The world's foremost magazine on decorative concrete
Safety shouldn’t be overlooked when working with concrete. Installers should adhere to OSHA guidelines concerning placement and also wear the proper personal protection equipment (PPE). These can include gloves, eye wear, hardhat, dust masks, boots and long-sleeved shirts and pants.
Using grit additives has become the most common method for reducing slipperiness when sealing decorative concrete flatwork on exterior walking surfaces. The grit additives are mixed into the sealer, then the gritty sealer is applied to the concrete. However, in this situation the weather was too cold to reseal the concrete. So another method needs to be used until springtime arrives and temperatures rise.
There is a huge difference between amorphous silica and crystalline silica as far as your health and your concrete is concerned. The difference between the two is at the atomic level.
Part of the problem has to do with standards for slip resistance: Who has guidelines and which ones do you use for decorative concrete? Then there is the testing aspect: Which testing methods are appropriate and reliable, and in what testing conditions?
As an ingredient in most concrete mixtures, crystalline silica is virtually guaranteed to be present on any decorative concrete job site.
AquaFlex, a proven resilient coating, is in demand among luxury hotels in Las Vegas, including Mandalay Bay, which has used it twice, and the Four Seasons, an iconic, art deco-inspired hotel on the Las Vegas Strip.
For years I’ve enjoyed learning from the pages of Concrete Decor. The pictures of amazing design and craftsmanship, detailed techniques, new products and sound advice on how to improve business have all helped me stay connected to the decorative concrete industry.
Through education and product innovation, Hilti is supporting customers as they develop and implement compliancy plans for the new Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) §1926.1153 Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) Standard for construction.
Still struggling with how to meet the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s requirements on protecting your employees from silica dust? You certainly aren’t alone.
It’s probably not an attitude shared by everyone, but Tom Martin, job site safety director for Diama-Shield LLC in Troy, Michigan, believes OSHA is there to help contractors.
As we approach the 2016 Concrete Decor show, the reality is hitting me that I will no longer be a casual observer to the amazing creations at the workshops or learning in the classroom but instead will be playing an active role as a resource for anyone who has questions regarding construction safety.
