What Are the Dangers of Working in a Concrete-Based Plant?

Employees who work with concrete are subject to dangers from exposure to the material. While the extent of the danger related to the concrete is significant in jobs such as construction, the highest risk to concrete-specific hazards is within the facilities that manufacture the concrete, according to the IOP Science website. Knowing the potential risks associated with working in a concrete-based plant can help workers prepare for the job and minimize the dangers of working there.

 

Inhalation Dangers

• People who work in a concrete machinery setting are constantly exposed to the dust from the dried raw materials. Those who sweep and clean are especially susceptible to inhalation hazards. Portland cement is a common material used to make concrete, and the dust from the dried cement has been labeled a possible cancer risk, according to the IOP Science website.
  Inhaling this dust is suspected to increase risk of several cancers, including pharyngeal carcinoma and gastric cancer. Inhaling this material is also known to cause nose and throat irritation and respiratory difficulties. Exposure to crystalline silica dust, another concrete raw material, can lead to a serious lung disease called silicosis, according to the State Compensation Insurance Fund website.

Skin Contact

• While working with and mixing concrete in a plant, workers are likely to expose their skin to wet concrete from time to time. As long as the substance is washed off immediately, irritation is unlikely. However, extended contact with the skin will cause concrete to burn the skin because of the alkaline nature of the mixture. These burns can range from first- to third-degree, and skin ulcers may result if the substance is in contact with the skin for long periods.
  Even with protective clothing, workers may get bits of concrete trapped inside boots or have it soak through layers of clothing, according to the Electronic Library of Construction Occupational Safety and Health. This risk is the same for both concrete batching plant workers and construction workers dealing with concrete.

Eye Injury

• The same dust that can cause lung problems when inhaled can also do damage to the worker’s eyes. Depending on the amount of dust that enters the eyes and the duration before they are rinsed clean with water, the effects can range from minor eye irritation and redness to chemical burns on the eyeballs, according to the State Compensation Insurance Fund website.

Allergies

• Some workers who are in the presence of cement regularly develop an allergy (or occupational asthma) to the hexavalent chromium in the product. This asthma-like allergy causes breathing difficulty and wheezing. Chromium allergies may also lead to skin rash or skin ulcers, according to the Electronic Library of Construction Occupational Safety and Health website.