Pry Bars & Wrecking Bars

Pry bars multiply your force. When the bar slips or the material suddenly lets go, that force comes back at you, usually at your face, hands or back.

• Construction
• General Industry

Safe prying

1. Pick a bar sized for the job. Don’t use a screwdriver or hammer claw for heavy prying.
2. Make sure the bar has a good bite on the material.
3. Use a block of wood as a fulcrum to protect surfaces and increase leverage.
4. Take a stable stance with your feet apart and out of the path the bar will travel if it slips.
5. Pull toward you only if your body is out of the line of fire; pushing down is often safer.
6. Apply steady pressure. Don’t jerk or bounce on the bar.
7. Keep your face away from the end of the bar and from the material being pried.

Watch out for

• Nails, boards or panels that can spring free
• Material above you that will fall when released
• Hidden wires and pipes behind walls during demolition
• Pinch points between the bar and the material

• Don’t use a cheater pipe on a pry bar.
• Don’t pry while standing on a ladder or an unguarded edge.
• Don’t use a bent or cracked bar.

Last updated: October 1, 2026