

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Worker Safety Tips

General Precautions

• Be sure you understand how to perform all

your tasks and how to use tools and equipment safely.

• Follow confined space procedures when

cleaning and working in mixer drums, hoppers, tanks and other places with potentially

serious mechanical hazards, such as blades

or sloping sides which may entrap employees, or atmospheric hazards, such as oxygen deficiency.

• Wear appropriate personal protective equipment to avoid being injured by flying or

falling objects.

Vehicle Safety

• Be sure that trucks and other vehicles are in

good working order, including audible backup warning signals, before operating them.

• Avoid overloading hoists, cranes and 

forklifts.

8 WORKER SAFETY SERIES CONCRETE MANUFACTURING 9

Other Hazards

• Welding operations can lead to flash burns.

• Makeshift ladders, platforms and stairs 

with improper or no guardrails make falls

more likely. 

• Workers can also be injured by falling 

concrete forms if the forms are improperly

chocked, braced or cribbed.
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Think Safety Checklists

The following checklists may help

you take steps to avoid hazards that

cause injuries, illnesses and fatalities.

As always, be cautious and seek help

if you are concerned about a potential hazard.

General Safety

❏Implement a comprehensive safety and

health management system to find and

fix all hazards at the worksite.

❏Establish a written hazard communication

program to inform all employees about

chemical hazards and hazardous substances, reporting of hazards, appropriate

personal protective equipment and what

to do in emergency situations.

❏Train workers in safe work practices and

methods for all work activities, procedures and equipment as well as how to

recognize and respond to potential workplace hazards, including rendering first

aid.

❏Put in place personal protective equipment programs. Train workers in selecting, cleaning and maintaining equipment

such as respirators, protective clothing

and goggles. 

❏ Use safe work practices and appropriate

personal protective equipment for all

welding, cutting and burning; handling of

chemicals (e.g., moist concrete, epoxies,

form release agents); and during grinding, chipping, wire brushing, scraping

and cleaning.

10 WORKER SAFETY SERIES CONCRETE MANUFACTURING 11

Machine Safety

• Use lockout/tagout procedures to deenergize conveyors and other machinery

before attempting to free any jams.

• Secure chutes and hatches to reduce

injuries from swinging parts.

• Make sure guards are in place to protect

you from moving parts of machinery and

tools before you operate the equipment.

Overhead Hazards

• Be sure that form work, casting and stressing operations are adequately braced 

and chocked to avoid sudden release of

materials.

• Make certain that rigging is in place to protect against falling objects and materials

during hoisting and stacking procedures. 

• Do not walk or work under overhead loads. 
Occupational Safety and 

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Occupational Safety and 

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❏ Use special HEPA vacuums to clean up

dust instead of dry sweeping.

❏Reduce silica exposures during chipping,

drilling and sawing of concrete materials

with engineering controls, such as wet

methods and local exhaust ventilation. 

Fall Hazards

❏Identify and fix fall hazards, such as slippery surfaces, damaged ladders and

walkways, and any loose or unsteady

hand- or footholds used to climb up and

down on trucks and other equipment.

❏ Make sure all portable ladders have safety feet and are the proper length for the

specific task. Secure them or tie them off

to prevent movement.

❏Ensure scaffolding and walking/working

surfaces have adequate guardrails, safe

accessibility and no tripping hazards or

holes.

Ergonomics

❏Implement appropriate work practices

and/or controls to help reduce or eliminate potential back injuries from twisting,

turning, lifting, awkward postures and

whole body vibration.

❏Train workers in appropriate mechanical

and manual materials handling techniques and safety procedures to help

reduce or eliminate musculoskeletal

injuries. 

❏Provide dollies, handtrucks and conveyors to help minimize, reduce or eliminate

the need to bend and lift. 

12 WORKER SAFETY SERIES CONCRETE MANUFACTURING 13

❏Ensure that all tools and equipment --

including forklifts, cranes, hoists and rigging -- are maintained in good working

condition, are inspected regularly and are

operated by thoroughly trained, tested

and competent workers.

Physical Hazards 

❏Set up a noise control program to reduce

noise sources. Include sound-level measurements, audiometric testing, training

and/or hearing protection equipment.

❏Implement machine guarding and lockout/tagout procedures for all equipment

and machinery servicing and/or maintenance work to prevent workers from

being injured. 

❏Establish a confined-space entry program

to protect workers cleaning the inside of

mixer drums, storage bins, hoppers and

other confined spaces.

Health Hazards

❏Avoid exposure to cement dust to prevent bronchitis and silicosis. 

❏Prevent burns and skin and eye irritation

by avoiding skin contact and eye contact

with cement dust or wet cement. 

❏ Wear the appropriate personal protective

equipment, such as gloves, boots, goggles or HEPA-filter respirators. 

❏Avoid dusty areas and wet down work

areas, as appropriate, to reduce or eliminate dust. 
Occupational Safety and 

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14 WORKER SAFETY SERIES CONCRETE MANUFACTURING 15

Permit-Required Confined Spaces 

OSHA Publication 3138 (2004), 486KB PDF, 

22 pages.

This booklet covers highlights of the OSHA

standard for confined spaces.

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3138.pdf

Safeguarding Equipment and Protecting

Workers from Amputations

OSHA Publication 3071 (2001), 1.2MB PDF, 

78 pages.

This booklet offers guidance on machine guarding and other safe practices to reduce the risk 

of amputations.

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3170.pdf

Sling Safety 

OSHA Publication 3072 (1996), 866KB PDF, 

28 pages.

This booklet covers all aspects of sling safety.

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3072.pdf

Stairways and Ladders 

OSHA Publication 3124 (2003), 155KB PDF, 

15 pages.

This booklet covers safety issues related to both

fixed and movable stairs and ladders.

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3124.pdf

Concrete Safety &

Health Resources

Most resource materials can be found

on the OSHA website at www.osha.gov

Physical Hazards

Confined Space

Downloadable electronic advisor software

(1997), 2MB.

This software guides the user in identifying 

confined spaces and protecting workers who

enter them.

http://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/oshasoft/csa.html

Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) 

OSHA Publication 3120 (2002), 174KB PDF, 

45 pages.

This booklet provides guidance on protecting

workers against unexpected energy releases

from mechanical and electrical equipment.

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3120.pdf

Lockout/Tagout e-Tool

Interactive online training program (1999).

This e-Tool offers an overview of OSHA’s

Lockout/Tagout standard, including interactive

case studies.

http://www.osha.gov/dts/osta/lototraining/

index.htm

Materials Handling and Storage 

OSHA Publication 2226 (2002), 559KB PDF, 

41 pages.

This booklet outlines OSHA requirements covering handling and storing materials, focusing on

forklift safety and ergonomics.

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha2236.pdf

www.osha.gov

Permit-Required 

Confined Spaces

OSHA 3138-01R 2004
16 WORKER SAFETY SERIES CONCRETE MANUFACTURING 17

Hearing Conservation 

OSHA Publication 3074 (2002), 157KB PDF, 

32 pages.

The booklet explains how to establish an effective hearing conservation program that meets

OSHA requirements.

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3074.pdf

Personal Protective Equipment 

OSHA Publication 3151 (2004), 629KB PDF, 

46 pages.

This booklet offers guidance on when and how

to use personal protective equipment to guard

against occupational injuries and illnesses.

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3151.pdf

Respiratory Protection 

OSHA Publication 3079 (2002), 273KB PDF, 

42 pages.

This booklet outlines OSHA requirements on

respiratory protection and offers guidance on

establishing an effective respiratory protection

program.

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3079.pdf

Respiratory Protection e-Tool

Downloadable electronic software (1998).

This e-Tool enables users to determine whether

they need to establish a respiratory protection

program and what type of respirators to use.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/respiratory/

index.html

Small Entity Compliance Guide for OSHA’s

Respiratory Protection Standard

OSHA (1999), 706KB PDF, 149 pages.

This booklet provides help for small businesses

seeking to meet OSHA requirements for respiratory protection programs.

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/secgrevcurrent.pdf

Health Hazards

Crystalline Silica Exposure Card for 

General Industry

OSHA Publication 3176 (2003), 37KB PDF; OSHA

Publication 3178 (Spanish) (2003), 42KB PDF.

This laminated pocket card offers workers a

concise summary of silica health hazards and

lists precautions to take to limit exposure.

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3176.pdf

and

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3178.pdf

Crystalline Silica

OSHA Fact Sheet (2002), 52KB PDF, 2 pages,

also in Spanish (2003).

This Fact Sheet highlights the hazards of silica

and provides guidance on preventing exposures.

http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/

crystalline-factsheet.pdf 

and

http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/

crystalline-spanish.pdf

Silica e-Tool

Downloadable electronic software (1998).

This e-Tool describes the hazards of silica and

offers guidance on protecting workers.

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/silica/index.html

Hazard Communication Guidelines for

Compliance 

OSHA Publication 3111 (2000), 112KB PDF, 

33 pages.

This booklet provides an overview of OSHA’s

Hazard Communication standard and gives 

specific guidance on compliance.

http://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3111.pdf

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

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18 WORKER SAFETY SERIES CONCRETE MANUFACTURING 19

Concrete Industry

Cooperative Programs

Voluntary Protection Programs

OSHA recognizes worksites with excellent

safety and health management systems

through its Voluntary Protection Programs

(VPP). These model worksites are willing to

share their expertise and many are available

to mentor other businesses. For further information on how VPP participants can help you,

contact the VPP manager in your OSHA

Regional Office (see www.osha.gov for listings) or the Voluntary Protection Programs

Participants’ Association, 7600-E Leesburg

Pike, Suite 440, Falls Church, VA 22043, telephone (703) 761-1146.

Alliance Program

Alliances enable organizations committed to

workplace safety and health to collaborate

with OSHA to prevent injuries and illnesses 

in the workplace. Two of OSHA’s national

Alliances have an impact on the concrete

manufacturing industry.

NIOSH Materials

The National Institute for Occupational Safety

and Health (NIOSH) offers many useful publications available on its website at

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh 

Comprehensive Safety Recommendations for

the Precast Concrete Products Industry. DHHS

(NIOSH) Publication No. 84-103 (1984).

Elements of Ergonomics Programs: A Primer

Based on Workplace Evaluations of

Musculoskeletal Disorders. DHHS (NIOSH)

Publication No. 97-117 (1997).

NIOSH Hazard Review: Health Effects of

Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline

Silica. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2002-129

(April 2002).

NIOSH Alert – Preventing Worker Deaths from

Uncontrolled Release of Electrical, Mechanical,

and Other Types of Hazardous Energy. DHHS

(NIOSH) Publication No. 99-110 (August 1999).

Other Sources

Ready Mixed Concrete Truck Drivers:WorkRelated Hazards and Recommendations for

Controls, Nancy Clark, Jonathan Dropkin and

Lee Kaplan, Mt. Sinai – Irving J. Selikoff Center

for Occupational and Environmental Medicine

(Sept. 2001), available at http://www.elcosh.org
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

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20 WORKER SAFETY SERIES CONCRETE MANUFACTURING 21

A Success Story

NY Concrete Maker 

Improves Safety, 

Cuts Costs 

Precast concrete manufacturer

Oldcastle Precast’s Manchester

New York Division reduced its occupational injury and illness rate by

75 percent in three years. The

Manchester facility cut its recordable injuries from 12 in the first

year to just one in the third year. 

Oldcastle experienced this incredible success by establishing a safety

and health management system

good enough to make it the first

precast concrete facility to join

OSHA’s Merit Voluntary Protection

Program (VPP).

Changing Culture

The process began when CRH, a multinational conglomerate that manufactures construction materials worldwide, sent new managers

to the Building Systems Division of Oldcastle.

The new managers brought cultural change

and a renewed commitment to safety and

health to the Manchester site.

Managers came to know all employees on a

first-name basis. They encouraged employees to ask questions and voice any safety

concerns so that management could address

them immediately. The managers emphasized the importance of employees as a company asset and made clear that employee

Mason Contractors Association of America

Reducing hazards related to wall bracing,

falls, scaffolding and forklifts is the focus of

OSHA’s Alliance with the Mason Contractors

Association of America. The joint effort will

include developing education and training

programs on these issues as well as developing and disseminating case studies illustrating the business value of safety and health.

American Concrete Pipe Association 

OSHA’s Alliance with the American Concrete

Pipe Association (ACPA) focuses on reducing

and preventing exposure to confined space

hazards. Under this Alliance, OSHA and ACPA

will develop and disseminate outreach materials, work together on eTools and participate in

other efforts to reduce injuries or illnesses

associated with confined space hazards.

Consultation

Every state offers a free, onsite consultation

program to help small employers find and 

fix hazards and establish effective safety and

health management systems. Funded primarily by OSHA, consultation is provided at

no cost to small employers and is delivered

by state authorities through professional safety and health consultants. More information

on OSHA’s Consultation Program appears on

the agency’s website at www.osha.gov.
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

22 WORKER SAFETY SERIES CONCRETE MANUFACTURING 23

Applying for VPP

After two years of preparation, Oldcastle

applied for VPP recognition. OSHA evaluators

spent four days assessing the facility. Their

onsite visit included an opening and closing

conference, employee interviews, industrial

hygiene surveys and a complete evaluation of

the site’s safety and health management system. 

One of the highlights of Oldcastle’s program,

according to Norman R. Deitch, OSHA’s 

New York VPP Manager and the VPP Team

Leader, was the company’s effort to involve

Spanish-speaking employees. Oldcastle

also received high marks for its extensive

use of digital photos to record unsafe conditions and the results of corrective actions 

for worker training.

Continuing to Improve

For the precast concrete industry (SIC 3272) in

2000, the nonfatal occupational injury and illness incidence rate was 13.7 per 100 full-time

workers. When Oldcastle applied for VPP, its

rate was 13.4. Now it is 2.0. Oldcastle found

participation is key to eliminating hazards and

reducing employee injuries and illnesses.

“Having a safe work environment is just good

business,” according to the division’s general

manager. “We need to make the necessary

commitment to safety at all levels of the company, and we are responsible to follow

through with the safest route, no matter what

the cost,” he explained. In the process,

Oldcastle learned that safety investments pay

for themselves, time and again.

Aiming for VPP

Oldcastle decided to aim for VPP recognition,

knowing that working toward this goal would

drive the facility toward excellence. Typically,

injury and illness rates for VPP sites are 51

percent below industry norms. To qualify,

Oldcastle had to submit an application

explaining the site’s safety and health management system. Then OSHA examined the

company’s safety records, programs and history, and conducted a detailed onsite review.

Once in the program, Oldcastle had to undergo periodic reviews to maintain its status. 

To improve its safety program to qualify for

VPP, Oldcastle set objectives and provided the

necessary resources to accomplish them;

they performed daily facility inspections and

corrected any problems; and they informed

employees, vendors and contractors of the

program’s status throughout the process.

“We knew we had to boost existing programs

and initiate new ones to comply. We knew

our efforts would make our company a safer

place to work and that was our goal,” noted

Oldcastle’s safety manager.
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Health Administration

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Health Administration

24 WORKER SAFETY SERIES CONCRETE MANUFACTURING 25

that reducing worker injuries and illnesses is

not only the moral and humanitarian thing to

do, but it also reduces costs associated with

workplace accidents while increasing the division’s competitiveness.

Oldcastle’s Accident Prevention Program

remains effective because everyone—the

general manager, department managers,

supervisors, employees and the safety manager—takes a personal interest in accident

prevention. Every effort is made to ensure

that every worker knows, understands and

observes the requirements of applicable laws,

regulations and standards. 

Giving Employees Credit

Oldcastle’s plant manager credits employees

on the shop floor. “We could be the best

managers in the world, but the men on the

front line need to embrace the safety culture,”

he observed.

The Manchester facility manufactures and

installs hollowcore plank and precast concrete

structural systems throughout Western New

York. Some of the more than 2.58 million

square feet of precast products weigh in

excess of 25 tons each. The facility’s sales

manager related, “Either you make precast

concrete pieces safely, or you don’t make

them for very long.” 

Oldcastle’s safety manager spearheaded the

division’s commitment to safety and took

charge of the VPP application process. She

credits the plant employees for their hard

work and continued dedication to their safety

program. 

Reaching for Star

Under the VPP, Merit worksites are recognized

as having the potential and commitment to

achieve Star status within three years.

Oldcastle’s goal is to reach Star status within

twelve months. According to the safety manager, “This achievement is looked upon by

Oldcastle as a positive step in achieving a

safe workplace for our employees and will

only further aid us in ensuring the complete

safety of our workplace.”

Additional information about OSHA’s

Voluntary Protection Programs is available on

the agency’s website at www.osha.gov, from

regional OSHA VPP managers or local OSHA

offices. The Voluntary Protection Programs

Participants’ Association (www.vpppa.org)

administers a mentoring program for those

worksites considering participation.

Oldcastle Precast’s Manchester New York Division.
Occupational Safety and 

Health Administration

U.S. Department of Labor

www.osha.gov

Employers are responsible for providing a safe

and healthful workplace for their employees.

OSHA’s role is to assure the safety and health of

America’s workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging

continual improvement in workplace safety and

health.

This informational booklet provides a general

overview of a particular topic related to OSHA

standards. It does not alter or determine compliance responsibilities in OSHA standards or the

Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.

Because interpretations and enforcement policy

may change over time, you should consult current

OSHA administrative interpretations and decisions

by the Occupational Safety and Health Review

Commission and the Courts for additional guidance on OSHA compliance requirements.

This publication is in the public domain and may

be reproduced, fully or partially, without permission. Source credit is requested but not required.

This information is available to sensory impaired

individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 693-

1999; teletypewriter (TTY) number: (877) 889-5627.