# Masonry and concrete work

URL: https://hardhatbinder.com/en/toolbox-talks/masonry-and-concrete
Last updated: 2026-10-23

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.

## Key points

1. Cap 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.
2. Never stand under or behind the concrete bucket while it is being raised or lowered. Stay clear and let the operator see you.
3. Only 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.
4. Do 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.
5. When 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.
6. Protect 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.
7. Lock 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.

## Official sources

- [29 CFR 1926.701](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1926.701) — Concrete and masonry — general requirements
- [29 CFR 1926.706](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1926.706) — Requirements for masonry construction

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Source: HardHat Binder, operated by Leadspire LLC. Templates to be reviewed by a competent person before use; not legal advice; not affiliated with OSHA.