Concrete Pump Guide

Find out more about the process for using a concrete pump on your site. Following the tips to keep your site safe and your concrete pour efficient.

To make sure you have the safest and efficient concrete pour possible, it is important to understand what will happen once the pump you have ordered arrives on site. You will be contacted ahead of the date to make sure all arrangements are in place, and everything that is needed will be available.

What Happens When the Concrete Pump Gets On-site?

Once the operator gets the pump to the pour site, they will contact you or the contractor that oversees the site and take direction on where to set up the pump and pipeline. The operator will ensure the pump is positioned in an accessible place and lie out and clamp the pipeline into position.

The technical requirements of a concrete pump and pipeline mean that the placement of the concrete will be at the discretion of the pump operator. Your requirements will be considered, however, there may be times when the concrete can only be poured in one way which will be determined by the pump operator.

Once the concrete mixer arrives, it will reverse onto the pump, and the ready-mix lorry will then be positioned to allow for the discharge of the concrete into the pump hopper. Once this is complete, the concrete pump operator will grout and prime the pipes ready to start the pumping.

At this point, the operator will begin to pump the concrete onto the site, and the concrete will be placed into the correct position using a boom where possible.

What Happens Once the Pour is Finished?

Once the truck mixer has discharged its entire load, it will be necessary for the mixer chutes to be cleaned. These should not be cleaned into the hopper as this can cause a blockage or reduce the quality of the concrete.

Once all truck mixers have discharged their loads, the pump operator will empty the hopper, and the pipes will be blown out with compressed air to deposit the remaining concrete. The pump will then be cleaned on-site, and the boom put back into the boom put back into the travel position before it leaves the site.

What we expect from you to ensure the pour is safe and efficient:

A decent pump mix concrete
A level, hard-standing area that is free from overhead obstructions where the pump can be set up
Sufficient available space to allow truck mixers to access the pump
An area where excess grout can be deposited
A concrete gang available to lay the concrete to your specification
A place where the pump operator can wash out the pump once they have finished the job
It is also a good idea to have a supply of water available to the operator

Tips to Make Sure You Have an Efficient Pour

Making sure your concrete pour is as safe and efficient as it can be is everyone’s priority. Here are some tips that will help:

If you want to keep the mess from spillage to a minimum, it is a good idea to put polythene on the floors before the arrival of the pump.
All personnel on-site during the pour should be made aware of the risks and hazards of the high-pressure concrete pumping.
Only people who are authorised should operate the pump or attempt to open or unblock the pipeline or machinery.

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