• OSHA’s standard for concrete and masonry construction is designed to protect workers from hazards like premature removal of formwork, failure to brace masonry walls, failure to support precast panels, and more.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard for concrete and masonry construction applies to any employer performing construction activities dealing with concrete and masonry construction. This standard is found at 1926 Subpart Q, 1926.700 through 1926.706.

OSHA’s standard for concrete and masonry construction sets minimum requirements to protect construction workers from accidents and injuries resulting from the:

• Premature removal of formwork,
• Failure to brace masonry walls,
• Failure to support precast panels,
• Inadvertent operation of equipment, and
• Failure to guard reinforcing steel.

The requirements are designed to help protect all construction workers from the hazards associated with concrete and masonry construction operations at construction, demolition, alteration, or repair worksites.

In general, the OSHA standard requires covered employers to:

• Only place construction loads on a concrete structure where the employer has determined, based on information received from a person who is qualified in structural design, that the structure or portion of the structure is capable of supporting the intended loads.
• Guard all protruding reinforcing steel onto and into which employees could fall, to eliminate the hazard of impalement.
• Prohibit employees (except those essential to the post-tensioning operations) from being behind the jack during tensioning operations. Erect signs and barriers to limit employee access to the post-tensioning area during tensioning operations.
• Ensure concrete buckets are not used to move employees.
• Prohibit employees from working under concrete buckets while the buckets are being elevated or lowered into position.
• Require employees to wear protective head and face equipment when applying a cement, sand, and water mixture through a pneumatic hose.
• Follow the requirements for equipment, tools, and operations.