What safety precautions should I take when working with 316L/A4 steel?
Main precaution ; Do not touch it while it is hot. No vapors will come off the steel . What does A4 mean ? Your heating would be about right for forging. But for bending , try room temperature. It will bend very well unless you paid a premium for strain hardened bar. If you bend it extensively at room temperature it will harden. If you need to bend it more ,then heat it. 316 has no particular temperature requirements. A low red heat of about 1200 F should soften it ,cool in water.Then bend it at room temperature. You may repeat as often as needed. Bending at room temperature will be substantially more convenient than hot bending. Heating will discolor it from straw, to blue, to black depending on temperature and time. Color may be removed by sanding-polishing , if necessary. You are correct on one thing , today 316 is the same as 316 L ,the only difference is that you have to pay more if you order L grade.