Rebar Cutters & Benders

Steel reinforcing bar (rebar) is cut and bent on site to fit concrete forms. Rebar cutters and benders, from hand tools to big electric and hydraulic machines, apply huge force. Fingers and hands get crushed between the bar and the machine, pieces fly off, and long bars swing into people. The finished rebar then becomes an impalement hazard if it stands up in the open.

• Construction
• Concrete
• Ironwork

Types of equipment

Main hazards

• Pinch, crush and shear points: where the bar meets the blade, the bending pins or the rollers. Hands and fingers are easily caught.
• Flying pieces: a cut-off piece or a snapped bar can shoot out. The cut end of high-strength bar may spring.
• Whipping and swinging bars: long bars act as levers and can strike people as they are bent or fed through. Bars under tension spring back.
• Sharp ends and burrs that cut skin and tear gloves.
• Heavy bundles and machines: back injuries and crush injuries from lifting and moving. See Lifting & Ergonomics.
• Electrical hazards from cords, wet ground and tools used near overhead lines. Rebar can conduct electricity. See Overhead Power Lines.
• Noise and sparks from abrasive cutting. See Noise.
• Impalement: exposed rebar ends that stick up from a slab or wall.

Setting up the work area

• Set the machine on firm, level ground or a solid bench, and secure or anchor it, as the maker directs. A machine that tips or slides while bending is dangerous.
• Provide enough room around the machine for long bars, and plan where each bar will swing. Clear walkways, stack materials neatly and keep people out of the swing zone.
• Use supports, such as roller stands, for long bars, so they don’t drop or whip.
• Provide good lighting, a dry area and a clean floor. See Slips, Trips & Falls.
• Use GFCI protection and proper cords with electric machines. Keep cords out of the way and out of water. See GFCI and Extension Cords.
• Check that guards, emergency stops and foot switches work, and that capacity labels are readable. Don’t use a machine with missing guards. See Machine Guarding.
• Keep a first aid kit nearby and know the emergency plan.

Cutting rebar safely

• Check the machine’s capacity for the bar size and grade, including the number of bars at once. Don’t cut harder or larger material than the rating, or stack bars beyond the limit.
• Wear safety glasses or a face shield, hearing protection, gloves and sturdy boots. See Eye & Face Protection and Hand Protection.
• Keep hands clear of the blade and the bar’s path. Hold the bar where it can’t reach the shear, and never put hands near the cutting area while the machine can run.
• Position the bar squarely in the blade, and make sure it’s fully in the jaw. Support the free end so the cut piece doesn’t drop or fly.
• Stand to the side out of the line of flying pieces, and keep others back.
• Cut one bar at a time unless the machine is rated for more.
• Use foot controls and two-hand controls as designed, and never bypass them.
• Collect cut-offs and scrap right away in a bin. They are sharp trip and puncture hazards.

Bending rebar safely

• Choose the right bender, pins and settings for the bar size, the angle and the bend diameter. Follow bend radius rules. Check the design drawings. Don’t bend high-strength or hot-rolled bars colder than allowed, or re-bend bars that were already bent, unless allowed by the specs, since bars can crack.
• Keep your body out of the arc of the bar as it swings, and watch for bars passing near other workers.
• Hold the bar properly: keep hands and feet away from the pins, rollers and the gap between the bar and the machine.
• Use handles and levers properly with manual tools, and use your legs and body, not just your arms and back.
• Stop the machine before adjusting the bar, changing settings or clearing it. Lock it out when servicing. See Lockout/Tagout.
• Never use a cheater pipe to extend a manual lever beyond what the maker allows.

Lifting, moving and storing rebar

• Rebar bundles are heavy and bars are awkward. Use mechanical lifting, carts and enough workers, and keep lifts within each person’s limits.
• Use proper slings and rigging when hoisting bundles. Keep people out from under loads. See Rigging Basics and Protecting Slings from Sharp Edges.
• Carry long bars with workers on each end, and keep the ends visible. Watch for overhead lines and people. See Rebar & Reinforcing Ironworkers.
• Store bars on supports off the ground, in neat stacks that can’t roll or slide.

Impalement protection

• OSHA’s concrete and masonry standard requires that protruding reinforcing steel, onto which employees could fall, be guarded to eliminate the hazard of impalement (29 CFR 1926.701(b)). A fall onto bare rebar can be fatal.
• Use rebar caps or protectors made for the purpose and rated for the impact, troughs or wooden covers that span the rebar, or bend the ends over. Don’t use mushroom caps that can pop off, or plastic bottles and open-top caps, unless they are rated. Inspect and replace damaged caps.
• Keep protection in place until the concrete is placed, and replace caps removed for work. See Holes & Floor Openings and Concrete Work.
• Work platforms and walkways should keep people off rebar mats, and fall protection should be provided where needed. See Positioning Device Systems.

Rebar cutting and bending checklist

• Machine is anchored on firm ground; guards, e-stops and controls work; GFCI power used
• Bar size and grade are within the machine’s rated capacity
• Eye, hearing and hand protection and boots are on; hands kept clear of the shear and pins
• Long bars are supported; the swing zone is clear; people are out of the line of fire
• Machine is stopped and locked out for adjustments and service
• Exposed rebar ends are capped or guarded against impalement; scrap is cleared

Last updated: October 4, 2026