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Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Worker

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AVG. SALARY

$44,890

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EDUCATION

High school (GED) +

What They Do

Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers Career Video

About This Career

Positions and secures steel bars or mesh in concrete forms in order to reinforce concrete. Uses a variety of fasteners, rod-bending machines, blowtorches, and hand tools. Includes rod busters.

This career is part of the Architecture and Construction cluster Construction pathway.

A person in this career:

  • Determines quantities, sizes, shapes, and locations of reinforcing rods from blueprints, sketches, or oral instructions.
  • Spaces and fastens together rods in forms according to blueprints, using wire and pliers.
  • Positions and secures steel bars, rods, cables, or mesh in concrete forms, using fasteners, rod-bending machines, blowtorches, or hand tools.
  • Places blocks under rebar to hold the bars off the deck when reinforcing floors.
  • Cuts rods to required lengths, using metal shears, hacksaws, bar cutters, or acetylene torches.
  • Cuts and fits wire mesh or fabric, using hooked rods, and positions fabric or mesh in concrete to reinforce concrete.
  • Bends steel rods with hand tools or rod-bending machines and welds them with arc-welding equipment.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

  • You would often handle loads up to 50 lbs., sometimes up to 100 lbs. You will need a lot of strength at this level.
  • Work in this occupation involves bending or twisting your body more than one-third of the time
  • Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
  • Exposure to pollutants, gases, dust, fumes, odors, poor ventilation, etc.
  • Conditions are very hot (above 90 F) or very cold (under 32 F)
  • Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
  • Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting
  • Work in this occupation requires being outside most of the time
  • Work in this occupation involves making repetitive motions more than one-third of the time
  • Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time
  • Work in this occupation involves walking or running more than one-third of the time
  • Work at heights above 8 feet more than once a month on structures such as ladders, poles, scaffolding, and catwalks

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

  • Maintaining a body position that prevents falling when in an unstable position
  • Moving the arms, legs and torso together when the whole body is in motion
  • Using muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring
  • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching
  • Seeing clearly up close
  • Exerting oneself physically over long periods of time without getting out of breath
  • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying objects
  • Using abdominal and lower back muscles repeatedly or over time without tiring

Work Hours and Travel

  • Regular working hours and limited travel

Specialty and Similar Careers

Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:

  • Field Ironworker
  • Iron Installer
  • Iron Worker
  • Ironworker
  • Reinforced Ironworker
  • Rodbuster
  • Rodman
  • Steel Tier

Contact

  • Email Support

  • 1-800-GO-TO-XAP (1-800-468-6927)
    From outside the U.S., please call +1 (424) 750-3900

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