The information on this page is drawn from material produced by the Travelers Insurance Company. The original pdf is available at the bottom of the page. 6/1/09

Tying Rebar Risks

Background

Tying rebar requires handling heavy materials and repetitive motion; risk factors include the repetitive and forceful hand motions, climbing rebar, awkward postures, carrying heavy materials and tools, and walking on uneven surfaces.

Related Injuries

• Low back strain
• Low back disc injury
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Shoulder Strain

Preparation for Tying Rebar

Minimize a person's risk of injury by doing the following

• Reduce material handling by positioning rebar close to where it will be installed. If tying off-site or in a jig, position the rebar to avoid repetitive bending and twisting.
• Encourage team lifting to reduce the weight that a person lifts or the awkwardness of long pieces. When lifting, try to center the load. Use a hoist, forklift, or crane when possible.
• Purchase and use automatic rebar tying machines.

Tying Rebar

Where to Tie Rebar

• Set-up a jig to assemble the rebar upon.
• Tie rebar off-site, then truck it to the job.
• When tying rebar in place, position the work at chest height.

How to Tie Rebar

• Use an Automatic Tying machine if possible.

When to Tie Rebar

• Break up the task of rebar tying to spread-out the repetitive
  motion exposure.

General Safety

Keep the worker in an upright posture. Use proper tools to improve efficiency and reduce the risk of injury.

Download the pdf file for this page here