The American Concrete Pumping Association (ACPA) announced the launch of the Coworker Safety Training program this week at World of Concrete.
According to the ACPA:
Designed for contractors who work with and around concrete pumps, the program aims to bolster safety and education for more than 56,000 concrete contractors across the U.S. The Coworker Safety Training program is on schedule to launch Spring 2025. It represents another milestone in ACPA’s initiative to build a more educated, safer workforce not only for pumpers, but also for the contractors and others working on concrete pumping job sites.
Developed in collaboration with the American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC), Coworker Safety Training fills critical gaps in safety training on job sites and provides certificates of completion to successful candidates. The certificates enable contractors to demonstrate compliance with the education component of ASME B30.27, the safety standard for material placement systems.
“ASME B30.27 outlines job site responsibilities for each trade working with and around concrete pumps,” said Christi Collins, Executive Director of the ACPA. “When employees and partners are trained to understand their roles under the standard, it not only makes job sites safer but also supports effective risk management and reduces liability.”
ASCC Director of Safety Services Joe Whiteman joined Collins at the press conference to help introduce the program. Whiteman, who helped develop the curriculum and training modules as part of a joint ACPA/ASCC committee, emphasized its importance.
“One of ASCC’s goals is to make our members the safest concrete contractors in the industry,” said Whiteman. “Recognizing the significant hazards associated with hose handling and working around pumps, we partnered with ACPA to create a practical, impactful learning tool.”
Meeting a Critical Need
Finishing crews and hose handlers are in some of the most dangerous positions around concrete pumps. Accidents and injuries can result from many factors, seen and unseen, such as a plug or separation of material in the pipeline.
“Many times, end users of concrete pumps come to job sites with limited knowledge of site conditions and no previous experience or training with a pump,” explained Greg Key, national safety director for Western Concrete Pumping and co-chair of the joint ACPA/ASCC committee.
Crafted by both ACPA and ASCC members, Coworker Safety Training aims to teach hose handlers and coworkers safe practices when working near concrete pumps. Designed to capture the learner’s attention, the curriculum consists of five online learning modules that include short, engaging videos and follow-up quizzes. Topics cover hose handling, setup, on-the-job procedures, delivery systems and hazards. Participants can complete each module at their own pace, with the entire course taking roughly one hour to finish.
ACPA University
Coworker Safety Training will be available via the ACPA University (ACPA-U) platform, an online learning management system that offers access to industry-leading education. The platform provides skills training, virtual reality solutions, e-learning and more.
"By consolidating our resources into one platform and under one dashboard on ACPA University, we’ve streamlined training administration, making it easier for our members and other users to access training content and track certifications," said Collins.
ACPA members can create their own individualized branches of ACPA-U, which allows them to set up learning paths for their employees—with each employee’s progression greatly simplified and highly visible to key leadership. Training is available on demand, with records accessible anytime. ACPA certification records also will be stored on the user’s profile.
We Are Safer Together
The Coworker Safety Training program ties into the broader goals of the We Are Safer Together campaign, an industrywide initiative that brings heightened awareness of ASME B30.27 – Material Placement Systems. Understanding and complying with the trade-specific job site responsibilities prescribed under the standard helps ensure the safety of every person on a concrete pumping job site.
The campaign is spearheaded by ACPA and supported by ASCC, Concrete Foundations Association, Tilt-Up Concrete Association, Concrete Pump Manufacturers Association, World of Concrete and several other Coalition members. It is a call to action that urges collaboration across all trades to amplify the importance of complying with ASME B30.27 to enhance job site safety.
“We encourage all those working with and around a concrete pump to expand their knowledge of safe concrete pumping practices,” said Collins. “Through collaboration, training and education, we can reduce accidents and protect our workforce.”
Contractors can sign up to purchase the Coworker Safety Training modules (when they become available) via the ACPA University login page at coworkertraining-acpau.talentlms.com. To learn more about ACPA safety and training programs, visit www.concretepumpers.com/content/safety.
To learn more about the We Are Safer Together campaign and ASME B30.27, please visit WeAreSaferTogether.org.
