Concrete Sawing and Core Drilling Safe Work Method Statement

Concrete sawing and core drilling generates respirable crystalline silica dust particles less than 10 micrometres diameter that penetrate deep into lung tissue causing silicosis, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and kidney disease. Crystalline silica is Group 1 carcinogen per International Agency for Research on Cancer with no safe exposure level, making minimizing exposure critical for worker health protection. Dry cutting concrete without dust controls can generate silica dust concentrations exceeding 10 mg/m³, which is 200 times above the Australian workplace exposure standard of 0.05 mg/m³, with operators and nearby workers receiving dangerous exposures within minutes. The fine silica particles remain suspended in air for extended periods after cutting operations cease, creating exposure for workers returning to areas where cutting occurred hours previously. Silica dust is not visible to naked eye making workers unaware of exposure occurring, with no immediate symptoms providing warning of harmful exposure happening. Chronic silica exposure causes progressive lung disease silicosis developing over years with no cure available, ultimately causing respiratory failure and premature death in severe cases. Recent Australian data identifies construction workers including concrete cutters as high-risk occupation for silicosis with cases diagnosed in workers as young as 30 years old after only 5-10 years exposure. The irreversible nature of silica-related disease and serious consequences for workers' health and quality of life makes silica dust the most significant hazard in concrete cutting operations requiring absolute priority in risk management hierarchy.

Consequence: Silicosis causing progressive respiratory failure and premature death, lung cancer development with poor prognosis, chronic respiratory disease affecting work capacity and quality of life, kidney disease and other systemic effects from silica exposure

Concrete saws operate with diamond blades rotating at peripheral speeds exceeding 80 metres per second (288 km/h) creating severe contact hazard causing traumatic amputations, deep lacerations, and crushing injuries if operators contact rotating blades. Hand-held saws present highest contact risk with blade partially exposed during cutting and operators maintaining close hand proximity to cutting zone, with momentary loss of concentration or equipment kickback bringing hands into blade contact zone. Walk-behind floor saws have larger blades with greater mass creating higher energy contact injuries, while blade guards provide protection when correctly installed and maintained. Equipment kickback occurs when blade binds in cut causing saw to thrust backward or upward toward operator without warning, particularly common when cutting reinforced concrete if blade contacts reinforcement steel bar or when cutting near end of cut where concrete sections can pinch blade. Blade breakage from excessive cutting speed, inadequate cooling, or manufacturing defects launches blade fragments at velocity causing penetrating injuries to operators or bystanders within 10-metre radius. Operators sometimes remove or modify blade guards attempting to achieve greater cutting depth or improved visibility, eliminating primary protection against blade contact creating extreme injury risk. Blade changing operations require blade removal and installation with residual rotation presenting contact hazard even after equipment shutdown until blade completely stops. Clothing and glove entanglement in rotating blades drags body parts into cutting zone, with loose clothing, gloves, or lanyards catching on blade creating entrapment scenarios.

Consequence: Traumatic hand or finger amputation from blade contact, deep lacerations requiring extensive reconstructive surgery, penetrating injuries from blade fragment projection, crush injuries from equipment kickback striking operator body

Concrete structures commonly contain embedded services including post-tensioned cables in suspended slabs, electrical conduits, plumbing pipes, gas lines, telecommunication cables, and reinforcement steel creating service strike risk during cutting operations. Electrical cable strikes energize cutting equipment and surrounding concrete creating electrocution zones, with voltage range from 240V lighting circuits to 415V three-phase power creating fatality risk. Post-tensioned cable strikes release stored tension energy violently with cable ends whipping at high velocity striking operators, plus loss of structural capacity in slab creating immediate collapse risk. Water pipe strikes flood work areas creating slip hazards, electrical hazards from water contact with electrical equipment, and water damage to building contents and structure. Gas pipe strikes in buildings with reticulated gas create fire and explosion risk from gas accumulation in confined building spaces. The challenge in service detection is that many services are not documented on building plans, service locations shown on plans are approximate only, services may have been relocated during renovations without plan updates, and some services are not detectable by electronic locating equipment including non-metallic pipes and inactive cables. Core drilling presents higher service strike risk than sawing as core penetrates full depth of structural element in single operation, while sawing typically progresses gradually through element depth allowing service detection during cutting. Operators sometimes proceed with cutting based on plan review alone without physical verification through scanning or test drilling, particularly when working under time pressure or when cutting locations cannot be easily modified to avoid indicated services.

Consequence: Operator electrocution from striking live electrical cables with fatality risk, post-tensioned cable release causing traumatic injuries or structural collapse, gas line rupture creating fire and explosion risk, flooding from water pipe strikes, telecommunications infrastructure damage with liability for service interruption

Concrete sawing and core drilling equipment is inherently heavy with hand-held saws weighing 10-15kg, walk-behind floor saws 50-80kg, wall saw track systems 40-60kg plus power unit 30-50kg, and core drilling rigs 25-45kg depending on diameter capacity. Equipment must be manually transported from vehicles to work locations, positioned for cutting operations, held during cutting for hand-held equipment, and repositioned multiple times during typical projects. Walk-behind floor saws require pushing across surfaces with significant force needed to start movement and maintain direction during cutting, while uneven surfaces or slopes create additional physical demands. Wall saw track installation requires workers to support track sections weighing 15-20kg each at height while fixing anchor bolts through track into concrete substrate, working overhead with arms extended creating high shoulder loading. Core drilling at height or overhead positions requires workers to support drill rig weight on arms throughout drilling operations lasting 10-30 minutes per hole depending on concrete thickness and hole diameter, with sustained static loading causing rapid fatigue. Equipment must often be carried up stairs or moved through buildings without lift access, with narrow doorways and restricted access paths preventing use of trolleys or mechanical aids. The combination of heavy equipment weight, awkward working positions, repetitive handling throughout work shifts, and inability to use mechanical handling aids in many work locations creates high musculoskeletal injury risk affecting backs, shoulders, and knees of concrete cutting operators.

Consequence: Chronic lower back pain and disc injuries from repeated lifting and carrying heavy equipment, shoulder rotator cuff injuries from overhead work and sustained static loads, knee injuries from kneeling during floor cutting operations, acute muscle strains from lifting in awkward positions

Concrete saws and core drills generate noise levels typically 100-110 dB(A) measured at operator position from combination of blade/bit rotation at high speed, cutting noise as diamond tools engage aggregate in concrete, and power unit operation whether petrol engine or electric motor. Hand-held saws produce highest operator noise exposure due to close proximity between operator ears and noise source, while walk-behind and wall saws allow slightly greater separation reducing exposure marginally. Cutting operations typically continue for sustained periods lasting 15 minutes to several hours depending on cutting extent, creating cumulative noise exposure dose substantially exceeding daily exposure limits even for relatively short cutting duration. The high-frequency noise from diamond tool concrete cutting creates particular damage risk to hearing at speech frequencies, affecting communication ability beyond measured hearing loss. Concrete cutting often occurs in confined indoor spaces including building interiors, plant rooms, and basements where hard reflective surfaces amplify noise through reverberation creating noise levels 5-10 dB higher than equivalent outdoor cutting. Workers operating multiple saws simultaneously or working in proximity to other operators' equipment receive noise exposure from multiple sources creating even higher total exposure. Many concrete cutting operators work without adequate hearing protection due to discomfort during extended use, inability to hear equipment performance changes indicating problems, or communication difficulties with other workers when hearing protection prevents verbal communication. The sustained nature of noise exposure throughout concrete cutting careers creates cumulative hearing damage, with many experienced concrete cutters exhibiting significant hearing loss and tinnitus affecting both work capacity and quality of life outside work.

Consequence: Permanent noise-induced hearing loss affecting speech frequency range, tinnitus causing constant ringing sensation and sleep disruption, difficulty understanding speech in noisy environments affecting social interaction and safety communication, accelerated hearing loss progression with continued unprotected exposure

Hand-held concrete saws generate significant vibration transmitted through saw handles to operator hands and arms, classified as Hand-Arm Vibration (HAV) creating risk of vibration white finger (Raynaud's phenomenon), carpal tunnel syndrome, and reduced manual dexterity. Vibration magnitude varies with saw design, blade condition, and cutting conditions, with typical exposure levels 6-12 m/s² well above the exposure action value of 2.5 m/s² requiring health surveillance and risk reduction. Walk-behind saws transmit whole-body vibration through machine handles and operator platform affecting entire body with particular impact on spine and internal organs, though magnitudes are typically lower than hand-arm vibration from hand-held saws. Cutting through reinforced concrete generates impulsive vibration spikes when blade strikes reinforcement steel creating high-magnitude short-duration vibration events contributing to accelerated vibration injury development. Vibration exposure occurs throughout cutting operations with no practical means of eliminating vibration from cutting equipment, though anti-vibration handles and gloves provide partial attenuation. Extended cutting operations throughout work shifts create cumulative vibration dose exceeding exposure limit values, particularly problematic for full-time concrete cutting operators rather than occasional users. Vibration white finger causes numbness and loss of sensation in fingers from vibration-induced damage to blood vessels and nerves in hands, with condition worsening over years of continued exposure eventually causing permanent disability preventing equipment operation. Cold weather exacerbates vibration injury symptoms with reduced blood flow to extremities worsening numbness and pain, requiring work restrictions or cessation during cold periods for affected workers.

Consequence: Vibration white finger causing permanent numbness and pain in hands, carpal tunnel syndrome requiring surgical treatment, reduced grip strength and manual dexterity affecting work capacity, tingling and numbness in fingers interfering with fine motor tasks