Blogs

Best management practices

• Where possible, concrete pumping equipment should be set up on the construction site. This reduces the potential of leakages from hoppers, hoses and fittings that could contaminate the stormwater system. 
• Ensure adequate protective screens are erected around the pump area to prevent concrete splashing into street gutters or stormwater drains.
• Where possible, ensure the pumping of concrete occurs at a location on the site where any spillage will not contaminate the stormwater system.
• Where a concrete pump is located on a roadway or footpath where excess material could enter the stormwater system, appropriate bunding to trap spilled material should be installed. Portable concrete collection units (plastic or metal trays or receptacles) should be placed under pumping equipment to collect any spilled material during works (see figure 2).
• Hoses, hoppers, wheelbarrows and other equipment must be washed in the site wash-down area after all excess material has been removed by hand.
• Excess and residue concrete from the hopper and line should either be collected and sent back with the delivery truck or placed in the site’s designated concrete
• masonry recycling receptacle.
• To minimise the amount of wash-down water generated, scrape excess concrete residue from the hopper before washing. Do not wash out the hopper directly into the street gutter.
• It is the responsibility of the concrete contractor to properly manage the disposal of wash-down water generated during the cleaning process. Options for collection, treatment and disposal of wash- down water should be discussed with the site manager.
• Wash-down water from the hopper must not contaminate the stormwater system. The wash-down area should be used only for small volumes of wash-down water and is not to be used as a disposal point.
• Mud, soil and stones carried off-site are regarded as pollutants. Therefore, tyres and undercarriages must be clean before vehicles leave the construction site.

Inspection and maintenance

• Inspect and maintain the machinery regularly to minimise leaks and drips.
• Pollution controls should be in place before concrete is pumped. The concrete pump contractor should inspect pollution controls to ensure they are adequate, and should liaise with the site manager if there are any problems. •The site or project manager or delegate must maintain vigilance during the work activities to ensure that pollution control procedures are being followed.
• Placing equipment or material where it is likely to pollute the environment may result in on-the-spot fines or prosecution.

Ref: Extracted from the NSW Government’s Environmental Best Management Practice Guideline for Concreting Contractors