How to check site access for concrete deliveries
A concrete supplier’s responsibility is to deliver concrete safely up to the gutter, but in order to have a smooth delivery, it helps to check that there is property access to the site. This way you’ll avoid the driver turning away the job, having an accident, or hiring a concrete pump.
This article will go through the factors to consider, but remember when in doubt, inform the person when you order concrete.
Factors to consider when checking onsite access
In this article, we’ll go through the below reasons. Scroll to skip to the section or continue reading.
Overhead power lines, carports, and low access points
Muddy driveways
Obstacles in the way and spotting the truck onsite
Steep driveways
1. Overhead power lines, carports, and low access points
Concrete agitators are very tall in size and therefore access can be a bit of an issue with carports or obstacles.
Most houses in NSW have power lines that are taller than concrete agitators, but there are many circumstances where this is not the case.
It’s best to check if your powerline is more than 3.6m high by calling your electricity provider.
Please do not attempt to measure this with your measuring tape! As with anything with electrical, you don’t want to be put at risk of being shocked.
2. Muddy driveways
Dirt driveways can get quite muddy when it rains. Putting a 32 tonne concrete truck on that kind of foundation means there is more risk and there is a good chance the driver will decline the job.
If the truck does have to go through a dirt road and it has been raining heavily, it's best to rebook the delivery at a time where the driveway is dry.
With the Found, you can rebook a job before 3pm the day before without any cancellation fees.
3. Obstacles in the way and spotting the truck onsite
If there are too many obstacles and the driver deems the site unsafe, they have every right to decline the job.
If there are some obstacles between the council road and where the pour is, you might need to spot the truck. The driver can only see so much, therefore relies heavily on the spotter and the responsibility of this entire situation falls on the spotter.
Spotting is when you use verbal and visual communications e.g. saying stop and hand gestures, with the driver.
If you do have to spot the truck make sure your in a position that is:
Safely away from a reversing truck and other moving vehicles/plant
Seen by the driver in real life, not by video
The driver can clearly hear you
You are in a position where you can see all obstacles that they could possibly hit
4. Steep driveways
If you know the driveway is steep and your vehicle struggles, avoid having the job declined and look at booking a concrete pump.
Otherwise if booking a delivery, you’ll need to consider:
The incline of the road could make the concrete fall out
Concrete agitators have a big hole at the back of the truck as that’s where the concrete comes out from.If the incline of the road is too steep, concrete could fall out onto the road.
If the incline is too great, the truck may not be able to even attempt to drive on it.
Safety comes first, and if the driveway is too steep, the driver will turn the truck around as it’s too great of a risk.
Remember: when the supplier meets this, anything that happens on the property will be your responsibility. For more information on how to reduce onsite issues like concrete cracking, click here