SAFE HANDLING OF MATERIAL

When you handle cement or lime bags, wear goggles and snug-fitting neckbands and wristbands. Always practice good personal cleanliness and never wear clothing that has become stiff with cement. Cement-impregnated clothing irritates the skin and may cause serious infection. Any susceptibility of the skin to cement and lime burns should be reported. Personnel who are allergic to cement or lime should be transferred to other jobs.

Bags of cement or lime should not be piled more than 10 bags high on a pallet. The only exception is when storage is in bins or enclosures built for such storage. The bags around the outside of the pallet should be placed with the mouths of the bags facing the center, The first five tiers of bags each way from any corner must be cross piled. A setback starting with the sixth tier should be made to prevent piled bags from falling outward. If you have to pile bags above 10 tiers, another setback must be made. The back tier, when not resting against an interior wall of

sufficient strength to withstand the pressure, should be set back one bag every five tiers, the same as the end tiers. During unpiling, the entire top of the pile should be kept level and the necessary setbacks maintained.

Lime and cement must be stored in a dry place. This helps prevent lime from crumbling and the cement from hydrating before it is used.

CONCRETE MASONRY CONSTRUCTION

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Upon completing this section, you should be able to explain the elements of concrete masonry

Good workmanship is a very important factor in building masonry walls. You should make every effort to lay each masonry unit plumb and true. In the following paragraphs, we will discuss the basic steps in laying up masonry walls.