5 Ways to Prevent Rebar Injuries and Impalement

Impalement ranks as one of the "Deadly Dozen Hazards" for workers in the construction industry. And an alarming 61% of impalement accidents occur from rebar alone. Even a mere stumble onto an unguarded rebar can result serious injury or death. Having a safety plan in place to prevent injuries from rebar and impalement saves lives. Use these tips to safeguard your worksite from rebar and impalement hazards.

1. Guard against minor scrapes and injuries, by placing a steel-reinforced "mushroom" cap on the ends of rebar. Although these caps are small, they provide effective protection from minor cuts and injuries.
2. Use specially-made protective caps designed to prevent impalement - these caps are flat on top and have steel placed inside the plastic covering which prevent the rebar from penetrating the protective cover.
3. If there is a long row of rebar, place a 2x4 piece of lumber on top of of rebar caps to provide effective protection from impalement and injuries.
4. You can also bend the rebar so that exposed ends are no long upright.
5. If working at any height above rebar, always use fall protection as your first line of defense against impalement.