Concrete Steel Fixing Safe Work Method Statement

Steel reinforcement bars are delivered in 6-metre or 12-metre lengths weighing from 15kg for N12 bars to over 100kg for N40 bars used in large structural elements. Bars are bundled together with wire ties for transport and storage, with bundles often weighing 500-1000kg requiring mechanical handling for delivery but manual debundling for installation. Steel fixers must lift individual bars from bundles, carry across potentially rough or uneven ground to installation location, and position bars within formwork often requiring lifting to shoulder height or higher for column and wall reinforcement. Welded wire mesh sheets for slabs measure 2.4m x 6.0m and weigh 20-30kg each depending on wire diameter and spacing, requiring two-person handling to prevent mesh distortion and handling injuries. The repetitive nature of steel fixing work means these lifts occur hundreds of times per shift - a typical residential slab might require placement of 200+ mesh sheets and 100+ reinforcing bars. Awkward load shapes make bars difficult to grip and control, with 6-metre bars requiring careful coordination when carried by two workers. Working in confined formwork spaces restricts body positioning forcing twisted lifts and reaching movements increasing injury risk.

Consequence: Acute lower back strain from lifting heavy bars creating immediate debilitating pain and requiring medical treatment, chronic lower back conditions including disc degeneration and herniated discs developing over years of accumulated manual handling, shoulder rotator cuff injuries from repetitive overhead bar placement, hernias from lifting excessive loads or using poor technique, knee damage from kneeling during slab reinforcement installation, and career-ending disability forcing exit from steel fixing trade in early 40s or 50s due to accumulated musculoskeletal damage.

Reinforcing bars have deformed surface ribs creating sharp projections that catch and tear skin and clothing during handling. Cut bar ends are sharp particularly when bars cut using angle grinders or hydraulic cutters creating burrs. Welded wire mesh has exposed wire ends at cut edges creating puncture hazards. Tie wire used to secure reinforcement together is typically 1.2mm diameter mild steel wire that is very sharp when cut, with cut ends protruding from tied connections. Steel fixers' hands are constantly exposed to these sharp edges during handling, positioning, and tying operations. Gloves provide some protection but must allow sufficient dexterity for tying wire, meaning thin gloves that tear easily are used rather than heavy protective gloves. Carrying bars over shoulders creates laceration risk if workers trip or lose balance causing bars to strike face or neck. Stacked reinforcement creates trip hazards with falls onto steel causing serious puncture wounds particularly if workers fall onto vertical bar projections. Eye injuries occur when cutting or bending operations generate small steel fragments, or when tie wire under tension during tying snaps back striking the face and eyes.

Consequence: Deep lacerations requiring surgical repair and suturing, severed tendons in hands requiring reconstructive surgery with potential permanent loss of hand function, puncture wounds penetrating deep into muscle tissue with infection risk particularly if soil contamination present, eye injuries from steel fragments potentially causing partial or total vision loss, tetanus infection risk from puncture wounds if immunization not current, significant blood loss from deep lacerations to hands or arms requiring emergency medical treatment, and permanent scarring affecting hand dexterity and function critical for steel fixing work.

Suspended slab construction requires steel fixers to work at heights from 3 metres up to 30+ metres on multi-storey buildings installing mesh and reinforcing bars for concrete floor slabs. Workers typically access formwork using temporary stairs or ladders, then work across the formwork surface which may have holes, gaps, and unprotected edges. Installation of column and wall reinforcement requires working from scaffolding, elevated work platforms, or formwork itself, often near unprotected edges. Steel fixers must carry reinforcement materials while climbing access equipment and when moving across working platforms, reducing ability to maintain three points of contact. Mesh and bars create unstable walking surfaces with potential to roll or shift underfoot. Rain makes steel surfaces extremely slippery increasing fall risk. Steel fixing work near roof edges during installation of roof slab reinforcement presents fall hazards from heights potentially exceeding 10 metres. The need to lean over or reach beyond safe working positions to place and tie distant reinforcement creates overbalancing risks. Inadequate or incomplete edge protection allowing steel fixers to approach edges while focused on technical reinforcement placement creates constant fall exposure.

Consequence: Fatal injuries from falls exceeding 5 metres particularly if striking solid surfaces or reinforcement protrusions, serious fractures including spinal injuries causing permanent paralysis, head trauma from striking formwork or ground surface during fall, injuries from striking protruding reinforcement during fall causing impalement or deep lacerations, multiple fractures requiring extensive hospitalization and rehabilitation, permanent disability preventing return to physical work, and prosecution of principal contractors and steel fixing companies under WHS legislation for inadequate fall protection systems.

Steel reinforcement is delivered to site and moved around site using cranes, with bundles of bars weighing 500-1000kg and prefabricated reinforcement cages potentially weighing several tonnes lifted over workers installing reinforcement in formwork below. Communication between crane operators with limited visibility and steel fixers working in confined formwork spaces can break down particularly in noisy construction environments. Rigging failures including bundle strapping breaking or crane hook disengagement can cause loads to drop suddenly. Loads can swing uncontrolled if lifted in windy conditions or if tagline control inadequate, striking workers or structures. Steel fixers may enter exclusion zones beneath suspended loads to guide bars into position creating struck-by exposure. Prefabricated reinforcement cages are rigid and heavy with potential to crush workers if placement goes wrong. Delivery trucks offloading steel bundles using truck-mounted cranes create struck-by hazards for workers receiving deliveries. Working near mobile plant including excavators positioning steel deliveries creates collision and struck-by hazards if exclusion zones not maintained.

Consequence: Fatal crushing injuries if struck by dropped or swinging steel bundles or cages, traumatic brain injuries and skull fractures from head impacts, crush injuries to limbs potentially requiring amputation, fractured ribs and internal injuries from torso impacts, multiple fatalities if large loads strike grouped workers, equipment damage from dropped loads, project delays from serious incidents, and severe prosecution liability for principal contractors if inadequate lifting procedures or exclusion zones implemented.

Handling long reinforcing bars near overhead power lines creates electrocution risk if bars contact or come within minimum clearance distances of energized conductors. Six-metre and twelve-metre bars being lifted manually or by crane can easily breach safe approach distances to overhead lines, particularly when steel fixers working on elevated platforms or roofs are closer to line height. Steel conducts electricity, with any contact causing current flow through bars and into workers' bodies. Multiple workers handling the same bar or working on connected reinforcement can be simultaneously electrocuted if any part of the steel contacts power lines. Boom cranes lifting steel also create electrical hazards if boom or load contacts overhead lines, potentially energizing crane and surrounding steel reinforcement. Urban sites with power lines crossing or adjacent to construction areas present constant electrical hazards during steel handling. Power lines may be partially obscured by trees or structures, not obvious to workers focused on steel placement activities. Wet conditions increase electrical hazard severity as moisture improves conductivity.

Consequence: Fatal electrocution from contact with high-voltage overhead lines carrying 11kV to 132kV, multiple simultaneous fatalities if steel cage or reinforcement mat contacts lines affecting all workers touching steel, severe burns at entry and exit points of electrical current through body, cardiac arrest from electrical shock potentially causing death even after power source removed, permanent neurological damage from electrical shock affecting motor control and sensation, equipment damage if crane contacts power lines, fire hazards from electrical arcing igniting nearby combustible materials, and emergency services response complications in attempting rescue while steel remains energized.

Steel fixing requires tying reinforcement bars together at intersections using wire ties to maintain position during concrete placement. Tying operations involve twisting short lengths of tie wire around bar intersections using specialized tying tools or pliers, requiring sustained gripping force and repetitive wrist rotation movements. Slab reinforcement installation requires steel fixers to kneel or squat for hours installing bar chairs, positioning mesh, and tying mesh overlaps and bar intersections. Column and wall reinforcement requires sustained overhead work tying vertical bars together and installing ties between vertical bars and horizontal ligatures. Working inside column cages or wall formwork during reinforcement installation requires confined space entry and sustained awkward postures in cramped conditions. Beam reinforcement installation in deep beams requires reaching down into formwork cavities to position and tie bottom bars while maintaining balance on formwork edges. The volume of tying required is substantial - a single column may require 50+ ties, while a suspended slab might require 500+ ties creating cumulative strain on hands, wrists, shoulders and back over the course of a shift.

Consequence: Chronic wrist pain and carpal tunnel syndrome from repetitive gripping and twisting during tying operations, trigger finger developing from sustained gripping forces on tying tools, shoulder impingement and rotator cuff damage from sustained overhead work tying column and wall reinforcement, chronic knee pain and osteoarthritis from prolonged kneeling during slab steel installation, lower back pain and disc degeneration from sustained bending and awkward positions, reduced grip strength and manual dexterity affecting ability to perform steel fixing work, and accumulated musculoskeletal disorders requiring career change if ergonomic improvements not implemented.