Add concrete deliveries into the mix and there’s another large vehicle that needs to get onto the site, reach the right location, discharge its load and leave again safely.

Most of the issues around concrete deliveries can be reduced with some decent planning beforehand. Site access, vehicle movements, where the concrete will be discharged and who is managing the delivery should all be thought about before the truck turns up.

Plan before the concrete arrives

Start with the route the vehicle will actually take.

Check the site entrance, access roads and the route through the site for narrow sections, tight turns, height restrictions or anything else that could cause problems for a large delivery vehicle. You also need to know where the truck will be positioned once it reaches the pour.

Timing can make a difference too. If you know you’ve already got several large deliveries booked for the morning, adding a concrete truck into the same window probably isn’t ideal.

Speak to your concrete supplier beforehand and give them any relevant information about the site. The amount of ready mix concrete being ordered, site access and how the concrete needs to be placed can all affect how the delivery is managed.

The HSE recommends that suppliers, carriers and recipients cooperate when planning deliveries and share relevant safety information before they take place.

Keep vehicles and pedestrians apart

One of the biggest risks on a busy construction site is the interaction between moving vehicles and people on foot.

Where the site allows, give delivery vehicles a designated route that is separate from pedestrian walkways. Keep crossing points to a minimum and make sure they’re clearly identified. Anyone who doesn’t need to be involved with the delivery should be kept away from the vehicle and discharge area.

Don’t forget about what happens at the site entrance either. A truck entering or leaving the site could cross a pavement or interact with other road users, so the risks aren’t necessarily limited to people working on the project.

Reduce reversing where possible

Reversing large vehicles on construction sites can be particularly risky, especially where visibility is limited.

Site layouts should be planned to minimise reversing wherever reasonably possible. A one-way system or suitable turning area can make a big difference, although that obviously isn’t practical on every site.

Where reversing is unavoidable, the area should be kept clear and the movement properly managed. Depending on the site and its risk assessment, this may involve a trained signaller helping the driver.

Good visibility is important too. Lighting, weather, and stored materials can all affect what a driver can see, so routes that worked well earlier in a project may need to be reviewed as the site changes.

Prepare the concrete pouring area

Before the concrete arrives, there should already be a suitable place for the truck to discharge.

There needs to be enough room for the vehicle and any equipment being used during the pour, with suitable ground conditions for the vehicle. Excavations, overhead obstructions, nearby plant and other hazards around the area should all be considered.

Keep people who aren’t involved in the pour away from the discharge area and make sure those who are involved know what they’re doing before work starts.

You don’t really want a concrete truck arriving and then having to decide where to put it. That’s when you can end up with unnecessary manoeuvring or a vehicle being positioned somewhere that wasn’t properly assessed beforehand.

Coordinate concrete pumps and delivery vehicles

If a concrete pump is being used, there’s another layer of planning involved.

The pump needs to be positioned appropriately for the pour, while concrete delivery vehicles still need enough room to arrive, discharge and leave. On larger pours, that process could be repeated by several trucks throughout the day.

Plan the positions of the pump and delivery vehicles before work starts and make sure everyone involved understands how vehicles will move through the area.

Clear communication between the site team, pump operator and delivery driver is particularly important. Nobody should have to guess whether a vehicle is about to move or who is responsible for directing it.

Ensure everyone knows the plan

Even a well-designed traffic management plan isn’t much use if nobody knows about it.

Relevant workers should be briefed before deliveries start and visiting drivers should be given the information they need about site access, designated routes, speed limits and unloading arrangements.

There should also be a clear point of contact on site. That means the driver knows who to speak to when they arrive rather than having to work things out themselves.

Construction sites change quickly too. A route that was clear in the morning might be obstructed by the afternoon, or poor weather could make an unloading area unsuitable. If circumstances change, the delivery plan may need to change with them.

And if something doesn’t look safe when the vehicle arrives, it’s better to stop and reassess than try to make the original plan work regardless.

The wider site plan

Concrete deliveries need to fit into whatever else is happening on site that day.

Vehicle access, pedestrian routes, reversing, unloading areas and communication can all be considered as part of the wider site traffic management plan to make it easier for drivers and site teams, but to also help reduce avoidable risks.

A busy construction site will always involve plenty of moving parts. You can’t remove every hazard, but good planning and communication can make concrete deliveries much easier to manage safely.

Taking a few minutes to think about how the concrete will get from the road to where it’s actually needed can save a lot of problems once the truck arrives.