Use a tool only after you have checked it, picked the right one for the task and been shown how to run it on your site. OSHA’s construction rule says hand and power tools must be kept in safe condition whether the employer or the worker supplies them, so your own tools count the same as the company’s. Before you run any power tool on the job for the first time, ask your journeyman to walk you through it.
Find first-year tool planning sheets and check cards in the US$19 Texas First-Year Kit.
See the path ahead: Apprentice → Journeyman → Master → electrical contractor.
What safe tool use looks like in your first weeks
- Check before every use. If you find damage that could make a tool unsafe, such as a cracked handle, a chipped tip, nicked insulation or a frayed cord, stop using it, take it out of service and report it to your supervisor. It stays out of use until it has been properly repaired. The checklist below covers the basics.
- Use the tool for its job. A screwdriver is not a pry bar, and pliers are not a hammer. A misused tool slips, and a slipping tool cuts hands.
- Know what insulated tools do. Insulated hand tools carry a voltage marking and add a layer of protection. Insulated tools are not permission to work on energized circuits. Follow your employer’s de-energizing and electrical safety procedures.
- Power tools stay guarded. Keep guards on, keep cords out of walkways and pull the battery or plug before you change a bit or blade, following the manufacturer’s instructions for that tool.
- Report damage out loud. Tag a damaged tool and tell your supervisor rather than putting it back in the bag. The tool inspection and damage reporting step on the career tree covers how.
Free tool: pre-use check
Run this before your first task of the day. Nothing is saved; it clears when you leave the page.
Hand tools
Power tools
Starter tools apprentices carry
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).
Log your Texas Journeyman hours free. A free Tsai Electro account keeps your supervised hours, your online practice scores and your exam date in one place. Start with a five-question check to see which topic to practice next.
Learn every tool on site before you use it on a job. Your employer's tool list comes first, and your journeyman should show you how each power tool runs before you use it at 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 employer's or training program's tool list before you buy.
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See the 92911 set on AmazonKlein Tools 85076INS Insulated Screwdriver Set (6 pieces, 1000V)
Insulated screwdrivers marked for 1000V. They add protection; de-energizing the circuit still comes first.
Milwaukee 2407-22 M12 3/8-inch Drill/Driver Kit
An M12 3/8-inch drill/driver kit. Ask your employer first; many companies supply drills.
Prices and stock change on Amazon, so check the listing before you buy.
