Toolbox talk · Job site
Masonry and concrete work
This week we are pouring concrete and laying block, and both jobs put a lot of weight in places where people work. Rebar, wet forms, and fresh masonry walls can hurt you fast if we cut corners. Let's go over how we keep each other safe while we get the work done.
Published 2026-10-23
Key points
- 1Cap or cover every rebar end that sticks up where someone could fall on it. If you see an open bar, cap it or tell me right away.
- 2Never stand under or behind the concrete bucket while it is being raised or lowered. Stay clear and let the operator see you.
- 3Only the workers needed for the pour stay behind the pump hose and near the forms. Watch the hose, it can whip if it plugs or clears.
- 4Do not load forms, shoring, or a new wall until it is ready to hold the weight. Don't stack material on a slab or wall that is still green.
- 5When a masonry wall is going up, stay out of the limited access zone on the side without scaffold. Brace walls taller than eight feet until they are tied in.
- 6Protect your skin and eyes from wet concrete and mortar. Wear gloves, long sleeves, safety glasses, and waterproof boots, and wash off any splash right away.
- 7Lock out the mixer or pump before you clean or work on it. No one reaches into moving equipment.
Talk it over
- Where on this site do we have rebar or dowels sticking up right now?
- Which walls or forms are we working near today, and where is the zone we should stay out of?
- Has anyone had a concrete burn or a close call with the pump hose or bucket? What happened?
Remember
Cap the rebar, stay out from under the load, and don't trust green concrete or a fresh wall.
Also in the other language: Trabajos de albañilería y concreto
Official sources
- 29 CFR 1926.701 — Concrete and masonry — general requirementsecfr.gov
- 29 CFR 1926.706 — Requirements for masonry constructionecfr.gov
Print it with a sign-in sheet
Pro prints every talk on your letterhead with an attendance sheet, records who attended, and emails your foremen this week's talk every Monday.
General information, not legal advice. Templates and examples should be reviewed by a competent person before use. HardHat Binder is not affiliated with or endorsed by OSHA.