Reinforcing Iron and Rebar Workers

Career Overview

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

Also Known As

• Iron Installer
• Iron Worker
• Ironworker
• Rodbuster

Alternate Job Titles

• Concrete Buster
• Concrete Rod Buster
• Concrete Worker
• Field Ironworker
• Iron Installer
• Iron Worker
• Ironworker
• Ironworker Welder
• Journeyman Ironworker
• Laborer
• Post Tensioning Ironworker
• Rebar Bender
• Rebar Fabricator
• Rebar Production Fabricator
• Rebar Rodbuster

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

• Determine quantities, sizes, shapes, and locations of reinforcing rods from blueprints, sketches, or oral instructions.
• Space and fasten together rods in forms according to blueprints, using wire and pliers.
• Position and secure steel bars, rods, cables, or mesh in concrete forms, using fasteners, rod-bending machines, blowtorches, or hand tools.
• Cut rods to required lengths, using metal shears, hacksaws, bar cutters, or acetylene torches.
• Place blocks under rebar to hold the bars off the deck when reinforcing floors.
• Cut and fit wire mesh or fabric, using hooked rods, and position fabric or mesh in concrete to reinforce concrete.
• Bend steel rods with hand tools or rod-bending machines and weld them with arc-welding equipment.

Emerging Responsibilities

As this field evolves, you may also:

• Unload rebar from trucks.
• Use forklifts or cranes to move construction material, such as rebar.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• Building and Construction

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Static Strength
• Trunk Strength
• Multilimb Coordination
• Manual Dexterity
• Extent Flexibility
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
• Stamina
• Near Vision
• Control Precision
• Finger Dexterity

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Dependability
• Attention to Detail
• Cautiousness
• Stress Tolerance
• Perseverance

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Support
• Relationships
• Working Conditions
• Recognition
• Independence

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Less than a High School Diploma

On-the-Job Training: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years

Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Technology You'll Use

Tools & Equipment

• Acetylene torches
• Adjustable widemouth pliers
• Air compressors
• Arc welding equipment
• Automatic rebar tying tools
• Beam spreaders
• Bolt cutters
• Caulking guns
• Chain slings
• Chokers
• Crowbars
• Cutoff saws
• Double lanyards
• Electric drills
• Grease guns

Work Environment

• Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions
• Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls
• Health and Safety of Other Workers
• Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
• Contact With Others

Salary & Job Market

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$39,470
Median	$59,280
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$95,530

Workers Employed Nationally: 14,140

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.