Trowels, Floats & Finishing Tools
Masons, plasterers and concrete finishers use trowels, floats, edgers and jointers thousands of times a day. Repetitive strain, knee injuries, cement burns and power trowel injuries are the main concerns.
- Construction
Photo: concrete finisher using a long-handled bull float from outside the slab
The tools
| Tool | Used for | Main hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Masonry (brick) trowel | Spreading mortar | Wrist strain, cuts from the edge |
| Finishing trowel | Smoothing concrete and plaster | Wrist and shoulder strain, kneeling |
| Bull float and fresno | Leveling slabs from the edge | Long metal handles near power lines |
| Edgers and groovers | Rounding edges, cutting control joints | Kneeling, bending |
| Jointers | Finishing mortar joints | Repetitive wrist motion |
| Power trowel | Finishing large slabs | Spinning blades, loss of control, exhaust |
Hand tools
- Choose tools with comfortable, cushioned handles sized for your hand.
- Use long-handled bull floats and fresno trowels to work from the edge instead of kneeling in wet concrete.
- Keep wrists straight; switch hands and rotate tasks.
- Use knee boards and good knee pads; stand and stretch often.
- Keep edges clean and take care when wiping blades; worn trowels can be sharp.
- Wear waterproof gloves; wash cement off skin promptly. See cement dermatitis.
Bull float handles and power lines. Bull float handles are long and often metal. Look up before raising one, and keep it well away from overhead lines. OSHA requires bull float handles used near energized lines to be made of nonconductive material or insulated. See Overhead Power Lines.
Power trowels
- Get trained before running walk-behind or ride-on trowels.
- Make sure the guard ring is intact and the dead-man (automatic shutoff) control works. OSHA requires walk-behind power trowels to stop if the operator lets go of the handles.
- Start the trowel on the slab, with blades flat and pitch set low, and keep a firm grip; it can spin or jump.
- Keep hands and feet clear of the blades; shut off and let the blades stop before adjusting or changing them.
- Watch for slab edges, embeds, drains and columns.
- Gas trowels indoors: ventilate and monitor carbon monoxide. See Carbon Monoxide.
- Wear hearing protection and boots with good grip.
End-of-day checklist
- Tools cleaned before concrete or mortar hardens
- Damaged handles and bent blades tagged out
- Power trowel blades and guard inspected
- Hands washed and moisturized; any rashes or burns reported
Standards & references
- 29 CFR 1926.702: Concrete and masonry equipment, including power trowels and bull floats
- See also: Concrete Finishers · Ergonomic Hand Tools
Last updated: