Employer Furnished Cordless tools?
- Thread starter I^2R
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Massachusetts
I think it is out of line for companies to expect employees to provide the power tools you list.
At the very least if you do go that route you should be replacing the batteries as needed without hesitation.
At the very least if you do go that route you should be replacing the batteries as needed without hesitation.
They need to provide hand tools. Specialty tools and power tool should be provided by the contractor. If you require them to provide power tools for your jobs, are you prepared to repair of replace them if and when they wear out or break? We provide all power tools, benders hand and power, fish tapes ko cutters hole saws etc. good quality hand tools is all we require. even more so in commercial and industrial.
Once you know you're going to keep a man on , then pay for such things, but let them pick what they are comfortable with since all the good stuff is priced about the same,also you should know how long that stuff lasts so broken tools can be replaced , but if they are looking for a new drill every 2 months you'll know they are abusing them.
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
i have often wondered why it is Ok to require an employee supply his own hand tools but not power tools. the only real difference is cost. I know some mechanics that have upwards of $30,000 in their tool chests.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
We're only required to provide basic hand tools. If you buy your own power tools and they get stolen does the boss pay for replacement?
PetrosA
Senior Member
- Location
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
A mechanic with $30,000 worth of his own tools at a jobsite working for someone else? That's nuts. I know a lot of contractors that don't own that much in tools.
Fulthrotl
~Autocorrect is My Worst Enema.~
- Occupation
- E
most collective bargaining units have a specified tool list
here is a representative sample:
Tool Pouch
Screwdrivers
Hacksaw frame
Tri-square
Side cutting pliers
Size 0 Phillips
Drywall saw Knife
Diagonal pliers
Size 1 Phillips
Straight claw Hammer
Wire stripers
Long-nose pliers
Stubby Phillips
Flashlight
Tin snips
Steel rule, 1? x 25? min.
5? common blade
1 set Allen wrenches
Torpedo level
2 pair channel lock 8?
common blade Awl
Code book
10? crescent wrench
Stubby common
Center punch
Tic tracer
1 set of spin tights
Voltage tester
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
For an auto mechanic, for example, working at a fixed location in a garage or other repair shop, the range of hand tools required gets pretty diverse and includes a lot of sizes of everything. $30,000 would not surprise me greatly.
Other than an air impact wrench, a drill and a hydraulic lift, their tools used to be almost entirely hand tools anyway.
Now the electronic diagnostic equipment and the books of data will be big ticket items too and the owner will furnish those.
PetrosA
Senior Member
- Location
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
I think "mechanic" here refers to a high quality electrician/installer in a commercial or industrial setting. A residential electrician would rarely be referred to as a mechanic.
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
What are "spin tights"?
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
Nut drivers. (Sockets on screwdriver type handles.) Usually with hollow shafts so you can tighten nuts on screws that are longer than they need to be.
Hopefully US sizes only required.
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
Never heard of them referred to as such.
I think Fulthrotl's list is pretty much representitive of what most commercial shops do here.... well with ONE EXCEPTION.. to my disappointment, a Code book is seldom a requirement.
Unfortunately, I will find a Code book on about 10% of the residential jobs and maybe 50% of the commercial jobs.
One of my sons is a auto/truck mechanic and most of the vehicle shops required their mechanics to own "hand" tools that often amount to 10X what the electrician owns.
Unfortunately, I will find a Code book on about 10% of the residential jobs and maybe 50% of the commercial jobs.
One of my sons is a auto/truck mechanic and most of the vehicle shops required their mechanics to own "hand" tools that often amount to 10X what the electrician owns.
- Location
- Simi Valley, CA
I've always believed anything that can't be put in your tool pouch, should be provided by the contractor.
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
It seems fair for a non-union shop to only ask its employees to provide the same level of tools as the local union guys have to supply themselves. It is at least something that can be pointed to that was agreed to by some other entity as being fair.
growler
Senior Member
- Location
- Atlanta,GA
Yes it's very common for an auto mechanic to have thousands of dollars in personal tools.
The working conditions are very different in an auto repair shop and a construction site. There are often no good ways of protecting your personal tools from theft on a construction site. With company tools they can be checked out of a tool room or trailer and checked back in when you are finished useing them. The tools room guy locks them up at night and keeps batteries charged (in the tool room).
It's just not very effecient for each guy to try and keep track of and secure all the tools needed to do the job. Guys need to be working and not lugging tons of personal tools from place to place.
hbiss
EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
- Location
- Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
- Occupation
- EC
When I was starting out that's what nut drivers were called. I believe it was a trade name used by some manufacturer (maybe Xcellite?) When I say Spintight today it always results in having to explain what it is.
-Hal
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
I agree that it was made by Xcelite. The TM name was "SpinTite" and the originals are now considered collectible vintage tools.
gadfly56
Senior Member
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
Company Issued
Company Issued
Power tools are issued by the company to employees on an as-needed basis. This includes the more common items like 1/2 inch hammer drills as well as pipe threaders. Nominally, you're responsible if the tool is lost, stolen, or damaged but management isn't uptight about the policy and there is a very wide "grey zone". Repeat offenders get closer scrutiny.
You are responsible for hand tools; Fulthrotl's list is is typical of what my alarm tech's carry, either on their belt or in the truck. The techs get a $10 per month tool allowance, paid quarterly.
Company Issued
Power tools are issued by the company to employees on an as-needed basis. This includes the more common items like 1/2 inch hammer drills as well as pipe threaders. Nominally, you're responsible if the tool is lost, stolen, or damaged but management isn't uptight about the policy and there is a very wide "grey zone". Repeat offenders get closer scrutiny.
You are responsible for hand tools; Fulthrotl's list is is typical of what my alarm tech's carry, either on their belt or in the truck. The techs get a $10 per month tool allowance, paid quarterly.
- Status