Guard rebar ends up to 6 feet with a 4-inch square or 4 1/2-inch round cover, according to California Department of Industrial Relations.
Key takeaways
- Write these three items in your daily log checklist.
- First, write the guard sentence from the federal page.
- Second, write the 6-foot height limit from the California page.
- Third, write the 4-inch cover size from the California page.
- Keep the numbers tied to their source page.
Do not mix the numbers. The 6-foot and 4-inch lines belong to the California page. This keeps your record accurate.
Which exposed rebar ends get a cover before someone can fall
The requirement applies specifically to protruding reinforcing steel where a fall onto or into the bar is possible. This rule ties the guard requirement directly to the physical condition of the rebar ends and the potential for an employee to fall onto them. It does not apply to rebar that is fully embedded, capped, or otherwise protected from direct contact by a fall. The scope is limited to the specific hazard of impalement from protruding steel.
When you walk the site, identify every location where reinforcing bar ends are exposed and where a worker could fall onto them. These are the ends that require a guard. The guard must be in place to eliminate the impalement hazard. Do not assume that a cover is needed only for bars of a certain length or diameter; the rule focuses on the potential for a fall onto the protruding steel. If a worker could fall onto the end, the end must be guarded.
Write down which ends on your site meet this definition today. Note the location and the condition of the rebar. See concrete grinding records and silica-control records for other concrete checks to write down. This record helps you track which ends need guards before anyone works above them. Do not leave exposed ends unguarded if a fall onto them is possible.
The guard sentence on the federal and Washington pages
The core requirement for protecting protruding reinforcing steel is consistent across the federal and Washington state sources. You must guard all protruding reinforcing steel, onto and into which employees could fall, to eliminate the hazard of impalement, according to Washington State Legislature. This specific phrasing appears in the Washington Administrative Code section WAC 296-155-680. The federal regulation mirrors this language closely. All protruding reinforcing steel, onto and into which employees could fall, shall be guarded to eliminate the hazard of impalement, according to Legal Information Institute. This text is found in the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, specifically 29 CFR § 1926.701.
Another source, GovRegs, reprints the same federal concrete rule. GovRegs presents this as part of 29 CFR 1926.701 - General requirements. It is important to note that GovRegs reprints the federal concrete rule; it is not the labor department itself. The sentence structure in the federal sources uses "shall be guarded," while the Washington state source uses "You must guard." Both sentences identify the specific hazard as impalement and the specific condition as employees falling onto or into the steel.
When you read these pages, look for the exact phrase "eliminate the hazard of impalement." This is the standard that defines the purpose of the cover. The federal page does not print a specific height or size number in this guard sentence. The Washington page also does not print a specific cover size in this guard sentence. These pages establish the obligation to guard, but they do not provide the dimensional specifications for the cover itself in this particular clause. The dimensional details, such as the 6-foot height and 4-inch cover size, are found in other sections of the regulations, specifically within California's printed lines, which are detailed in a separate section of this guide.
California's height, size, and drop-test lines
California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 1712, Requirements for Impalement Protection, sets specific limits for when and how you must guard exposed reinforcing steel. The rule applies to employees working at grade or at the same surface as exposed protruding reinforcing steel or other similar projections. You must protect against the hazard of impalement by guarding all exposed ends that extend up to 6 feet above grade or other work surface, with protective covers, or troughs, according to California Department of Industrial Relations. This 6-foot line defines the vertical reach of the requirement. If an end sticks up higher than 6 feet, the specific guard requirement for that end under this subsection stops at that mark.
The section also limits where you can use standard protective covers. Protective covers shall not be used to protect against impalement where the maximum height of fall exposure, to the top of the protective cover, exceeds 7 1/2 feet, unless the protective covers meet the requirement of subsection (d)(4)(D), according to California Department of Industrial Relations. This 7 1/2-foot limit is a separate constraint from the 6-foot guard height. It tells you when a standard cover is insufficient because the fall exposure to the top of the cover is too great. If your fall exposure to the top of the cover exceeds 7 1/2 feet, you cannot rely on a standard cover unless it meets the specific alternative requirement in subsection (d)(4)(D).
For the physical size of the cover itself, the regulation states that protective covers shall have a minimum 4-inch by 4-inch square surface area, or if round, a minimum diameter of 4 1/2 inches, according to California Department of Industrial Relations. When you select or build a cover, measure it against these dimensions. A cover smaller than these minimums does not meet the size requirement printed in the regulation.
The regulation also specifies impact resistance through a drop test. Manufactured protective covers made before October 1, 2000, shall, at the minimum, be capable of withstanding the impact of a 250-pound weight dropped from a height of 10 feet without penetration failure of the cover, according to California Department of Industrial Relations. This drop test applies specifically to manufactured covers made before that date. If you are using older manufactured covers, they must have passed this 250-pound, 10-foot drop test to be compliant.
Job-built protective covers face the same impact requirement. Job-built protective covers, except for troughs as depicted in Appendix Plate C-25, shall, at the minimum, be capable of withstanding the impact of a 250-pound weight dropped from a height of 10 feet without penetration failure of the cover, according to California Department of Industrial Relations. This means if you build a cover on site, it must survive the same 250-pound weight dropped from 10 feet without being penetrated. The exception for troughs is specific to the design shown in Appendix Plate C-25.
Illustrative example of a short cover check
Three bar ends rise 4 feet, within the 6-foot line, so each end is guarded. Each cover is a square 4 inches on a side. Another end would take a fall of 10 feet to the top of a cover, past the printed line for a standard cover, so a standard cover is not the choice. Job-built covers are checked against a 250-pound weight dropped 10 feet with no penetration. These are round figures for the walk-through only.
A filled reference table of the rebar-cover lines
The table below lists the specific guard sentences, height limits, and cover sizes printed by each source. You must keep the numbers tied to their named publisher. The federal and Washington pages print the guard sentence, while California prints the specific height and size lines.
| publisher | guard sentence it prints | height it prints | cover size or drop test it prints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal Information Institute | All protruding reinforcing steel, onto and into which employees could fall, shall be guarded to eliminate the hazard of impalement. | Not printed on this page | Not printed on this page |
| California Department of Industrial Relations | (1) Employees working at grade or at the same surface as exposed protruding reinforcing steel or other similar projections, shall be protected against the hazard of impalement by guarding all exposed ends that extend up to 6 feet above grade or other work surface, with protective covers, or troughs. | 6 feet above grade or other work surface | (2) Protective covers shall have a minimum 4-inch by 4-inch square surface area, or if round, a minimum diameter of 4 1/2 inches. |
The Legal Information Institute page prints the guard sentence for 29 CFR § 1926.701, according to Legal Information Institute. The Washington State Legislature page prints a similar guard sentence in WAC 296-155-680, according to Washington State Legislature. The California Department of Industrial Relations page prints the 6-foot height line in Title 8, Section 1712, according to California Department of Industrial Relations. The same California page prints the 4-inch by 4-inch square or 4 1/2-inch round cover size, according to California Department of Industrial Relations. GovRegs reprints the federal concrete rule with the same guard sentence, according to GovRegs. Do not put the 6-foot or 4-inch numbers on the federal or Washington rows. Washington's four-foot fall line is a different sentence from the rebar-cover size.
Who keeps the covers on after the reinforcing crew leaves
After the reinforcing crew leaves, the responsibility for those covers does not disappear. This inspection is the handoff. You must look at the covers, confirm they are still in place, and then accept the responsibility for them.
You cannot assume the covers are safe just because the reinforcing crew said they were. The rule requires that you inspect them. You must verify that the covers are still attached to the ends of the bars. You must verify that they have not been knocked off by other work. You must verify that they are still effective.
Check cover size on the ends you guarded today
When selecting these covers, ensure they have a minimum 4-inch by 4-inch square surface area, or if round, a minimum diameter of 4 1/2 inches, according to California Department of Industrial Relations. If the cover is square, record the side length. If it is round, record the diameter. This record confirms that the physical object matches the regulatory size requirement for the specific bar end you covered.
Do this on site today
Walk the site today and list each exposed end a worker could fall onto, the cover size you measured, and whether the end is within the 6-foot line on the California page.
FAQ about rebar impalement covers
Which ends must be guarded
The federal rule requires guarding all protruding reinforcing steel that employees could fall onto or into, to eliminate the hazard of impalement, according to Legal Information Institute. This applies to any exposed end where a fall is possible.
What height California prints
California's regulation specifies guarding all exposed ends that extend up to 6 feet above grade or other work surface, according to California Department of Industrial Relations. This height limit defines the vertical range requiring protection.
What cover size California prints
Protective covers must have a minimum 4-inch by 4-inch square surface area, or if round, a minimum diameter of 4 1/2 inches, according to California Department of Industrial Relations.
What to write down today
Record which specific rebar ends are covered, the measured size of the covers used, and the source page you referenced for compliance. This documentation supports your site's safety records and verifies adherence to the stated requirements.