Concrete placing boom

Hazards
Safety requirements
Registration
Inspection and maintenance
Contact us
Further information

A concrete placing boom (also known as a concrete placing unit) incorporates an articulating boom and is capable of power operated slewing and luffing to place concrete by way of pumping through a pipeline attached to, or forming part of, the boom of the plant.

Hazards

Concrete placing boom operations may present a risk of injury to workers and other people from:

Striking: trapped air or blockages in the delivery pipeline can trigger sudden, explosive pressure releases causing violent hose whip striking workers and potentially inflicting fatal injuries. In addition, failure of the pipeline and couplings can result in workers being sprayed with concrete and metal fragments.
Crushing: poor ground conditions or improperly deployed outriggers can destabilise concrete placing booms resulting in collapse or tip over onto workers below.
Electrocution: contact, arcing or flashover from overhead or underground electric power lines can result in fatal injuries.
Mechanical failures: if the concrete placing unit malfunctions, it can lead to serious incidents, including hitting workers.
Weather conditions: wind, rain, and extreme temperatures can impact the stability of the concrete placing boom, making it harder to operate safely.
Chemical and environmental exposure: workers face severe risk of alkaline chemical burns from wet concrete splashes, alongside high industrial noise and diesel exhaust fumes.
Collision risks: contact or collision with other plant and structures such as scaffolds and powerlines.
Psychosocial hazards: for example, high job demands, isolated work, or fatigue can lead to physical and psychological injuries.

Safety requirements

Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS): working with concrete placing booms requires a site-specific High Risk Construction Work Safe Work Method Statement (SWMS) being implemented before work commences. See SWMS for high risk construction work | SafeWork SA
Training: ensure operators are trained on the specific concrete placing unit controls, including emergency procedures, and are licenced and follow SOPs and SWMSs.
Exclusion zones: ensure they are in in place.
Communication: have an agreed system of communication with support personnel who have line of sight of the operator.
Wind: monitor wind speeds and their effect on the boom and stop work if necessary.

High Risk Work Licence

A person who operates a concrete placing boom must hold the relevant High Risk Work Licence.

Registration

The designs of concrete placing booms (truck-mounted and fixed tower types) do not need to be registered unless the design was commenced on or after 1 January 2014.

Concrete placing booms (truck-mounted and fixed tower types) must be item of plant registered. Those booms of the fixed tower type only required item of plant registration from 1 January 2014.

Note:

registration of a concrete placing boom design must include the boom with its supporting structure (i.e. boom with truck chassis or boom with tower segments).
registration of a concrete placing boom as an item of plant must include a declaration from a competent person who has inspected and tested the boom mounted to its supporting structure.

Registration costs can be found at Registration Fees.

Design registration

Plant design registration – Guidance notes

To register or alter the design of plant:

Plant design - New or alteration to design

The CPU can be designed to any internationally recognised published technical standard with the following documents being required for the registration of the plant design:

each model must have a separate design registration application form.
a statement signed by the designer of the plant stating:
the designer has complied with their obligations under section 22 of the WHS Act.
the published technical standards and engineering principles used in the design.
design calculations and drawing(s) in English, as referenced in the designer's statement
an independent design verification statement.
payment of the fee which lasts for the life of the design (payable on completion of the online application).

Note:

design registration applies to all plant items manufactured to the same design.
design registration is valid for the life of the plant.
manufacturers, importers, and suppliers of plant are prohibited from supplying plant unless the design of that plant is registered.
design registration in SA is not required if the plant design is registered in another state under a corresponding WHS law (WHS Act 2012 (SA)).
any alteration to the design of registered plant that may affect health, and safety requires an alteration to its design registration.
a separate design registration is required for the footing for fixed concrete placing booms including design calculations and drawings.

Plant registration

Plant registration – Guidance notes

To register the item of plant:

Plant item of registration

Plant - Variation / Change of ownership

To register plant for the first time in South Australia or to renew lapsed registration, the following documentation will be required:

completed online application form including fee payment.
Design Registration Certificate, or a Design Approval Letter (issued pre-July 1996), or exemption letter issued by SafeWork SA to you the applicant (not transferable).
Statement from Competent Person that the plant is safe to use or operate including the footing if applicable (issued within 12 months of application date).
date when plant item was first commissioned or first registered (whichever occurred first).
Commissioning Report (prior to first use in Australia). If the plant being registered has been in service for more than 10 years, attach a copy of the Major Inspection Report (10-yearly) in lieu of a Commissioning Report.
authorisation letter from the PCBU who will have management or control of plant (If applicable).

If you are applying for transfer of ownership of an existing SafeWork SA issued registration(s) the following documentation will be required:

a completed online notification form lodged within 14 days of purchase.
date when plant item was first commissioned or first registered (whichever occurred first).
Statement from competent person that the plant is safe to use or operate (issued within 12 months of application date).
if the plant being registered has been in service for more than 10 years, attach a copy of the Major Inspection Report (10-yearly) in lieu of a Commissioning Report.
authorisation letter from the PCBU who will have management or control of plant (If applicable where the applicant is a third-party acting on behalf of the PCBU).
letter from former owner confirming date that transfer of ownership occurred and that they no longer have management or control of the plant.

If you are applying to change the location of an existing SafeWork SA issued registration(s) the following documentation will be required:

a completed online notification form lodged within 14 days of becoming aware of the change.
if the plant being registered has been in service for more than 10 years, attach a major inspection report (10-yearly).
authorisation letter from the PCBU who will have management or control of plant (If applicable where the applicant is a third-party acting on behalf of the PCBU).

If you are applying to make changes to other information of an existing SafeWork SA issued registration(s) the following documentation will be required:

a completed online notification form lodged within 14 days of becoming aware of change(s).
where the change relates to a design alteration, then a copy of the design registration for the alteration and any relevant changes to recorded information
statement from competent person that the plant is safe to use or operate reflecting the updated information (if applicable).
if the plant being registered has been in service for more than 10 years, attach a copy of the Major Inspection Report (10-yearly).
authorisation letter from the PCBU who will have management or control of plant (If applicable where the applicant is a third-party acting on behalf of the PCBU).

Note:

SafeWork SA will notify plant registration holders in writing around one month prior to renewals being due. In making a decision to grant the renewal of a plant item registration, SafeWork SA will consider whether the plant has been regularly maintained and inspected in accordance with WHS Regulation 213 and 235.

Change of details

You must provide us with written notice within 14 days if:

you change your name or address, or any other information stated on your application for registration
the plant design has been altered to an extent where it is subject to new control measures

Inspection and maintenance

A preventative maintenance program must be in place, taking into account the working environment, frequency and severity of use of the plant. It needs to be carried out according to the manufacturer’s specifications and applicable Australian standards (i.e. AS 2550.1, AS 2550.15), with inspections carried out by a competent person such as:

Pre-operational inspection: before the beginning of each work shift or change of operator.
Routine inspection: conducted at intervals of 3 months.
Periodic inspection: conducted at intervals of 12 months.
Major inspection: conducted by the end of the 10th year in-service.

For further information: Safe Work Australia Guide to inspecting and maintaining cranes.

Record keeping

A record (e.g. logbook) of the service and maintenance history of the plant needs to be kept and made readily available and be written in easy to understand English.

Refer to AS 2550.15 and WHS Regulation 237.