The health and safety risks of concrete cutting

Concrete cutting

Our first tip hire a professional, don’t operate this equipment unless you have experience.

Wear proper ear protection! The increased level of noise coming from the cut-off saw used in concrete cutting can have a detrimental effect on your hearing.

Don’t cut alone! working solo or without the watchful eye of someone else minding the equipment can be significantly riskier. If an accident were to occur and you are working alone, it would be harder to raise an alarm or ask for help.

Uneven or Wet Surfaces can increase the risk of falling over mid-cut and hurting yourself or those around you. It could also impair the quality of the concrete cut. Uneven surfaces also increase the risk of kickback.

Kickback, pushback or pull-in: Cut-off saws are large, powerful unwieldy pieces of kit that can suddenlyKickback and result in injury. The equipment can also be wrenched from the hands of the operator or from its fittings if the force is particularly strong, with the saw then running freely, potentially wreaking havoc.

Cutting off the line can cause the saw to pinch or bite, resulting in a kickback or other movement that could be extremely damaging to the material and those operating the equipment.

Toxic Fumes: If there is poor ventilation in the area of operation, toxic fumes emitted from the equipment, such as carbon monoxide, can cause serious breathing problems.

Concrete can often encase electric cables and gas or water pipes that you should be careful to avoid cutting when cutting concrete. Watch the power cables of the equipment being used, as cutting accidentally through these could cause electrocution.

Blunt, Worn or Damaged Blades: The right diamond blade should be used for the material to be cut to avoid blunting the surface diamonds. If the diamond blade is worn or damaged, vibrations in the equipment during use can cause fragments to splinter and fly off or shatter and endanger lives.

Hazardous Dusts: During the cutting process there will be a significant kick up of dust. Water can be used to cool the equipment and bed the dust into the groove of the cut and the surrounding area. However, proper safety gear and a good quality face mask/respirator should always be worn.

Work hard. Be safe. Buy Global Diamond Cutting blades.