Guidance on sharp edges on factory-cut metal reinforcement bar

There have been a number of workplace incidents caused by sharp edges on factory-cut metal reinforcement bar where construction workers have received lacerations. Members of the construction industry have identified the need for a unified approach in raising awareness and providing practical guidance on this issue.

When reinforcement bar is being produced, the cutting process can result in sharp edges, the most common known as a 'dag'. Installation trades such as steel fixers may be directly affected by sharp edges when working with metal reinforcement bar. Other trades working in and around the area of installation, such as form workers, scaffolders and concrete workers, may also experience lacerations from 'brush past' contact with sharp edges due to the location of the bars.

It is recommended that manufacturers, principal contractors, employers and sub-contractors assess the risk presented by sharp edges of factory-cut metal reinforcement bars and implement appropriate risk control strategies.

OHS requirements

Clauses 9 and 34 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001 require an employer and a controller to identify any foreseeable hazards that have the potential to harm the health or safety an employee or person. Reinforcement bar with sharp edges presents a foreseeable risk of laceration.

Risk assessment

Manufacturers, principal contractors, employers and subcontractors should use a risk management approach to assess and control the risk of lacerations caused by sharp edges.

Risk identification by principal contractors, employers, contractors and the site-safety committee may include considering factors such as:

• Frequency of dags-per-load delivered to site.
• Effects of transport and storage.
• Location of reinforcement bar whether stored or in situ.
• Weather conditions and their effect on installation workers.
• Protection of workers directly involved in installation of reinforcement bar.
• Protection of workers in and around installation area.

Risk controls

Control measures for manufacturers may include:

• Implementing cutting equipment maintenance programs to increase cut quality.
• Running quality assurance programs with major purchasers to monitor success of cutting, storage and transport controls.
• Storing reinforced bar in areas where it is not susceptible to mechanical damage.
• Reviewing loading and unloading procedures to minimise the impact of transport on reinforcement bars.
• Reviewing and adapting superior cutting technologies when assessing capital equipment upgrade, eg, gas cutting, post cut grinding and waxing ends of bars.

Successful risk control measures should lead to a consistent clean-cut edge. Possible control measures for principal contractors may include:

• Identifying and sourcing factory-cut metal reinforcement bar from manufacturers (and their suppliers) that implement cutting maintenance programs or superior cutting technology. This would offer a quality assurance program that includes monitoring the quality of cuts on reinforcement bar entering the site. Indicators of a successful QA program may include a 'cut quality' tag used to trace the source of poorly cut reo-bar to the cutting machine.
• Considering delivery schedules that minimise the amount of reinforcement bar stored on site and/or providing adequate storage areas for reinforcement bar that are separated from walkways used by persons on site.
• Providing adequate walkways around the perimeter edge of areas where steel fixers are working (such as perimeter scaffolding for elevated areas) to reduce the likelihood of brush past injuries.
• Alerting safety committee and workers to the potential for brush past injuries from poorly stored and in-situ reinforcement bar and incorporating the risk into safety committee assessments of the site.

Control measures for steel fixing trades may include:

• Identifying, demarking and separating work areas containing reinforcement bar.
• Using trained, competent and supervised steel fixers.
• Using personal protective equipment such as steel-capped boots, sturdy long trousers and shirts and gloves.
• Capping ends of reinforcing bars near walkways to reduce possibility of brush past injuries.

WorkCover NSW
www.workcover.nsw.gov.au