You usually buy the hand tools on your program list. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.132(h)(1), for general industry, and 1926.95(d)(1), for construction, require protective equipment used to comply with those parts to be provided by the employer at no cost, subject to listed exceptions. The exceptions include non-specialty safety-toe footwear and non-specialty prescription safety eyewear when off-job use is permitted; employee-chosen boots with built-in metatarsal protection when the employer provides metatarsal guards; logging boots under the general-industry rule; everyday clothing; ordinary clothing, skin creams and other items used only for weather; replacement PPE the employee lost or intentionally damaged; and adequate employee-owned PPE the employer allows. The employer may not require an employee to provide or pay for other PPE covered by the rule.
Checked against official program and agency pages on October 16, 2026. Check your program's tool requirements and your employer's equipment policy. OSHA's applicable PPE payment requirements still apply.
Three groups to keep apart
- Your hand tools. North Texas JATC: the apprentice shall “supply and maintain” the minimum list. South Texas JATC: the apprentice shall carry the hand tools in the Inside Agreement.
- Company equipment. Ask your employer if power tools are supplied, and check your program's required tool list before buying one.
- PPE covered by OSHA's payment rules. Employer-provided at no cost, subject to every exception listed in 1910.132(h)(2) through (h)(6) or 1926.95(d)(2) through (d)(6).
Free tool: who pays for this item?
Pick an item to see the rule we found and where it comes from. Nothing is saved.
Optional personal purchases
Starting your first year as a Texas apprentice? The US$19 Texas First-Year Electrical Apprentice Kit gives you printable pages for the first months on the job: a tool-check card, a who-to-ask list with a short stop-and-ask script, emergency-contact and heat-and-rest cards, plus a Tool budget sheet and a Tool inventory sheet (CSV).
Confirm your program's list, your employer's requirements and what the employer provides before buying. The gloves below are optional general handling gloves, not required PPE and not for live electrical work.
Klein Tools 92911 Apprentice Tool Set (11 pieces)
Four pliers, a wire stripper and cutter, four screwdrivers, a pouch and a belt. Check it against your program's or employer's list before you buy.
As an Amazon Associate, Tsai Electro earns from qualifying purchases.
See the 92911 set on AmazonTimberland PRO Boondock 6-inch Composite Safety Toe Waterproof Work Boot
Listing states electrical hazard protection and ASTM F2413-18. Composite toe and waterproof.
Mechanix Wear Utility Work Gloves (touchscreen capable)
Optional general handling gloves for material and tools. Not required PPE, not for live electrical work and not a substitute for PPE your employer selects and provides.
Prices and stock change on Amazon, so check the listing before you buy.
Product details come from each Amazon listing, checked October 16, 2026.
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Sources
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.132, General requirements for PPE
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.95, Criteria for personal protective equipment
- North Texas Electrical JATC, Statement of Policy (effective January 15, 2026)
- South Texas Electrical JATC, Rules and Policies, Inside Wireman (rev. 12/30/2025)
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